Macro ants – take #3

[Dennis]

Hello,

Here’s my latest series on ants. The location must have looked like a David Attenborough documentary shoot! I had 2 tripods set up. The main one with the 7D/100mm F2.8/580 EXII and the 2nd one had two clamps; one to hold the branch still (well, still’ish) the other to hold a small piece of floral wall paper as a back drop, to avoid the black background typical of flash shots.

It took around an hour to set up and get everything in position and the ants came out to play several times. The BGs do like a little synthetic but I do prefer them to a black BG.

A much less stressful session than trying to record the NEO 2012 EG5 on its recent 0.6LD fly-by!

Cheers

Dennis

PS – I’ve also included a couple of an acrobatic “non-jumping” jumping spider!

[Lester]

I don't like creepy crawlies, but your images are so sharp. Obviously the setting up has helped for the end result. Wonderful Dennis.

[lacad01 (Adam)]

Another nice set of shots. The background does give it a sort of diorama feel to it however the detail, sharpness and DOF more than makes up for it. Spider looks like it's doing stretching exercises

[acropolite (Phil)]

Fantastic again Dennis, the spider shots are my favourites.

[Deeno]

Amazing photography!
They look so alien

[mplanet62 (Michael)]

This already comes very close to masterpiece category. Love the scenes of ants communicating. They will feel like stars soon!

[firstlight (Tony)]

Great shots of the Rattle or Weaver ants, Dennis. The spider is cool too, as we have come to expect, you ARE the Master.

[gary]

Simply awesome!

[SkyViking (Rolf)]

Simply stunning again Dennis. I love those ant photos. You must be very patient!

Originally Posted by Dennis

The location must have looked like a David Attenborough documentary shoot!

Then surely you must have been standing waist deep in some muddy swamp, in your neatly pressed safari outfit, while calmy and eloquently explaining the intricacies of ant macro photography...

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by SkyViking

Simply stunning again Dennis. I love those ant photos. You must be very patient!

Then surely you must have been standing waist deep in some muddy swamp, in your neatly pressed safari outfit, while calmy and eloquently explaining the intricacies of ant macro photography...

Hi Rolf

How about I was wearing crocs, shorts and a singlet, knee deep in the long grass in the council paddock just over our back fence!

I clumsily touched the branch with the diffuser and this brought the ants out of their nest and they swarmed over the diffuser. I let them crawl onto my hand which I then used as a bridge so they could get back onto the branch, as the ants were totally non-aggressive - thankfully.

There is something quite meditative in collecting then withdrawing one’s consciousness from the affairs and travails of the world at large, to just concentrate on the magical realm of these amazing insects. Time literally flies by and as long as the insects that do land on me don’t bite or burrow, I don’t mind their company.

Cheers

Dennis

[Dennis]

Thank you Lester, Adam, Phil, Deeno, Michael, Tony and Gary, I appreciate your comments as much as I appreciate the peaceful times and opportunities to peek into the macro world through my lens.

Cheers

Dennis

[Paddy (Patrick)]

Great shots Dennis. I've been trying to get some ant photos recently with very little success. They move around so much! I am well impressed with these!

[Dennis]

Thanks Patrick. I gave up on taking “random” or single ant shots, as these guys are just too mobile. This set had more or less captive subjects. The ants built a nest in a rolled up leaf at the end of a slender branch, so I could set up and take photos much more easily as their movements were limited to the line of the branch.

Even so, it still remains quite tricky as they do motor along, above the branch, behind the branch, underneath the branch, etc. Maybe I’ll try at dawn/dusk to see if they slow down just a little.

Cheers

Dennis