My very first Macro bugs ..

GoofBckt

In looking at everyone else's bug shots, I realize I have a LONNNNG way to go here, but thought I'd post for some critique anyways.

#1 This guy was about the size of a pencil eraser. A little blurry, but I'm still mastering being STILL.


#2 Ladybug


#3 Another very tiny spider, about 1/4" (also blurry) I liked this only because you can see him shooting his web. I'd kill for this to be sharp.


#4 So deceiving. It looks as though he's sitting on a cement block, but in reality, this was the top of a very narrow steel barbed wire fence post about 1" in diameter. I had nothing for scale. I was lucky to get these at all. :rolleyes


Thanks for taking the time to look. Hope you weren't bored to tears.

Lord Vetinari

Not bad for first go at bug shots.
Assume these are natural light handheld shots as some are showing motion blur ?
What shutter speed etc ?

Brian v.

GoofBckt

Yes, natural light and hand held (breath held too).
ISO 400
Shutter 1/125
Ap 6
Canon Rebel XS
Canon 100mm L Macro (non IS)
I have a 40D, but it's so much heavier than the Rebel so I have a more difficult time holding it still. I was in a area where a tripod would have been out of the question anyway, but I can see I may have to rethink that as far as decent Macro shots go in the future.

Thanks for the comment, you're the only one. haha
~Carrie

Lord Vetinari wrote:

Not bad for first go at bug shots.
Assume these are natural light handheld shots as some are showing motion blur ?
What shutter speed etc ?

Brian v.

Lord Vetinari

Few things that may help.

Shutter speed - unless the system is supported in some way you need higher shutter speeds when shooting near 1:1, a good speed would be 1/320th. I rarely use below 1/200th.

Motion - I actually find trying to hold the camera absolutely still nearly impossible, it's actually a bit easier if you do gently sway back and forth when near the focus point and take the shot as you pass through focus.

Support - I don't use a tripod when shooting but do use all sorts of other things. Often a pole I grip in my left hand along with a bit of camera. I also often lean on things or rest the camera on things.

Flash - using flash as the main light source helps a lot as the effective shutter speed is the flash duration which is normally around 1/1000th to 1/10000th sec.

Macro possibly more than any other form of photography takes a lot of practice to sort out and get used to the technical issues (many of my first shots were s lot worse than yours). Keep at it and you will get better.

Brian v.

GoofBckt

I appreciate all this so much, Brian. Thank you.

Lord Vetinari wrote:

Few things that may help.

Shutter speed - unless the system is supported in some way you need higher shutter speeds when shooting near 1:1, a good speed would be 1/320th. I rarely use below 1/200th.

Motion - I actually find trying to hold the camera absolutely still nearly impossible, it's actually a bit easier if you do gently sway back and forth when near the focus point and take the shot as you pass through focus.

Support - I don't use a tripod when shooting but do use all sorts of other things. Often a pole I grip in my left hand along with a bit of camera. I also often lean on things or rest the camera on things.

Flash - using flash as the main light source helps a lot as the effective shutter speed is the flash duration which is normally around 1/1000th to 1/10000th sec.

Macro possibly more than any other form of photography takes a lot of practice to sort out and get used to the technical issues (many of my first shots were s lot worse than yours). Keep at it and you will get better.

Brian v.

GOLDENORFE

not too bad, compositions are good. focus/motion blur is the biggest problem.
brian has already outlined everything:D

phil