Some recent Ant shots

AlexWildAlexWild Registered Users Posts: 45 Big grins
edited May 10, 2010 in Holy Macro
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Anochetus paripungens, trap-jaw ant, Australia


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Solenopsis molesta, thief ant, Illinois


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Cephalotes varians, turtle ant, Florida

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Opisthopsis haddoni, strobe ant, Australia.

All photos taken with Canon's amazing MP-E lens.

www.alexanderwild.com
Myrmecos blog

Comments

  • Lord VetinariLord Vetinari Registered Users Posts: 15,901 Major grins
    edited May 9, 2010
    LOvely series - can't believe #3 - you must have hit it with a frying pan first ! :)
    Brian V.
    Brian V.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/lordv/
    http://www.lordv.smugmug.com/
  • AlexWildAlexWild Registered Users Posts: 45 Big grins
    edited May 9, 2010
    Thanks Brian! #3 is an amazing ant. They use that head to block the entrance to their nests. A sort of living door:

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  • GOLDENORFEGOLDENORFE Super Moderators Posts: 4,747 moderator
    edited May 9, 2010
    amazing looking ant! good shots of them
    phil
    Phil

    moderator - Holy Macro
    Goldenorfe’s Flickr Gallery
    Goldenorfe photography on Smugmug
    Phils Photographic Adventures Blog
  • ZanottiZanotti Registered Users Posts: 1,411 Major grins
    edited May 9, 2010
    Alex:

    I went to your web site and was amazed at the quality and range of your photos. Most excellent.

    Went to your blog and noted all the nice articles on technique. Thanks for sharing.


    Z
    It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
  • AlexWildAlexWild Registered Users Posts: 45 Big grins
    edited May 10, 2010
    Thanks Z!

    So, the lighting for photos #2 & 4 here are pretty standard from my diffuser here: http://scienceblogs.com/myrmecos/2007/12/photo-technique-on-camera-flash-diffusion.php

    But, #1 & #3 are a variation. I'm using the same diffuser, but I've taken one of the MT-24EX flash heads off the mount, boosted its power by about 4x, and am hand-holding above and slightly behind the subject to give it that backlit highlighting. Works great for getting that little *pop* in the outline of the insect.

    Alex

    www.alexanderwild.com
    Myrmecos blog
  • ZanottiZanotti Registered Users Posts: 1,411 Major grins
    edited May 10, 2010
    I gathered from some of you blog posts that this was perhaps slightly backlit.

    Since you have a clean black background - did you insert it behind, or is it simply so dark its unexposed, or is this studio instead of field?

    I have the 100 macro and enjoyed your comparison to the Canon MPE.

    Thanks for posting.

    An interesting discussion on focus stacking here: http://strobist.blogspot.com/2010/05/lighting-bugs-with-layers-of-genius.html
    It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
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