Greenbottle Fly - 2nd image added

Images taken in a controlled environment or with a posed subject. All subject types.

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NikonUser
Posts: 2693
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Post by NikonUser »

rjlittlefield wrote:Of course this begs to be asked, "What kind of a container?"
Did you have to make one out of high quality glass, or were you able to buy something suitable, or... ?
--Rik
Image
Dorsal shots relatively easy- see left image. The 3/4'' board and piece of rock (or leaf) is cooled in a table-top bar fridge @ about 2C. Specimen also cooled.
Place fly on rock, cover with UV filter, shoot vertically through glass. A fly will warm-up to its operating temperature in about a minute and will invariably climb up the sides and stay there or walk on the underside of the glass. A gentle tap on the glass will knock it back down. With patience one can get a dorsal shot on the specimen sitting on the rock.
Lateral shots not so easy - right image. Need a cool bug, and cool arena. Flash is fired through the top plastic sheet, foam acts as a decent all-round reflector. Have to work quickly, once fly warms up it usually escapes. I plan to make a similar box but with a drop-down glass front that can be raised to photograph and lowered to prevent escapes.
One way to keep a fly still is to place a small drop of sugar water on the rock, it will soon find it and settle down to feed.
Photographing live flies is a pain, that's why 95% of my fly photos are of voucher specimens.

Michigan Michael
Posts: 193
Joined: Sat Aug 04, 2007 6:12 pm
Location: SE Mi.

Post by Michigan Michael »

Very clever assembly.
What does "6, 1/3 rd" mean?

NikonUser
Posts: 2693
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Post by NikonUser »

Michigan Michael wrote:Very clever assembly.
What does "6, 1/3 rd" mean?
It means 6 pieces from 2 styrofoam cups. See HERE for a similar diffuser but using just 5 of the pieces

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