First attempt at macro.

OK, having the FA 100mm macro some time now, I thought......let's post some first results. I know there are a lot of specialists around here, so every form of advice & critique is welcome. Don't be gentile
#1:


#2:


K10D, SMC FA 2.8/100MM Macro, ISO 100

they look sharp. i have not tried macro but i would be happy if my results were half as sharp as yours.

did you do much post processing?

I don't do macro either and I echo ericp's sentiments.

Careful, some folk don't have the choice.

Excellent macro shots and nice and sharp. I really like the 2nd shot of the hoverfly's backside - that's definitely an unusual angle It looks like it's got little aeroplane wing flaps on the top of its wings

The first one is well taken, but a bit too much brightening for me. If it's a crop I'd also move the crop more to the right so that the hoverfly is looking into a bit more space compared to what's behind it.

Well, actually not. Both are cropped and had some highlight recovery.
After that some output sharpening.
At the first one I focused on the eyes. ( only real sharp area.) I guess F8 wasn't enough
The second one would not turn around for me I finally decided for this pose. Again I should have stopped down more.
Martin.

For me the lighting is too harsh on the first one but it look sharp.
Like the second.
After a lot of advice from here, my lens stays stuck on F16 most of the time for macro.

Thanks for the C&C. You mean like this? Just cropped on the left, and toned down the highlights a bit.



@ ChrisA: Don't worry, I think I can have it
Martin.

I love the second picture, the pink and yellow background really sets the subject off nicely. And yes, it reminds me of a plane waiting for take-off too, excellent capture!

The first picture just looks a little flat to me (even in your revised version), I'm not sure you can do much about that in PP, it's really about getting the light right at the time of capture. If I can, I always try and shoot in available natural light; if I have no option but to use a flash then I make sure it's well diffused so that it gives a more "3D" feel.

The first one looks well focused, but there looks to me to be a little ghosting, where the natural light exposure was long enough to record an image which is slightly out of register with the flash exposure. I could be wrong, but that's how it looks to me (especially around the front of the head/antennae).

The second one is great, nicely focused on the wing, good colours, excellent way of dealing with an unco-operative subject (of which you'll find many when doing macro).

Dan

Hi Dan,
I' am the first in line to believe you. But can you please explain that. I really don't know were to look for. I see some shadow ( because of the diffused flash) behind and below the hover fly.
But that's all, I am afraid.
Martin.

I just think both pics are excellent.
Well done and thanks for sharing.

I'll explain it with a couple of shots of my own. If I'm wrong, don't hesitate to say so, I'm not sure how much you've cropped your shot, or the amount you've resized it for display here, that could have a bearing on it.

Anyway, here's a shot of a dragonfly (Downy Emerald):




Which looks okay at this size (reduced to about 50% then cropped). However, if we look at it at 100%, we can see that the hairs around the head are blurred, even though the focus on the face is okay (detail in the eye). This was because it was fairly windy, and the subject moved during the exposure, but the flash froze the movement to give the impression of a sharp image, but the ambient light was enough to record the blurred hairs (and edges to the head):




It's this slight blurring that I think I can see around the head of your hoverfly.

Here's another shot under the same conditions, but I was better at waiting for the wind to drop (please excuse the watermark, oh, and the dust spot upper right ):




and detail at 100%:




As I say, I may be wrong, but that's what it looks like to me, and you did ask for all C&C.

Dan

Thanks, Now I know were to look for. It was windy at the time so I think you are right. And the resizing and sharpening process make it a bit worse perhaps. Thanks for taking the trouble of explaining to me. I appreciate it .
Martin.