Who?

[Overread]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4069/4282925848_5c45d8bc7d_o.jpg
f13, ISO 200, 1/200sec

Reading can be a challenge when the words are so big!

Setup:
Taken with Canon 400D, Sigma 70mm macro and sigma 1.4 teleconverter. Camera and lens arranged on a single focusing rail (cheap ebay rail) which was attached to a Manfrotto Junior Geared Head and then onto a set of tripod legs.
Lighting was a 580 EX2 with lumiquest softbox mounted on an offcamera flash cord and held from an above position with the flash head directed slightly toward the front of the insect.

The insect itself was slightly cool (naturally) and just happened to be in the room at the time. It was placed onto the book where it eventually settled somewhere (I honestly didn't pose it right over that word, I just let it move itself around till it came still - a thing which made focusing tricky when it would suddenly get up and go).

Any comments/crits very welcome (be they technical or compositional or both) - thank you

 

[mrdemin]

I really like this, great idea!
I wish the whole bug was in focus, and I wish the words behind the ladybug were more in focus

 

[Overread]

I did originally want to play with this shot some more, maybe a slightly higher shooting angle or at least to image stack as series of shots to get some more depth into it (the only ways to get more depth since at f13 I am not going to get much more by going to a smaller aperture and my overall image would have started to get softer as a result as well).
Sadly the insect was not still enough to allow for such timely considerations and my floor where I had the tripod setup on is old and moves - quite noticably - which threw keeping the setup in one place for image stacking - since my other hand was holding the flash in place.

 

[eccs19]

I like it. That's a cool idea having him reading the paper. I've got a set of those cheap focusing rails. They work great for an amateur like me. :thumbup:

 

[mooimeisie]

Excellent focusing on the bug and the paper for a background is a very novel idea.

 

[Overread]

It was a very novel idea - all 1000 pages of it
Thanks for the compliments all

 

[Mulewings~]

Very creative, I like it.

Did the bug get paid for posing???

 

[burnws6]

Great shot. DOF is perfect.

 

[davebmck]

Overread, I've seen you write about the cheap ebay focusing rails before. Can you provide a link to a similar unit? I'd like to try one of these.

 

[davebmck]

Never-mind, I found them.

 

[mooimeisie]

I recently purchased 4 way focusing rails from dslrbaby on ebay for around $46.00. Very good quality.

 

[Overread]

Many thanks all - sadly I have yet to find an agreeable term for payment of insect models

As for the rails I wrote a little bit on them and the different options here:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...ails-comparison-different-market-options.html

like I say there the ebay cheap rails are the best option for most peoples budgets and needs - if you want to move up the level the best option is the novoflex - but I honestly feel that unless you have a lot of budget and/or work at very high magnifications there is no major pressure for your rails (esp your first set) to need be so high in cost.

Also the velbon option is also sold in some retailers (B&H sell them).

 

[davebmck]

Nice write up, Overread. It's unfortunate that the range goes from cheap to very expensive. I have a swiss arca setup now, so would like to find something reasonable with that mounting. The least expensive I have seen is a Kirk unit for about $225.

 

[Overread]

I agree there is not much of a middle ground on offer for focusing rails it seems. Sadly I suspect this because they are such a rare item in use for most photographers - there is only need for cheap options for the averge curious person and expensive options for the demanding enthusiast/professional.

ps if you are looking at a good strong setup for macro have you considered adding a geared tripod head to your setup?

 

[davebmck]

No, I've never looked at them. Maybe I should do some investigation. I have a really good ball head now that should be solid enough when using my 100mm. It's one of the lightest lenses I have.