What is Digg?37 Comments
- pbaehr, on 10/10/2007, -3/+8"Bugs and other insects?"
- EssPii, on 10/10/2007, -2/+5"-highher ISO (fast shutter speed == less light)"
Watch out if you go too high... higher ISO = more noise = less detail = even less detail if you try to remove the noise. Detail is what macro is all about.
"bigger aperture (smaller number) - so that you get small depth of field, which will most likely be what you want when taking macro shots."
If you are in the true macro range your DOF is going to be very shallow to begin with. I spend most of my time trying to get more DOF, not minimizing it.
My best attempt: http://esspea-photography.com/blog/index.php?showimage=73 - mpg31337, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Actually, the article contradicts two of your "basics". You'd know that if you actually read it.
- clouseau, on 10/10/2007, -1/+4True bugs are in the Hemiptera. Other insects are not. Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect#Taxonomy or virtually any insect taxonomy reference for more information.
- EllisAshbrook, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3Funny how two of these stories just hit the front page almost simultaneously.
- Falldog, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2That's where you're wrong. Photos are not about looking good as much as the content held within. Think of it like a webpage, with respect to that the design might be kick ass, but it's nothing without content. Pulitzer prize winners don't necessarily have to look brillaint, but contain brilliant and compelling content.
A macro of a fly might look cool, but it's just the same as every other fly macro. - kiwifish, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3On the subject of Macro-On-The-Cheap, if you don't have a macro lens, you can actually get really quite amazing results by holding a prime lens (50mm works pretty well) backwards against the camera body. Often you get quite heavy vignetting, but that can look quite cool too. (Obviously this requires an SLR which can operate with TTL metering).
- MrSarcasm, on 10/10/2007, -6/+8Before you read all the "no ***** sherlock" style advises on that website, whch are also spread in numerous pages, here are the basics:
- fast shutter speed(duh? they won't stand still)
- highher ISO (fast shutter speed == less light)
- bigger aperture (smaller number) - so that you get small depth of field, which will most likely be what you want when taking macro shots.
Also, you may skip the second one, because if you increase aperture, you may just leave ISO alone in this case :). - controltheweb, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2A lot of people who I'll bet haven't made custom spotlight modifications to their equipment are saying these tips are too obvious. Check out the slide show for photographs of the custom mod equipment and results BEFORE reading the article.
- selrahc, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Since you are holding the lens backwards in front of the camera it doesn't matter if it is the correct mount. Look for an old manual focus lens on Ebay.
- davemarlborough, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3pbaehr: What he means is "bugs" (or Order Hemiptera) are within Class Insecta. Hemiptera include cicadas, aphids and "true bugs" which predominantly but not always have sucking mouth parts and feed on vegetation. I too learned an interesting fact in college that not all insects are bugs. ;-)
- JesseJ, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1This came in so handy!
I have been sitting on two unknown bug pictures for a month now and had no idea where to submit them for identification.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10824532@N07/976881726/
I was lucky to just have done some reading about macro photography before I took these shots... And now because of this article I might even get them ID'd! Thanks! - Falldog, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1If I could afford another lens (let enough to get a prime (not that prime's cost too much more, but it means I'd have to get more)) I'd give that a shot right now.
- darrin, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Canon has a 50mm f1.8 that Amazon sells for about $70USD. I believe Nikon has something similar for about the same price.
- MrSarcasm, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1By small I meant shallow/narrow/focused whatever is close to the camera :)
- MrSarcasm, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2WTF?
- Jayg28, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1I've been attempting macro photography all summer - with some really awful results. I can hardly wait to give some of these a try.
- third_eye, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1http://media.arstechnica.com/journals/apple.media/raid_can.jpg
This will he helpful in your photo arsenal as well. - happyhappyhappy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1"I shoot at low ISOs, usually ISO 100. Since all of the lighting is artificial, it makes sense to shoot at low ISOs for the best detail."
- Rotkiv, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1i like the "and other insects" tacked onto the end. that was totally necessary because bugs doesn't already cover that.
- roostishaw, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1"Do you mean a good photo can make a boring subject look brilliant?"
Maybe not "brilliant", but certainly interesting. - OsiVert, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1You don't have to hold it backwards. You can buy a reverse adapter for around $20. You need to open up up the aperture manually too. My reverse adapter for my Minolta came with a ring that goes on the other end that does this. It took me about a month to figure this out while I was using a screw to hold the aperture lever. Another important note is that some cameras do not work if they do not detect a proper lens. For my camera you can go into the settings to override the lens detection.
- cdmarcus, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Flies, beetles...
- clouseau, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1For more tips on insect photography, see the Photography Forum at BugGuide.net: http://bugguide.net/forum/13
- pbaehr, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1I stand corrected. Interesting.
- okinawamarine, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0A good macro photography primer: http://www.johninjapan.com/photography/articles/what-is-macro-photography.html
- designoclast, on 10/10/2007, -0/+0I think this is a great page for beginners to learn about micro-photography. It's definitely worth a look if you are just starting out. Like the first commenter said though there are some no-brainers in there though.
- kidjay, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1anyone who observes the los angeles art scene will say: "just what we need. more macro photos of bugs and flowers"
- AdamFromMyspace, on 10/10/2007, -1/+1wtf? I'll try this.. thanks
- Falldog, on 10/10/2007, -3/+3A lot of obvious tips, but I'll digg anyway. People need to remember that the key, like all photography, is the subject and composition of a shot. Macro shots may look brilliant, but their content can be just as boring as any other photo.
- Hello1024, on 10/10/2007, -4/+4My question is do you photograph insects alive, in which case they move and fly off when you've just set everything up, or do you take photos with them dead, in which case how to you kill them without "squashing" them, ruining your photo.
When I can I use a half and half approach - I find an insect which is already dead. - PDubNYC, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0I'm sorry, you lost me there. If a shot looks brilliant, then how can you turn around and say that their content can still be boring. Do you mean a good photo can make a boring subject look brilliant? or what. As worded, I just don't follow. Photos are completely about how they look. If it looks brilliant, it is. anyways...
Thanks - PDubNYC, on 10/10/2007, -1/+0I think sometimes they chill them to make them borderline comatose
Or maybe they all just do some whippits and fish out - rhodin, on 10/10/2007, -3/+01. Good lens
2. Good film or CMOS sensor
3. Ring light
4. Patience
5. Practice
There. That's what you need. Actually, that covers fashion and portrait photography as well. Take away the ring light and it also covers landscape shots. ;) - third_eye, on 10/10/2007, -7/+1Gives a whole new meaning to BUzz OuT LoUd...
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