More fascinating glimpses into a miniature world! The bugs, insects, butterflies, dragonflys and all have really got a few Pentaxians absorbed this summer .... no doubt its proving a bumper season this year!

A good clear capture, and the sky is well controlled with good contrast across the plane. I'm just reading Anthony Beaver's WWII book, up to the section about Bomber Command during 1943, so a topical image. A very traumatic experience, being in one of those glass canopies over Europe at the time.

I imagine its quite difficult to get the exposure fairly even over the whole item with only daylight. .... That you've got the "rim light" exposed well while keeping colour and tone on the front parts is impressive. I would think it would be very easy for DR to become excessive with images and light like this.

Does the stacking give an opportunity to blend exposures if needed as well?

There's impressive sharp focus combined with smooth background colour tones that complement the subjects nicely. The light is bright but not harsh.... You chose a great time to shoot these.

Impressive magnification and IQ, for such a (I presume) small outlay. The bugs have never been an area of photography I really enjoy looking at, however as I tell Derek, I can certainly appreciate the skill and stealth involved.

Great atmosphere and mood! It must have been liberating to have that sort of reach available. I like the ones with the wind farm in the far distance the best.

Some strong viewpoints being so low down, very effective! You could drop your exposure by a 1/2 or 2/3 a stop I think .....

Amazing macro Darek! A fascinating peek into a usually invisible world. I still find it incredible that you can be so stealthy, considering you hand hold your rig, and not have them buzz off before you're anywhere near.

The first one is really great with a unique angle. Are you pushing the lower limit of your flash output (being so close) ? .... these could do with a bit less exposure. Can you stop down any more?

You could do that, but you'll be p....ing into the wind as far as flash power goes. After 1/2000th there's very little left from a single hot shoe type flash. You could look to a double adaptor that will hold two flashes together .... Ideally this should be with a large modifier for softer light.

Otherwise you have to get the flash very close, and this rules out wider views, you have to go with long focal lengths and fairly traditional portrait framing, just to be able to have the flash at the very edge of the frame.

A good play with light and shadow! What is fun with this sort of thing is how the DR exceeds our sensors, so exposing for the highlights knocks out all the tangle and messy distractions in behind. I know now where I should be heading when I get some free time!