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Macro help needed: silkworms

fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
edited June 4, 2004 in Technique
I spent some time trying to shoot my kid's silkworms today and I'm on the verge of killing one of 'em just to get a good shot (not really, but close).

They're big, fat, ugly worms that move their heads around pretty quickly. I can't really put them in bright sun, nor do I want to use bright halogens, so I'm kinda stuck with a flash. I cannot seem to master the DOF needed to get a clear headshot.

Any ideas?

Here's one of my less sucky ones...
"Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson

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    tmshotstmshots Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited May 13, 2004
    What are you using? Lens wise. and Before you shoot have someone blow on it, this may get it to freeze for the shot. works for bees anywho
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    fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited May 13, 2004
    tmshots wrote:
    What are you using? Lens wise. and Before you shoot have someone blow on it, this may get it to freeze for the shot. works for bees anywho
    100mm/f2.8 macro.
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
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    tmshotstmshots Registered Users Posts: 59 Big grins
    edited May 13, 2004
    Maybe try a slave flash above and then have someone blow on it. Be just a quick burst and if your fear is shaking it take a que tip and touch it's hind end lightly before you take the shot.
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    Shay StephensShay Stephens Registered Users Posts: 3,165 Major grins
    edited May 14, 2004
    fish wrote:
    I spent some time trying to shoot my kid's silkworms today and I'm on the verge of killing one of 'em just to get a good shot (not really, but close).

    They're big, fat, ugly worms that move their heads around pretty quickly. I can't really put them in bright sun, nor do I want to use bright halogens, so I'm kinda stuck with a flash. I cannot seem to master the DOF needed to get a clear headshot.

    Any ideas?

    Here's one of my less sucky ones...
    What aperture are you shooting at?
    Creator of Dgrin's "Last Photographer Standing" contest
    "Failure is feedback. And feedback is the breakfast of champions." - fortune cookie
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    fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited May 14, 2004
    Shay Stephens wrote:
    What aperture are you shooting at?
    f4 1/60
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
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    pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,696 moderator
    edited May 18, 2004
    fish wrote:
    f4 1/60
    For Macro - f4 is too big an aperature, Fish - you need more DOF. Try f11 or f16 and use a flash for lighting power - maybe put a hanky ovet ther flash head for a softer diffusion of the light. You may need a bracket from ReallyRightStuff.com to let you aim the flash head down more than you can with the pentaprism shoe mount on the 10D. The you will be abloe to capture the silkwormlickout.gif
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
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    Shay StephensShay Stephens Registered Users Posts: 3,165 Major grins
    edited May 18, 2004
    pathfinder wrote:
    For Macro - f4 is too big an aperature, Fish - you need more DOF. Try f11 or f16 and use a flash for lighting power - maybe put a hanky ovet ther flash head for a softer diffusion of the light. You may need a bracket from ReallyRightStuff.com to let you aim the flash head down more than you can with the pentaprism shoe mount on the 10D. The you will be abloe to capture the silkwormlickout.gif
    I agree, crank down the aperture and crank up the light.
    Creator of Dgrin's "Last Photographer Standing" contest
    "Failure is feedback. And feedback is the breakfast of champions." - fortune cookie
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    AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited May 18, 2004
    yeah please get more of that
    Shay Stephens wrote:
    I agree, crank down the aperture and crank up the light.

    butt-ugly critter in focus so i can gag completely when i view the pic, will you?
    Andy

    Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
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    zero-zerozero-zero Registered Users Posts: 147 Major grins
    edited May 19, 2004
    At such close range, you can get enough light from a normal flashgun popping into a piece of ordinary paper. That will give you a bigger effective light source, softer light, and still the candlepower you need to stop down the lens to its max DOF setting.
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    fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited May 19, 2004
    Thanks guys, but it's a moot point now. They're all in cocoons, and really easy to photograph :D
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
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    cmr164cmr164 Registered Users Posts: 1,542 Major grins
    edited May 20, 2004
    fish wrote:
    I spent some time trying to shoot my kid's silkworms today and I'm on the verge of killing one of 'em just to get a good shot (not really, but close).

    They're big, fat, ugly worms that move their heads around pretty quickly. I can't really put them in bright sun, nor do I want to use bright halogens, so I'm kinda stuck with a flash. I cannot seem to master the DOF needed to get a clear headshot.
    Next time they are crawling again or even better if you can capture them coming out of the cocoon, try the +Light --> DoF technique suggested by
    others but let me add one more method. That is to use a long lens (400mm is my usual choice) with an extension tube to get the magnification from a greater distance with a sufficient DoF.
    Charles Richmond IT & Security Consultant
    Operating System Design, Drivers, Software
    Villa Del Rio II, Talamban, Pit-os, Cebu, Ph
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    fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited June 3, 2004
    The next chapter
    Two of the moths emerged from their silk cocoons metamorphosed into moths. Strange looking worms begat strange looking moths. These moths can't fly...they just kinda flap around looking for other moths to mate with. Actually, I'm not seeing a whole lot of flapping...mostly just hanging around. Truly weird, but cute little dudes. I'll shoot 'em again, in manual mode so I can bump up the light a little more and use a smaller aperture. But for now, I think you can get the idea.

    4806890-L-1.jpg



    4806889-L.jpg

    Think these will count as my neighbors? :roll
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
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    Win38-55Win38-55 Registered Users Posts: 57 Big grins
    edited June 3, 2004
    Could always stick one in fridge to slow it down a little.
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    fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited June 3, 2004
    Win38-55 wrote:
    Could always stick one in fridge to slow it down a little.
    Actually, I inadvertently slowed one down by smacking it on the edge of the box it was in.
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
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    pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,696 moderator
    edited June 4, 2004
    fish wrote:
    Actually, I inadvertently slowed one down by smacking it on the edge of the box it was in.
    You beast!!! How Horrible!! And with all your firearms you chose blunt trauma to subdue the critter........Laughing.gif


    I like the second image as a portrait of a moth - the antennae are just tack sharp - good on ya !!
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
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    digismiledigismile Registered Users Posts: 955 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2004
    Name this pet ...
    fish wrote:




    4806889-L.jpg

    Think these will count as my neighbors? :roll
    I think every family pet should have a name ...

    In this case Tammy-Fay comes to mind or possibly Sally ... (a.k.a. the flying nun) rolleyes1.gif
    Brad

    www.digismile.ca
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    fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2004
    digismile wrote:
    I think every family pet should have a name ...

    In this case Tammy-Fay comes to mind or possibly Sally ... (a.k.a. the flying nun) rolleyes1.gif
    lol3.gif
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
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