Two bugs, a bee, and a butterfly
Posted 02/09/2011 - 18:48
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The butterfly is the best of the set for me. The others all seem almost-but-not-quite focussed in the right place. As I'm sure you know this is pretty much the ordinary state of affairs in macro photography, at least my kind of macro photography
The exif on the first one seems to say f8, might be worth trying a smaller aperture next time to squeeze out a few more millimeters of DOF.
The exif on the first one seems to say f8, might be worth trying a smaller aperture next time to squeeze out a few more millimeters of DOF.
Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!
Posted 06/09/2011 - 14:21
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Thanks Tim,
As I said it was not an entirely planned shoot, but I'd had the Tamron a month and hardly used it due to turbulance
I do have a suspicion that my camera is slightly off focus.
regards
Bernard
As I said it was not an entirely planned shoot, but I'd had the Tamron a month and hardly used it due to turbulance
I do have a suspicion that my camera is slightly off focus.
regards
Bernard
Posted 06/09/2011 - 14:41
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The bee is a nice pose but the focus is not on the eye, there is sharpness there but in the wrong place. Likewise with the shield bug, but less so - the focus seems to be on the upper leg. The butterfly is the most successful. 4 looks too soft. 5 the focus is not in the best place and the subject doesn't do much for me.
Try confirming the lens focus tripod mounted against a a chart. Tricky stuff this, dof is so shallow but smaller apertures will reduce the shutter speed too much for many handheld shots. And then the slightest breeze messes it up too. You could try a flash diffuser (the Pringles tube method seems successful for a cheap start). I don't like using flash so I have to wait for still conditions (luckily we do get these in Central France) and use as slow a shutter speed I can get away with, with tripod, mirror up and cable if possible. Otherwise bracing and good breathing. Early and late is good when bugs are less active too. Focus stacking is a possibility to experiment with.
Above all it's practice, practice, practice and patience to find what suits you best
Try confirming the lens focus tripod mounted against a a chart. Tricky stuff this, dof is so shallow but smaller apertures will reduce the shutter speed too much for many handheld shots. And then the slightest breeze messes it up too. You could try a flash diffuser (the Pringles tube method seems successful for a cheap start). I don't like using flash so I have to wait for still conditions (luckily we do get these in Central France) and use as slow a shutter speed I can get away with, with tripod, mirror up and cable if possible. Otherwise bracing and good breathing. Early and late is good when bugs are less active too. Focus stacking is a possibility to experiment with.
Above all it's practice, practice, practice and patience to find what suits you best
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1776 posts
17 years
Burton upon Trent
[IMG]http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff444/Frogherder/IMGP7239a.jpg[/IMG]
#2
[IMG]http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff444/Frogherder/IMGP7247a.jpg[/IMG]
#3
[IMG]http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff444/Frogherder/IMGP7265.jpg[/IMG]
#4
[IMG]http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff444/Frogherder/IMGP7280a.jpg[/IMG]
#5 (Lavender seed head)
[IMG]http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff444/Frogherder/IMGP7287a.jpg[/IMG]
Got fed up pottering in the garden, Weeding/mowing.
Weather calm (a last) so I decided to spend some time playing with my Tamron90mm/2.8 which due to constant breezes has been difficult to use.
All shots hand held taken at ISO400; Apeture Priority; F8 / F11; 1/250-1/750s.
All but the butterfly have been cropped in Photoshop but no additional processing has been used
Comments would be welcome
Regards
Bernard