Decided to pick the rig back up after about a ten month break and go back to chasing semi-active to hyperactive critters. No focus stacks, the tech just hasn't caught up to my kind of macro. Maybe someday someone will use the same tech that's currently used for sensor based image stabilization and c...

Thanks for the detailed post Beatsy! Although our lighting requirements are different I still learn something from looking at your setups. I'm able to light, and therefor resolve, most surfaces pretty well. The only thing giving me a bit if a fit are glossy black compound eyes, and I'm either runnin...

Went looking for something to point the camera at and found some female Mining Bees foraging for pollen in Dandelions. Fortunately it was windy last weekend and the breeze masked the vibration that I caused when I grabbed onto the stem of the flowers. In both cases the bee was turning away from the ...

bobfriedman wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 10, 2022 4:19 am

very nice work.. beautiful images.

Thanks!

I wouldn't presume to know how viewers might react to an image. Each viewer is an individual with unique interests, tastes, and sensibilities. While not disagreeing with the second sentence above, I’d challenge the first. Isn’t a fundamental element of photography to understand how people will reac...

I wouldn't presume to know how viewers might react to an image. Each viewer is an individual with unique interests, tastes, and sensibilities. I have to confess, though, that when I look at your photos in this thread, my eyes are drawn to the detail of the bees more than the color of the background...

leonardturner wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 26, 2022 3:49 am

Striking and very well-lit images, which succeed both visually and informatively. Well done!

Leonard

Thanks!

Relying on a flash fall-off to create a black background is a choice that's not necessarily based on esthetics or ease of use. An academic, for example, may find a more natural color background distracting when the purpose of an image is to call attention to the structure and details of a subject. ...

My Mason bees have been hatching off an on for the last two weeks. Seems like the weather cannot make up its mind and we have had a few false springs. Unfortunately I have not had much time lately, but I did manage to get a couple of shots. ech Specs: Canon 90D (F11, 1/125, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 6...

I have been working a lot on mixing light sources -using a flash to expose a shaded subject and set the ISO and shutter to expose for the natural light in the background. Managed to find a semi-cooperative subject today. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51920080190_65ce1cb1f4_b.jpg Foraging Honey...

MarkSturtevant wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 28, 2022 8:20 am

Very good. A trick that I use sometimes is to have a selection of paint swatches (free), purloined from a hardware store. Of course the area they cover will be small, and one must plan for that.

Sounds like a really good idea!

joshmacro wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 21, 2022 4:58 pm

Nice images John. I find the background of the Feeding Butterfly most pleasing. That background looks like there are hexagonal bokeh balls, but there is dreamlike quality to it which is very nice that goes very well with the subject.

Thanks! I like the way that one looks as well.

Let me kick this one off by saying that you can simply let the background go black due to flash falloff. But the suspension of disbelief applies to still images (not just video) and some people will look at your photos and they will not be able to relax and enjoy the shot because "That insect is not...

MarkSturtevant wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 04, 2022 6:46 pm

Excellent, as always.

Thanks!

I have been going through my back catalog and editing images that I just did not get around to. Hoping that "critter season" starts soon. Cool temps and partly cloudy weather provided the perfect conditions to go looking for a dormant solitary bee. Not sure about the species, and unfortunately it to...