Just bugs

[Lord Vetinari]

Some recent bug shots from the garden.
Brian V.

Orb web spider

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1110/1269066700_26ea7a1bfc_o.jpg

Hoverfly egg laying

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1310/1268207501_2fa8d82d2e_o.jpg

Sawfly portrait

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1384/1268209517_c8078fdf5f_o.jpg

Wingless bark fly

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1149/1258316449_36aefcb151_o.jpg

Dance fly Empis sp

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1390/1287017613_ebce1b1b96_o.jpg

Mosquito

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1180/1287017621_75df4e8668_o.jpg

[Awais Yaqub]

:whew
Wonderful

[Elaine]

Wow! Another awesome set! :clap Your posts ALWAYS impress me!

[schmoo]

The spider looks gravity-defying! It almost surprises me how something so plump can seem weightless when the web is invisible.

Holy cow I can't believe the variety of colors in the mosquito eyes!

[PhilH]

Absolutely awesome once again :thumb

What has happened to the Sawfly's left antenna/thingy?

[Lord Vetinari]

Thanks for looking and commenting everyone- much appreciated :)

Phil- the nearside antennae on the sawfly is suffering from a problem with focus stacking . The end of it was oof in all the photos but the stacking software is trying to put the in focus BG there instead. There wasn't and easy way to correct this.
Brian V.

[Skippy]

Some recent bug shots from the garden.
Brian V.

Orb web spider
Hoverfly egg laying
Sawfly portrait
Wingless bark fly
Dance fly Empis sp
Mosquito


Hold the BUS! Details, details I want details :rofl

The Orb on the Web, is that an MPE-65 shot? and is it stacked?
If it is an MPE-65 what did you shoot at ? x2, x3 ?

This entire series is yet another Awesome Insight into the Wonderful World of Macro and Nature :clap :ivar

Excellent work :thumb ........... Skippy :D
.

[Lord Vetinari]

Hold the BUS! Details, details I want details :rofl

The Orb on the Web, is that an MPE-65 shot? and is it stacked?
If it is an MPE-65 what did you shoot at ? x2, x3 ?

This entire series is yet another Awesome Insight into the Wonderful World of Macro and Nature :clap :ivar

Excellent work :thumb ........... Skippy :D
.
I thought the shots had quite a lot of detail :dunno :wink

Skippy all the shots are with the MPE-65. All are focus stacked except the hoverfly in #2. Think I was shooting the orb web spider somewhere between 1:1 and 1.5:1. Most of the other shots except the hoverfly are at higher mags- think the mossie is at 5:1.
Brian v.

[BigAl]

Super set Brian :thumb The detail on the Mozzie is unbelievable.

[Lord Vetinari]

Super set Brian :thumb The detail on the Mozzie is unbelievable.

Thanks Al,

These mossies sit on a fence panel just above the water barrel they hatched from- Luckily I don't seem to get bitten by them.
Brian v.

[tlee]

Never thought a mosquito could look so beautiful--the eyes that is.

[RandySmugMug]

fantastic work
what lens ?

[Lord Vetinari]

Thanks for looking and the kind comments T and Randy :)
Randy - all with my MPE-65 lens
Brian V.

[Kevin]

just great ;)

thanks brian

[drdane]

Skippy all the shots are with the MPE-65. All are focus stacked except the hoverfly in #2. . . . I think the mossie is at 5:1.
Brian v.

Awesome work Brian!:clap I have a 100mm f2.8, and haven't so much as touched a MPE-65 yet - I'm afraid that if I did, I'd have to buy it,:lust especially after seeing that mossie!

I'd guess you'd have to use a tripod and maybe even a focussing rail to get that degree of sharpness when you're stacking at that magnification. Could you share your setup for high-mag shots like this?

Thanks,
Dane

[Lord Vetinari]

just great ;)

thanks brian
Thanks for the comment Kevin :)
Brian V.

[Lord Vetinari]

Awesome work Brian!:clap I have a 100mm f2.8, and haven't so much as touched a MPE-65 yet - I'm afraid that if I did, I'd have to buy it,:lust especially after seeing that mossie!

I'd guess you'd have to use a tripod and maybe even a focussing rail to get that degree of sharpness when you're stacking at that magnification. Could you share your setup for high-mag shots like this?

Thanks,
Dane

Thanks for the comments Dane :)

No I don't use a tripod for high mag shots like the mossie, I just rest the lens on the same surface the subject is on. In this case the mossie was sitting on a fence panel. I've got pretty good at moving the camera in small increments for getting the shots for the stack. For shots of small bugs on leaves I quite often pick the leaf off and put that on a hard surface for the shot and do the same thing (I always put the leaf back where I got it unless the bug has flown).
Camera setup is the one on the RHS in pic below.

Brian V.

http://lordv.smugmug.com/photos/166020261-M.jpg

[drdane]

... I don't use a tripod for high mag shots like the mossie, I just rest the lens on the same surface the subject is on. In this case the mossie was sitting on a fence panel. I've got pretty good at moving the camera in small increments for getting the shots for the stack.

Small increments, with surgical precision, I would say!:bow You must have well-trained bugs for them to sit quietly on flat surfaces for you - mine are usually perched on a plant with a breeze blowing, or at worst positioned in some awkward place, and I wind up in some kind of contorted position, somewhat akin to working under the dashboard of a car.

For shots of small bugs on leaves I quite often pick the leaf off and put that on a hard surface for the shot and do the same thing (I always put the leaf back where I got it unless the bug has flown).

That confirms it - they ARE trained bugs!:D

Camera setup is the one on the RHS in pic below.
Brian V.

Thanks for the pic. Looks like a professional duct tape & paper towel job - now, that's creative! What's on the inside for supportive framework?

Add a basic flash bracket and a cheapo ball head (I assume that's what that black thing is), and you're armed and dangerous!

I've mainly used available light for the last few years (hence the tripod), but have recently added a dedicated flash and off-camera cord. I've balked at the bracket because I didn't think the basic ones would allow me get the flash out far enough to provide side light with my 100mm macro, expecially if it's less than 1:1 - and I didn't want to spring for a snazzy one from Kirk. I've had thoughts of making my own . . . anyone got a used bracket or ball head they want to part with?:wink

[Lord Vetinari]

Small increments, with surgical precision, I would say!:bow You must have well-trained bugs for them to sit quietly on flat surfaces for you - mine are usually perched on a plant with a breeze blowing, or at worst positioned in some awkward place, and I wind up in some kind of contorted position, somewhat akin to working under the dashboard of a car.



That confirms it - they ARE trained bugs!:D



Thanks for the pic. Looks like a professional duct tape & paper towel job - now, that's creative! What's on the inside for supportive framework?

Add a basic flash bracket and a cheapo ball head (I assume that's what that black thing is), and you're armed and dangerous!

I've mainly used available light for the last few years (hence the tripod), but have recently added a dedicated flash and off-camera cord. I've balked at the bracket because I didn't think the basic ones would allow me get the flash out far enough to provide side light with my 100mm macro, expecially if it's less than 1:1 - and I didn't want to spring for a snazzy one from Kirk. I've had thoughts of making my own . . . anyone got a used bracket or ball head they want to part with?:wink

Thanks for the comments :)
The diffuser is made from coca-cola cans see http://www.flickr.com/groups/macroviewers/discuss/72157594312315664/

Yes the flash bracket is a cheapo vidcam light bracket with a cheapo ballhead fitted onto the top clamp fitting. For long lenses I just rotate the ballhead and straighten the flash- it quite happily reaches the end of my MPE- 65 which is pretty long at 5:1.

Brian V.

[PhilH]

Phil- the nearside antennae on the sawfly is suffering from a problem with focus stacking . The end of it was oof in all the photos but the stacking software is trying to put the in focus BG there instead. There wasn't and easy way to correct this.
Brian V.

Thanks for the explanation Brian but i'm curious on one point...

Macro is quickly becoming a passion with me and all my shots are hand held, do you use a tripod for some of your shots? I only ask this after you mention stacking.

[Lord Vetinari]

Thanks for the explanation Brian but i'm curious on one point...

Macro is quickly becoming a passion with me and all my shots are hand held, do you use a tripod for some of your shots? I only ask this after you mention stacking.

Phil- I don't use a tripod, I either use a pole (used to be a metal bean pole but now I use a collapsible tent pole) which I grip in my left hand along with a bit of the camera or I simply rest the camera on something (often me).

Brian V.

[Tessa HD]

i'll add my 'wow' too!

[Lord Vetinari]

i'll add my 'wow' too!

Thanks Tessa :)
Brian V.