Bugs Bugs and more Bugs

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Ant_Pap_Cy

May 24, 2012
21
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A bit of "harmless" fun !!! Just started playing with reverse mounting my lens for extreme macro's ! Any constructive feedback would be much appreciated ! Details on my set up are on the site. Also i must say that the pictures where not tempered too much with in post.
Hope you enjoy:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonispapavasiliou/sets/72157634714073345/


p.s. harmless is in quotation marks as i was using a 35mm zeiss reversed ... maybe not a good idea exposing the rear element of that lens. ::)
 
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Ant_Pap_Cy

May 24, 2012
21
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AcutancePhotography said:
Nice shots. How were you able to get so close without spooking the bugs? Wish I could do that.
Click to expand...
Many thanks ;D Lots of patience, be ready to get dirty and move like a slug ! You need to make sure you do not make any sudden movements while you are trying to approach your subject. Another thing that i found out is that you need to try and keep the sun in such an angle that your body will not cast a shadow on top of the insects while you are trying to approach them as that tends to scare them off. Also, if you've managed to approach them and when you are about to snap the photo, if they fly away, keep still for a sec and again without any sudden movements just take a pick to see where it's gone. They sometimes tent to return to the same position or near by.
When ready, snap as many photos as you can as they are tricky sometimes with their movements. Out of 10 you may have a usable photo :)
Oh, and if you'd like to try it out, start with flies, they are the easiest to get still long enough.
Also, choose your times of the day. For example i am now planning to get some butterflies in but the best time is in the morning. Reason being, butterflies are cold blooded and they need the sun's warmth before they are able to fly around. So during the morning they tend to sit around with their wings open gathering warmth. Be patient and you can do it :)
 
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M

Mr Bean

Sep 15, 2012
555
5
Australia
Ant_Pap_Cy said:
A bit of "harmless" fun !!! Just started playing with reverse mounting my lens for extreme macro's ! Any constructive feedback would be much appreciated ! Details on my set up are on the site. Also i must say that the pictures where not tempered too much with in post.
Hope you enjoy:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonispapavasiliou/sets/72157634714073345/
Click to expand...
Nice pic's. You have me thinking about trying something similar this weekend :)

I have been experimenting with off camera flash on the 5D3 recently, and it works well with the macro lens.
 
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Ant_Pap_Cy

May 24, 2012
21
0
wsgroves said:
Nice work Ant. Macro stuff is rough as I just started today and have a boat ton to learn let me tell you.
I need to get a flash as well it seems. Shooting at fstop needed on my 7D isnt cutting it noise wise haha.

Scott
Click to expand...
Thanks Scott,
Macro does take a loooot of patience but once you start getting results in you will find out it's one of the greatest rewarding feelings you will ever get! Or at least thats how i felt once i say the eyes of those little monsters ;D Keep it up and i am looking forward to seeing something from you as well. just so you know i also just started macro :D
As for a flash gun, check out ebay. Got my EX580 M2 at £200. There's times you can really get a bargain there. And with a flash your 7D will be great for this due to your crop factor ! Hope it all comes along for you mate.

Antonis
 
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Ant_Pap_Cy

May 24, 2012
21
0
Drizzt321 said:
Oh, I thought you were going to talk about the other kind of bugs. The ones talked about in this example. I need to get out and shoot more photos instead of working on code!

More on topic, wow, great work. I just plain don't have the patience for that right now.
Click to expand...
Many thanks mate. Well, if i was dealing with the bugs you are dealing with i would have the time or patience to deal with this little monsters either ! Maybe one day ;D Or just do what i do, ignore the gf for a couple of hours and then hope she doesnt whine too much about after that :p
 
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Ant_Pap_Cy

May 24, 2012
21
0
Mr Bean said:
Ant_Pap_Cy said:
A bit of "harmless" fun !!! Just started playing with reverse mounting my lens for extreme macro's ! Any constructive feedback would be much appreciated ! Details on my set up are on the site. Also i must say that the pictures where not tempered too much with in post.
Hope you enjoy:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonispapavasiliou/sets/72157634714073345/
Click to expand...
Nice pic's. You have me thinking about trying something similar this weekend :)

I have been experimenting with off camera flash on the 5D3 recently, and it works well with the macro lens.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mr Bean ;D
Have fun getting them little rascals ! By the way, i was shooting with the flash on the camera so i looking forward to seeing your with off camera. You might find though that it's hard to hold the 5D long enough to focus. But still looking forward to hearing back from you on how you did :D And push that ISO as this camera is handling it soooo good !
 
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Ant_Pap_Cy

May 24, 2012
21
0
wsgroves said:
I may have to get one of those ring flash things at some point as I dont have an external flash for my 7d ATM.

Scott
Click to expand...
Sounds like a plan ! Though external flash light will be a more robust option as a ring flash only mounts on specific lenses ex. Your macro ! Whatever you choose though i can't wait to see some results! As for you first fly, it looks great :D

Ant
 
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D

Dick

Feb 16, 2013
165
0
Earth
Nice pictures!

This is the type of photography I spend most time on. I have recently started to get annoyed by flashes in macro photography. No matter what kind of a flash you use, it ruins the picture in some way. Rectangular flashes cause annoying rectangular light areas on the eyes of flies for example. With jumping spiders you end up seeing a reflection of your complete flash gear.

The focus is not spot on on all of your pictures. Example:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonispapavasiliou/9328537496/#in/set-72157634714073345/lightbox/

Here you see that the focus is behind the head/eyes on the hairs on the fly's back. The flash problem I mentioned is also visible on the eyes. To get the focus right, you just have to take multiple shots and hope for the best. There is also dust on your sensor. The spots show up on macro shots easily, but you can also remove them in PP without too much work.

:) I rarely see perfect macro shots and I'd say I have taken none myself. There is always something that can be done better.
 
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rpt

rpt

Mar 7, 2012
2,787
21
India
Drizzt321 said:
Oh, I thought you were going to talk about the other kind of bugs. The ones talked about in this example. I need to get out and shoot more photos instead of working on code!

More on topic, wow, great work. I just plain don't have the patience for that right now.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean! :) I loved the link. Will share it with folks at office tomorrow just to make them squirm ;)
 
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rpt

rpt

Mar 7, 2012
2,787
21
India
Ant_Pap_Cy said:
A bit of "harmless" fun !!! Just started playing with reverse mounting my lens for extreme macro's ! Any constructive feedback would be much appreciated ! Details on my set up are on the site. Also i must say that the pictures where not tempered too much with in post.
Hope you enjoy:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonispapavasiliou/sets/72157634714073345/


p.s. harmless is in quotation marks as i was using a 35mm zeiss reversed ... maybe not a good idea exposing the rear element of that lens. ::)
Click to expand...
Lovely pictures. Was the lighting just the sun?
 
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Ant_Pap_Cy

May 24, 2012
21
0
Dick said:
Nice pictures!

This is the type of photography I spend most time on. I have recently started to get annoyed by flashes in macro photography. No matter what kind of a flash you use, it ruins the picture in some way. Rectangular flashes cause annoying rectangular light areas on the eyes of flies for example. With jumping spiders you end up seeing a reflection of your complete flash gear.

The focus is not spot on on all of your pictures. Example:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonispapavasiliou/9328537496/#in/set-72157634714073345/lightbox/

Here you see that the focus is behind the head/eyes on the hairs on the fly's back. The flash problem I mentioned is also visible on the eyes. To get the focus right, you just have to take multiple shots and hope for the best. There is also dust on your sensor. The spots show up on macro shots easily, but you can also remove them in PP without too much work.

:) I rarely see perfect macro shots and I'd say I have taken none myself. There is always something that can be done better.
Click to expand...

Hey mate,

Much appreciate all you wrote :) i have also just started playing with macro so this are merely my training shots :) i have seen excellent macro shots out there and i will keep practising to try and master this (i hope) :)
When it comes to the flash though i wasnt intending on using it as the one light source but more as a filler to the ambient light ! Though i do get what you mean by annoying rectangular lighted areas ! As i said, theres always room for practise and i'll keep experimenting taking in mind all you said as well :D

Many thanks,

Ant
 
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A

Ant_Pap_Cy

May 24, 2012
21
0
rpt said:
Ant_Pap_Cy said:
A bit of "harmless" fun !!! Just started playing with reverse mounting my lens for extreme macro's ! Any constructive feedback would be much appreciated ! Details on my set up are on the site. Also i must say that the pictures where not tempered too much with in post.
Hope you enjoy:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonispapavasiliou/sets/72157634714073345/


p.s. harmless is in quotation marks as i was using a 35mm zeiss reversed ... maybe not a good idea exposing the rear element of that lens. ::)
Click to expand...
Lovely pictures. Was the lighting just the sun?
Click to expand...

Hey rpt,

i was using mostly the ambient light and then filling with a flash ! As dick mentioned earlier you can spot the flash on some photos as you see some rectangular lighted areas ! But i do tend to mostly use a nice soft ambient light as it makes things look a lot more vivid !

Best, :)

Ant
 
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