some macro abstracts

troypiggo (Troy) · #1 14-06-2009, 10:54 PM

Went out to try to shoot some bugs this morning, but weather getting too cold for them now I think. Very dewy, though. Noticed a couple of spider webs with fine dew on them, so thought I'd do some dewdrop abstracts.

These were shot at 3:1 to 5:1 magnification. You can see a blade of grass in the first shot 3:1. The dew drops are tiny - maybe 0.2mm or 0.3mm diameter.

I've seen better, but I haven't attempted these spider web shots before. Depth of field so shallow, you really need to get the web face on to get most drops in focus - unless you can focus stack them which I can't seem to successfully do.

lacad01 (Adam) · #2 14-06-2009, 11:03 PM

Excellent shots there. Like tiny worlds in their own right

Dennis · #3 15-06-2009, 07:07 AM

Terrific shots Troy – I really like them all! The last couple look like the droplets are almost floating! Impressive technique at those kinds of magnification!

Cheers

Dennis

Liz · #4 15-06-2009, 07:47 AM

Amazing shots!!

bloodhound31 · #5 15-06-2009, 11:46 AM

I'm suitably impressed Troy. Was this artificial or natural light? Flash? Camera and Lens? EXIF?

Want to know...please...

Baz.

troypiggo (Troy) · #6 15-06-2009, 12:47 PM

Thanks guys and gals.

Baz - I always use flash for macro. Find the apertures are just too small for natural light only. Usually fill flash, so try to expose the background say 1 or 2 stops under, then flash to make up the difference on the subject. Means you end up with some background definition rather than those black backgrounds you see often.

Example of black background, full flash look

Example of nice fill flash with background colour

Because I was shooting pretty much straight down for these, the flash was always going to light the background grass no matter what.

Equipment was Canon 30D, MPE-65 lens, MT-24 EX twinlight flash. Camera settings were ISO400, f/11, 1/200 or 1/250 I think.

Octane (Humayun) · #7 15-06-2009, 02:37 PM

Troy,

These are superb. Makes me wants to drink orange juice.

Regards,
Humayun

BerrieK · #8 15-06-2009, 02:52 PM

Fantastic shots Troy, my fave is the second one. The details seen 'within' each drop is beautiful. They look like little balls of raffia or string within a bubble.

Kerrie

troypiggo (Troy) · #9 15-06-2009, 05:10 PM

Thanks Humayun and Kerrie

RB (Andrew) · #10 16-06-2009, 11:44 AM

Cool shots Troy, terrific image scale.

Gotta love that lens !!
Challenging to use but pays great dividends.

bloodhound31 · #11 16-06-2009, 01:14 PM

Thanks for the info Troy. Thanks also for yet more inspiration to try daytime creative photography.

Baz.

ving (David) · #12 17-06-2009, 07:25 AM

why doesnt nikon make a mpe type lens

interesting shots

troypiggo (Troy) · #13 17-06-2009, 08:22 AM

Thanks guys.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ving

why doesnt nikon make a mpe type lens

It's a pretty specialised lens - won't focus beyond 100mm in front of lens. I'd say Nikon are certainly capable of manufacturing one, but have decided that the market is too small to be worth it.

Do you have extension tubes for your macro lens? Great and cheap way of getting higher (2:1 if you have around 100mm lens) magnification.