Thursday, March 25, 2010

Insect Macros

I've enjoyed looking at some of the insect macros I've seen, but never really been super interested in doing my own.

Yesterday, I went outside around 6:00 to do some past-due flower macros, now that our purple and white crocuses have started poking up. I couldn't help but notice that there were bees swarming all over them. Since I was already armed with my dad's macro lens and my monopod, I quickly switched into TV, then set for burst shooting and servo AF based off the middle AF point (the sharpest). About 150 pictures later, I had a couple of keepers. This one is my favorite.





click to enlarge, or see it on Flickr
Aperture: f/3.2
Shutter Speed: 1/200
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 100 mm
Monopod



I like it because the bee is in an interesting position, the composition on the flower isn't compromised, and the main interest points are acceptably sharp. I apologize for the boring center composition of the subject, but I was using the sharpest AF point on camera, which is the center, and I couldn't find a crop that I liked very much, so I just left it as-is.

So, long story short, I covet my dad's macro lens like, five million.

5 comments:

  1. That's a really good one. Well done. It was very humorous that we both chose the same subject.

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  2. Great shot! I love macro! I still don't have a macro lens, but someday soon!! I know that centered pictures are a no-no but honestly, I like them.

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  3. Very well done - excellent, sharp focus, the texture of the bee's fur - it's just an amazing capture. Not to worry about the centered - to my eye, the subject (the bee) is just about in the upper third of the frame; and besides, rules are meant to be broken. Keep up the excellent macros. I also covet your dad's macro lens :) but great shots are at the hands of the artist.

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  4. My technical analysis of today's photo is this: I really like it. You, your new camera, and your dad's lenses are getting along quite nicely.

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  5. I, too, covet your dad's macro lens! Great shot. I don't mind centered subjects and this one looks great as is. Well done!

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