Insect portraiture

[mplonsky]

I like to take pictures of bugs. I like to see their faces and eyes. Here are a few from last year when I was using a canon 300D (now I have a 20D) with the canon 100mm macro, extention tubes, a 500D diopter, a 2x tamron teleconverter, and occasionaly, reversing a pentax 50mm f1.4 on some or all of this. I try all kinds of optical marriages. I used a 420ex flash covered with a diffuser and mounted on a butterfly bracket.

Flies have been a favorite of mine. I especially like when they blow bubbles.

http://www.pbase.com/mplonsky/image/34403141.jpg

Ants are hard to do. I found this one on a white building.

http://www.pbase.com/mplonsky/image/35748016.jpg

Wasps blow bubbles too.

http://www.pbase.com/mplonsky/image/34277770.jpg

This was with a 50mm lens reversed on some extension tubes that were on the camera.

http://www.pbase.com/mplonsky/image/35713192.jpg

Dragons are another of my favorites.

http://www.pbase.com/mplonsky/image/31895165.jpg


I hope you have enjoyed my bugs.

[gus]

Love your bugs :thumb

[jwear]

wow fantastic shots ,great work :thumb

[David_S85]

Mark,

I knew I've seen these before. I had a link in my resources from DPR a year or so back on your tutorials and web gallery.

I see there are many new shots. They're all fantastic. :thumb I encourage everyone to visit your site... (click his name for profile).

Wait 'til Skippy and J&H see these! There's a growing interest in these ultra-macro shots over here.

What combination of equipment (that you listed above) offers you the greatest DOF, or control over DOF, in these type of shots when well lit? Just curious.

Great post and welcome to DGrin.

[SusanB]

Wow, those are so cool! The dragon portrait is especially awesome.:clap :clap :clap


Susan

[T4Tots]

WOW!! :thumb

[windoze]

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_2_25.gif i will now think twice before killing any bug. seems these buggies make great photo opps...... your images are FANTASTIC!


troy

[QUOTE=mplonsky]I like to take pictures of bugs. I like to see their faces and eyes. Here are a few from last year when I was using a canon 300D (now I have a 20D) with the canon 100mm macro, extention tubes, a 500D diopter, a 2x tamron teleconverter, and occasionaly, reversing a pentax 50mm f1.4 on some or all of this. I try all kinds of optical marriages. I used a 420ex flash covered with a diffuser and mounted on a butterfly bracket.

Flies have been a favorite of mine. I especially like when they blow bubbles.

[rahmonster]

:huhholy cow!

This is closer to bugs than I care for been and WOW is all I can say...

They look amazing:clap

[Gator]

They are amazing shots! I think I just love the "dragon" the most!!:thumb

[Skippy]

I like to take pictures of bugs. I like to see their faces and eyes. Here are a few from last year when I was using a canon 300D (now I have a 20D) with the canon 100mm macro, extention tubes, a 500D diopter, a 2x tamron teleconverter, and occasionaly, reversing a pentax 50mm f1.4 on some or all of this. I try all kinds of optical marriages. I used a 420ex flash covered with a diffuser and mounted on a butterfly bracket.

Flies have been a favorite of mine. I especially like when they blow bubbles.
Ants are hard to do. I found this one on a white building.
Wasps blow bubbles too.
This was with a 50mm lens reversed on some extension tubes that were on the camera.
Dragons are another of my favorites.
I hope you have enjoyed my bugs.
Hi Mark.......... I have seen your work several times, and enjoy and admire your skills at shooting insects and bugs :D

I like bugs too, and I'm always looking for ways to get closer to the bugs too, I am impressed with the Extension Tubes so far, I've mostly shot the same little group of caterpillars......tell me something........is a Canon 500D the same Diopter as the Nikon 5T ????
I like the Canon 100mm Macro, it really is a very nice sharp lens, thank you again for sharing your Wonderful Bug Images..... it is truely a fascinating world isn't it :D Skippy (Australia)

[bfjr]

Wonderful Stuff :thumb
very impressive :thumb

It feels right at home here :clap

[REQ]

:jawdrop wow nice shot :thumb :wow :wow :wow :wow :jawdrop
bugs creepy

[AlexIs]

Wooha these are amazing! I particularly like the bubble blowers. You must be very lucky or extremely patient to capture this activity! I didn't even know that they're bubbling!

Really great stuff! It motivates me to try the same (I'm glad it's spring)!

[purified]

Well, that's rather amazing.

:jawdrop

[mplonsky]

Hi David,

Thanx for the kind words and warm welcome. You ask:


What combination of equipment (that you listed above) offers you the greatest DOF, or control over DOF, in these type of shots when well lit? Well, I still haven't figured that out yet. I am enjoying trying. I really like reversing a lens on the camera body but the technique is difficult and requires a lot of light. I purchased a second flash for this season, so we will see.

[mplonsky]

Hi Skippy,

......tell me something........is a Canon 500D the same Diopter as the Nikon 5T ????

I haven't used nikon stuff much, but yes, the 5t is a good closeup lens. I find that the canon 250D will work well with the canon 100mm, but will not work well when I put a teleconverter before the lens. In the later case the 500D works well. I believe the 250D is a +4 diopeter where as the 500D is about a +2. I am not sure on the power of the nikon closeups.

[Tim Kirkwood]

Wow Wow Wow, is all I can say also! I love all these shots and was sad when the post ended. Very good indeed




Tim

[John Mueller]

Fantastic!:thumb:thumb:thumb:thumb

[MuskyDude]

One word: ThosearesomeofthemostamazinginsectmacrosI'veeverse en!


:bow

AJ

[Skippy]

Hi Skippy,


I haven't used nikon stuff much, but yes, the 5t is a good closeup lens. I find that the canon 250D will work well with the canon 100mm, but will not work well when I put a teleconverter before the lens. In the later case the 500D works well. I believe the 250D is a +4 diopeter where as the 500D is about a +2. I am not sure on the power of the nikon closeups.
Hi there again :D

Just did a search ...Nikon 6T is a 2.9 diop., and the Nikon 5T is a 1.5 diop .
I have both these Nikons and the Canon 250D as well, so this weekend I shall try the Nikon's with the Canon 100mm Macro and a full set of Ext Tubes and see how that goes :D thank you for the information Mr Plonsky :):

[Jekyll & Hyde]

Wait 'til Skippy and J&H see these! There's a growing interest in these ultra-macro shots over here.J: How right you are David!

H: A thousand welcomes Mark. Glad to see you over here!

J: I Just love your work (you've always set the gold standard). And folks, you have to see Mark's prints in person (they are truly stunning).

H: As I have been debating joining the ranks of DSLR owners the past year, I've been meaning to check with you on Macro technique (now that you shoot the big Canons yourself).

J: I have to take a trip over to your gallery to check out your recent additions for sure. Is this Dragon one of your "stacked" images?

H: Be sure to post more pics, and tell us ALL ABOUT your techniques! :nod
J&H

[Phil U.]

it's already all been said, but I've got to chime in also:

holy crap those are close! :jawdrop very impressive...

[Markjay]

to the limit and beyond! You are no exception here. One of the things I admire most about macromaniacs like yourself, is your willingness to experiment with different lens combinations, reversing, converters.. till you get just the right combination.

I would never characterize any of my own macro work as true macro work... more close-up photography than anything else.

Thank you for sharing these great shots! I for one am not a "bug lover" but, I can easily see how one could get hooked on bug photography with mother nature giving bugs such fascinating eyes!!

Now, you get my 5 star general salute for your work: :thumb :thumb :thumb :thumb :thumb

Markjay

[Aussie_bluey]

Great macros, I love Insects shots, and this is a very good collection. My favourite Insect is the Praying Mantis.:clap

Tim

[digital faerie]

these are gorgeous! I love the yellow wasp (?). He's quite handsome!:clap