I mainly shoot insect using a Canon MPE 65 macro and ringflash. We recently moved back into a city (from a 4 acre country property) and I have found it a little more difficult to find subjects in the yard.
I had to do a double-take on your name, as my brother's name is Scott also
Nice photo and thanks for sharing. The MP-E 65 is definitely on my list of things to get. In fact, I am going to construct an indoor macro studio just for this lens, because here in FL it is very windy all the time, which renders the delicate instrumentation almost obsolete for arthropods on flowers/leaves and such. For this reason, I think an indoor platform (with moss, leaves, etc. will allow me to collect interesting specimens outside and yet place them indoors so that I can really make the best use of the MP-E 65 at 5:1, and I too have the MT-24 ringlight which is terrific in indoor photography, as I am sure you know
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Jack (or John )
You can call me Jack ... just don't say "Hi Jack!" in a plane
Liked your shot. Color temperature maybe a tad cool but sharpness spot on over large parts of his body. You have figured out the deal, as much as possible parallel to the sensor.
I don't think it was the sensor so much as the extreme bright lighting and my not quite having my bearings straight in getting this camera to sing yet. I have a Canon polarizing filter, but it was just too bright at that spot, and I was experimenting with my flash also. In hindsight, it was a bad idea.
Good thing about macro is that it's well manageble next to my busy job. I just go out in my garden and get started.
I agree 100%! I live on 49 acres of Florida wilderness, and I don't have to travel anywhere to have a virtually unlimited "field day" enjoying myself. I can't wait until spring and summer roll around; my only fear is I will never sleep! All of the butterflies will be everywhere by day, and about 70% of all the other interesting critters here come out at night! My macro ringlight and I will be very busy
I almost never use AF, too unpredictable. What I usually do (if I'm doing stuff handheld) is put the lens at a fixed magnification and focus by moving my head (with camera) forward backward until the focus is where I want it. Works great for me. Sometimes I use a monopod using the same technique. Still need to get a ring flash but haven't found a good deal yet.
Thanks for the tip. I am realizing that AF is very limited to macrophotography also, as are auto settings. As I acclimate myself to my camera, I am beginning to find my very best shots are in 'M' mode ... or in 'Tv' mode ...
Here's another older flower shot with my KM5D and the Tamron 70-300LD (which has macro to 1:2).
Hope you like it as well.
Lovely! Beautiful coloration on both the flower and the background.
I am right now planning my "butterfly garden" for the springtime, and hope to have not just beautiful "flying flowers" everywhere, but stunning background coloration also, to make the best possible effect in my background bokehs. Right now, the background here is a little nasty, as everything is brown, reddish, or yellow. Come spring or summer, however, Florida is absolutely vibrant with greens everywhere and wonderful colors that I can't wait to take advantage of.
In closing for now, I *was* able to get some lizard shots I am well pleased with. I found another specimen on another stump that allowed me to get both an outstanding side shot, focus-wise and color-wise, and I was even able to get close enough to him to get a full head portrait shot. I kinda blew that one a bit by selecting f/2.8, which put his cheek slightly ablur, but his eyes and color were wonderful. The side shot was taken at f/3.5, 1/400, ISO 100 ... and the portrait was taken at f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 100.
Hope you like these,
Jack
EDIT: Both shots here were handheld, no flash. I was able to brace my fingertips from both hands, and the lens even, on the stump to steady the shot.