Not much astronomy going on right now in SW Qld, so I figured I’d dodge the showers for a back yard macro session over the last couple of days. A pair of baby grasshoppers, a small hoverfly and another insect decided to brave the water logged garden with me!
Hi guys, thanks for stopping by and having a look, I appreciate your comments.
The photos were taken hand held with the Canon 7D, Canon 100mm F2.8 macro lens and the Canon 580EX II flash on a custom rig with heavy diffusion.
My standard settings are;
Manual exposure mode, 1/250 sec at F11
ISO 100
Spot focus, using mainly centre AF point although I use the joystick to move this around as necessary.
Auto focus.
ETTL II auto flash, with flash exposure compensation of +1/3 stop.
Here is a link to a photo of my macro rig. Where possible, I carry a monopod and grip the rig and monopod shaft in my left hand to steady the shot. The monopod is good because you can extend it for high up insects and collapse it for those nearer to the ground. When I started macro photography some 2 or 3 years ago, I began using a tripod but soon gave that up as the insects were far too mobile.
I shoot raw and process the keepers with CS5 and the Topaz Labs plug-ins to sharpen the critters and make them pop!
Oops, ignore my under-exposed comment. Looked again on my proper screen, looks great. : )
H
Hi Humayun
No worries – I really do appreciate feedback on my photos, especially from one of the Ice In Space masters! I did have a look at the histogram and the highlights stopped at 250, so when I used the Alt-mouse drag Levels function on the histogram to push it up to 256, the image did actually “pop” so in future, I’ll pay more attention to the levels and histogram!
Here’s a couple of more – lucky the 7D is classified as “weatherproof” and the 580EX II has enhanced weatherproof seals! Note the drop of rain on the eye of the fly - it was drizzling at the time.
Amazing images as usual Dennis!!!
All great, but no 5 in the first lot is a beauty - he looks guilty being caught with pollen all over his face.
The flies look great too, with those water drops on the plant and his eye - supherb.
It's been a while since we've heard from you Dennis.
Your images are as always, superb.
Hi Jeanette
Thanks for your nice comments.
For most of 2010 I’ve been in an astronomy slump and early on, decided not to force the pace, allowing the sputtering flame to grow stronger naturally, hence my low profile on the Forum. As luck would have it, just as the astro-passion was beginning to rekindle itself, La Niña decided to drench SE Qld with endless rain, blanketing our skies with almost perpetual clouds over the last few months!
Oh well, I am a patient man and so I’ll just have to wait for clear skies afresh before I once more climb aboard the astro-train to continue with my cosmic journey!
