im starting to get a buzzz

windoze

i have to start small. im deathly afraid of bees!!! so the fact that i even dared to get close enough to this "buzzer" was an accomplishment. im saving "flying buzzers" for another day......

troy

Jekyll & Hyde

J: Nice focus and exposure. Good colors.

H: It's gonna be a while yet before we start seeing bees around here. :

J: I wouldn't worry too much about them. As long as you aren't near their nest, the little critters should leave you completely alone.

H: The only time I've ticked off feeding bees is when they've flown into my white flash diffuser (they can't "see" the featureless thing). Even then, they've just flown away.

J: I've never been stung while taking macros out in the gardens. Which is a good thing, since I was deathly allergic to hornets/wasps. One sting would send me to the hospital ER, and lay me up for the better part of a week.

H: However I just completed a venom immunotherapy program, so I should be pretty much desensitized now (venom shots every month for five years - ouch!).

J: It's been worth it though. Now I can head right into the thick of 'em and shoot with impunity.

J&H

Angelo

Wow! super!

David_S85

Bee-utiful. If that's just starting small, you're already beyond where many of us are on these buggers.

windoze wrote:

i have to start small. im deathly afraid of bees!!! so the fact that i even dared to get close enough to this "buzzer" was an accomplishment. im saving "flying buzzers" for another day......

troy

bfjr

windoze

whoah - those are some eyes!!! and thanx for the encouragenment!!!


troy

Jekyll & Hyde wrote:

J: Nice focus and exposure. Good colors.

H: It's gonna be a while yet before we start seeing bees around here. :

J: I wouldn't worry too much about them. As long as you aren't near their nest, the little critters should leave you completely alone.

H: The only time I've ticked off feeding bees is when they've flown into my white flash diffuser (they can't "see" the featureless thing). Even then, they've just flown away.

J: I've never been stung while taking macros out in the gardens. Which is a good thing, since I was deathly allergic to hornets/wasps. One sting would send me to the hospital ER, and lay me up for the better part of a week.

H: However I just completed a venom immunotherapy program, so I should be pretty much desensitized now (venom shots every month for five years - ouch!).

J: It's been worth it though. Now I can head right into the thick of 'em and shoot with impunity.

J&H

Jekyll & Hyde

J: Buzzers come in such great colors, don't they? Hope to see some of your "flying buzzers" soon!

H: That close up was of one of these:
http://www.pbase.com/jekyll_and_hyde/image/32947690

Have fun.
J&H

T4Tots

Looking forward to more. I like the shine of the wings it almost makes them look plastic. Really great close up. I need to get out and find a few buzzers myself. The flying mosquitoes seem to find me first though and I am much more afraid of them.

Steve Cavigliano

Good work Troy ^5
Nothing wrong with starting off slow. Especailly if we're talking stinging/biting insects or, god forbid, those HUGE spideys Skippy shoots :uhoh

I have to agree with J&H though, most of these guys don't want to tussle. So unless you really upset them, they will just ignore you. You can try a "close up" on a long zoom, which should give you more distance, but I don't think you'll get as good of results

Thanks for sharing and like the others, I can't wait to see some of your BIFs (Bees In Flight )

Steve

wxwax

J (or H, either one) what glass did you use for that shot? It looks great - and huge!

windoze

im not afraid, im petrified - no matter how much Steve and JH say its safe...






troy

T4Tots wrote:

Looking forward to more. I like the shine of the wings it almost makes them look plastic. Really great close up. I need to get out and find a few buzzers myself. The flying mosquitoes seem to find me first though and I am much more afraid of them.

Jekyll & Hyde

wxwax wrote:

J (or H, either one) what glass did you use for that shot? It looks great - and huge!

J: Thanks wx'

H: That was with my Sony F717 and reversed Canon 50mm f1.4 FD.

J: This combo gets me to about a 4:1 macro ratio (in 35mm terms). An object about 9mm in width will fill the frame.

H: It's definitely challenging, but the rewards can be so satisfying. I just love seeing how Mother Nature has put these little guys together.

J: Be sure to check out Skippy's work with the 100mm macro and extension tubes. It looks like the way to go with DSLRs.

H: I see Mark Plonsky has joined us also. He's the "King of Macro" to be sure. He has recently gone to a DSLR for his macros.
J&H

ps. Troy, work in a little at a time (as Bill Murray put it, "take those baby steps"). Maybe just go sit down near some flowers without a camera and just observe. You'll start to get comfortable with them in no time.