Going back to the basics - C7C requested

[Overread]

Gah this new lens leaves me feeling like a newb to photography again!

Ok so these are partly grabshots of a little bug who wandered into my room (and out again). Sadly not a single green or leafy thing to place him upon so its the edge of a little petri dish that I had him (mostly) crawling in - however he was far to warm and active a bug to sit still in any one place for long and he was off again in seconds.
The high mobility and magnification factor meant that I couldn't have the flashlight directly overhead (ie doing one handed macro) which has sadly meant that I've got photos with a very harsh direction to the lighting. This is becoming a problem as the shots below show with not just shadowed, but harshly shadowed areas of the insect showing.

Note that I was only using f10 because I was working at around 3:1 macro and thus if I had used a smaller aperture for more depth I would have lost out on sharpness due to diffraction.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4366649284_5d1e7685c3_o.jpg
f10, ISO 100, 1/200sec - flash used

Probably the only shot that really has a half decent composition to it, even though the upper areas still have a lot of empty dead space to them.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4366648962_66bd85c7fa_o.jpg
f10, ISO 100, 1/200sec - flash used

Lighting is not as harsh, the insect and flash having a better angle on each other (for once). However whilst the magnification is good the resulting image has an untidy crop to it - with parts of the insect missing in an undesirable manner. Focus and magnification "zoom" on this lens is all controled by the focus wheel - however I have to get used to balancing focusing, magnifiaction control, frame content and also retaining the correct distance for the focus from the subject (ie maintaining correct focus and thus a sharp shot)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2760/4365903123_74d4c3148f_o.jpg
f10, ISO 100, 1/200sec - flash used

Harsh lighting (I had to dual process the shot so that the back was suitably exposed instead of overly white from the flashlight) and not really a composition that says anything.


So there you go - have at them!
Any comments/crits/advice welcome thank you

 

[Overread]

*give the thread a little attention seeking nudge*

 

[Overread]

*nudges the poor thread*

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I LOVE #1.
I am not sure if I should apply my usual critique to macros. It's part of the charm of macros is capturing the bugs period.

That said, I really dig #1 because of the angled lines in the lower right. The bug is sharp. Nice soft background. It just looks good and is composed well.

#2 shame on you for bisecting limbs at the joint.

This looks difficult to do.

 

[Overread]

Ahh but usual crits are needed! It's something I value when a "non macro addict" gives views on a macro image because often as not they pick up on a lot more than the macro shooters (who are just happy to see nice details and compound eyes ).

I'm glad you feel that 1 is composed well - I still keep feeling that the bug is a bit low in the shot - but even if had had the option I do think that having more of the edge of the platic container would have distracted and detracted (not that I had too much choice when taking the shot )

2 - ooops!!

And yah its tricky - it should be easier once I get a lighting setup that I am happy to work with - I'm going to play around with the cheap bracket I have and see if I can get something out of it (sadly whilst cheap ebay focusing rails work well the cheap flash brackets are way to thin on metals for macro work - heck even with some additional metal bolted and welded in it still wabbles with the 580 attached)

 

[Overread]

*gives it one last little bump*

 

[Ron Evers]

Well you certainly are persistent.

OK, I will say it - they are not good shots. Sorry.

 

[timfrommass]

Great critique !!!

 

[TJ K]

Great critique !!!

Even better:thumbdown:

 

[Overread]

Sometimes persistance is needed - especaily in section where there is so much activity that threads fall of the first page in only a single day (ergo all the thread bumping )

Also the last two posts have so much irony in them that its painfull Come on guys I know you can do better. What specifically makes them poor shots and what could be changed? Simply saying things like "poor lighting" "poor compostion" won't help either as they are far to generic terms to have any real meaning or application to the images

 

[pbelarge]

Maybe you are correct about the harsh lighting.

But...
I do like the composition of #1. The bug looks like it is in motion and will disappear from site any moment...not enough time to shoot.

 

[timfrommass]

Great critique !!!

Even better:thumbdown:

I just HATE it when someone comes in and just says a shot is poor. If you are going to bash someone else's work be prepared to back it up at least!

-tim

 

[fokker]

This is with the MPE-65 I take it? What are you using for lighting?

 

[Overread]

Gah I wrote all that and forgot to mention the lighting specifically....

Lighting was a 580EX2 on an offcamera flash cord (one of those shorter coild canon ones that is great for a flash bracket but right pain for freeform positioning). Fitted to the flash was a lumiquest softbox to allow for some diffusion of the light as well. Power settings I forget but the flash was in manual mode (I find beyond around 2:1 I get more reliable results with manual than with auto flash - it might be partly to do with the fact that the flash sensors are pointed at the ground as I lay the flash flat to try and free my hands to hold the lens