Thanks for your comments Adam, Troy, Phil, Baz & Paul, I appreciate them.
Hmm, the EXIF data was saved with the jpgs, but it looks like the upload may have stripped the data from the files?
The macro shots were taken with a Canon 7D and Canon 100mm F2.8 macro lens. The minimum working distance (from front lens) of the macro is approx 15cms and I try to work in the range 15-25cms.
At 15cms, you get 1:1. That is, a 5mm long insect will be recorded as a 5mm long image on the 7D’s APS-C 22mm x 15mm sensor.
I shoot manual exposure, 1/250 sec, F11, ISO100, which effectively kills the background by under exposing. A Canon 580EXII flash set to E-TTL II provides the main illumination. The flash is heavily diffused to minimise hot spots and harsh shadows. If the BG is bright I dial in + 1/3 or +2/3 Flash Exposure Compensation but for most shooting conditions, I have it set to -1/3 FEC. At these close distances, the flash never fully discharges so I’m probably getting an effective exposure of at least 1/1000 sec, which helps freeze the subject and takes care of any camera shake/operator wobble.
For focusing, I use AF, selecting the centre AF point in AI Servo mode, with the drive set to 3 frames per second. All are single shots, processed in CS5 using Topaz Detail & Topaz Adjust plug-ins.
The rest is pure luck!
Cheers
Dennis
PS - The 2nd image of the full-body dragonfly was taken hand held with the 300mm F4 on a Canon 40D.
WOW!,I will have to buy this Topaz pop software-instead of more camera gear-it makes images amazingly good.
Topaz doesn't make the images good - it can't turn a bad image into a good one. It can help enhance detail, but Dennis' images are outstanding because of an outstanding photographer in control of his gear.
Topaz doesn't make the images good - it can't turn a bad image into a good one. It can help enhance detail, but Dennis' images are outstanding because of an outstanding photographer in control of his gear.
More than aware of that Mike,Just going by the lack of replies on my wildlife images-in which the photography side of things went well.it appears the just need that tiny push that Topaz gives-so well,as Dennis says-'makes them pop'
Not sure what the exact name of this Topaz is-it might have a section called pop or adjust,Will have to find out the right one to buy.Great work Dennis.
More than aware of that Mike,Just going by the lack of replies on my wildlife images-in which the photography side of things went well.it appears the just need that tiny push that Topaz gives-so well,as Dennis says-'makes them pop'
Not sure what the exact name of this Topaz is-it might have a section called pop or adjust,Will have to find out the right one to buy.Great work Dennis.
Hi Chris
Although you know this already, just to make sure you don’t get caught up in the festive induced, spur-of-the-moment purchase syndrome, CS5 contains all the necessary functionality without the need for the plug ins, if you are prepared to spend the time to investigate CS5’s capabilities and automate some of them for your workflow purposes.
If you choose to do that, you will gain a profound understanding of the rich functionality of CS5 and how it can “develop” your (good) data.
I’m afraid I was too impatient and wanted the results immediately…so for my own personal enjoyment, the plug-ins are an ideal time saver and I am left a little impoverished in terms of CS5’s capability, not to mention my wallet.
Mike has very thoughtfully noted that any processing, whether native or via plug-ins, always work best on good data.
What I post here are my best, five ***** images. You don’t get to see the 100’s of bad ones! LOL.
Although you know this already, just to make sure you don’t get caught up in the festive induced, spur-of-the-moment purchase syndrome, CS5 contains all the necessary functionality without the need for the plug ins, if you are prepared to spend the time to investigate CS5’s capabilities and automate some of them for your workflow purposes.
If you choose to do that, you will gain a profound understanding of the rich functionality of CS5 and how it can “develop” your (good) data.
I’m afraid I was too impatient and wanted the results immediately…so for my own personal enjoyment, the plug-ins are an ideal time saver and I am left a little impoverished in terms of CS5’s capability, not to mention my wallet.
Mike has very thoughtfully noted that any processing, whether native or via plug-ins, always work best on good data.
What I post here are my best, five ***** images. You don’t get to see the 100’s of bad ones! LOL.
Cheers
Dennis
Thanks Dennis-I'll look into automating,and try and learn more on CS5,I find it very vast a takes up a huge amount of my time,in trying to get a handle on it.
I think you said,in one of our conversations,you can automate the Topaz,to the setting s you want,and run a batch of images through,rather than do each one individually.
Either way,it certainly helps to get the best possible image in the field-one can always come back to the RAW data-even if its years,before one gets some skills in PP.
Thanks for settings with your flash-I was pleased to read this,and will apply them on a macro excursion-and will use the diffuser.
Thanks for your comments Adam, Troy, Phil, Baz & Paul, I appreciate them.
Hmm, the EXIF data was saved with the jpgs, but it looks like the upload may have stripped the data from the files?
The macro shots were taken with a Canon 7D and Canon 100mm F2.8 macro lens. The minimum working distance (from front lens) of the macro is approx 15cms and I try to work in the range 15-25cms.
At 15cms, you get 1:1. That is, a 5mm long insect will be recorded as a 5mm long image on the 7D’s APS-C 22mm x 15mm sensor.
I shoot manual exposure, 1/250 sec, F11, ISO100, which effectively kills the background by under exposing. A Canon 580EXII flash set to E-TTL II provides the main illumination. The flash is heavily diffused to minimise hot spots and harsh shadows. If the BG is bright I dial in + 1/3 or +2/3 Flash Exposure Compensation but for most shooting conditions, I have it set to -1/3 FEC. At these close distances, the flash never fully discharges so I’m probably getting an effective exposure of at least 1/1000 sec, which helps freeze the subject and takes care of any camera shake/operator wobble.
For focusing, I use AF, selecting the centre AF point in AI Servo mode, with the drive set to 3 frames per second. All are single shots, processed in CS5 using Topaz Detail & Topaz Adjust plug-ins.
The rest is pure luck!
Cheers
Dennis
PS - The 2nd image of the full-body dragonfly was taken hand held with the 300mm F4 on a Canon 40D.
Hmmm ... I'd be surprised if there was much luck involved Dennis. But thanks very much indeed for this detailed breakdown of how you achieve these magnificent shots. I've pasted it into a Word doccie to refer to in future. I need to buy a flash, and make a diffuser as priorities. They can be my NY projects.
Good Afternoon Dennis,
What a superb set of macro shots. Taken at the Roma St gardens, or just round and about?
As always, you never do anything by halves, do you?
All the best for Christmas and the New Year,
Mike
Thanks Mike (Sharnbrook), I appreciate your comments.
Apart from the BBB, all were taken in the Roma Street Parklands over the last 2 weeks or so. There hasn’t been too much around although the few specimens I stumbled upon were quite cooperative in allowing me to get close to them. Hmm, my field craft must be improving!
The BBB was taken in our back garden, on the only flowering shrub we have!
Merry Xmas and a safe, peaceful and prosperous new year to you too.
Truly excellent photography Dennis, and especially the last pair. They are real corkers. They all are, but the second last is certainly magazine-worthy. Being involved at pre-press level with the publishers of a few over my time, I know that nature mags tend to be incredibly picky with submitted material, and yours would be, I suspect, highly desirable.
Funnily-enough, a good friend of mine just gave me a set of both Canon EF12 and EF25 extension tubes for Christmas. They're not the II's unfortunately, so I gather that they won't allow autofocus, but I use a Nikon 105 micro anyway. I'd like to try with the Canon lenses I have as well.
Truly excellent photography Dennis, and especially the last pair. They are real corkers. They all are, but the second last is certainly magazine-worthy. Being involved at pre-press level with the publishers of a few over my time, I know that nature mags tend to be incredibly picky with submitted material, and yours would be, I suspect, highly desirable.
Funnily-enough, a good friend of mine just gave me a set of both Canon EF12 and EF25 extension tubes for Christmas. They're not the II's unfortunately, so I gather that they won't allow autofocus, but I use a Nikon 105 micro anyway. I'd like to try with the Canon lenses I have as well.
Great stuff - and merry XMas!
Hi Chris
Thank you for your thoughtful comments, I do appreciate them. Although this is just a hobby for my personal enjoyment and relaxation, in recording and processing these amazing creatures, it is nice to have my efforts benchmarked against the kind of publication-purposed work that comes across your desk.
I did pick up the Canon 12mm and 25mm EX II extension tubes from DDP when they were on special, although I haven’t yet put them to good use, but I will!
I hope you have an awesome holiday and wishing you all the best for 2012.
