AI's Wonderful World of Macro

Arkanjel Imaging · Oct 2, 2010

icassell said:
What a cool looking caterpillar! Do you know what kind it is?

Have not identified this one yet. Love his colors though!

Arkanjel Imaging · Oct 9, 2010

Finally got out to shoot some critters again today.

Arkanjel Imaging · Oct 10, 2010

Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii)

Markw · Oct 11, 2010

Wonderful as always. I loove the last one there. The background is just fantastic. Next time I run across a check for $750, Im picking me up a R1C1 kit. :lol:

Mark

Arkanjel Imaging · Oct 12, 2010

Markw said:
Wonderful as always. I loove the last one there. The background is just fantastic. Next time I run across a check for $750, Im picking me up a R1C1 kit.

Mark

Thanks Mark. I have to admit, Ive been using my strobes handheld a lot lately. Its kind of tricky doing everything on the camera with one hand and positioning the flashes with the other. But the results are better IMO. I need a dual arm setup but they are so damn expensive.

Ive got a couple images Im holding out on for this months Photo Challange too. :sexywink:

Arkanjel Imaging · Oct 13, 2010

icassell · Oct 13, 2010

Arkanjel Imaging said:
I need a dual arm setup but they are so damn expensive.

I saw a simple DIY dual arm setup. Someone took a generic hotshoe adapter and attached a ~18-24" bar of aluminum crosswise on the top. Then he put a hotshoe adapter on each end of the bar fixed with thumbscrews that could be loosened so he could rotate the flashes inward a bit and put cheap flashes on these. He slipped the center adapter into the hotshoe on his camera and Voila! One was triggered by the off-camera cord and the other was triggered by the first flash (although I would think there are trigger-cord splitters available). I've thought about trying this approach. I made a DIY ringlight with my Vivitar 283, but it's a bit unwieldy.

Arkanjel Imaging · Oct 13, 2010

Yeah, weight is another concern. The rig isnt super heavy. But after a couple hours of holding it at the ready Im about done.

Another one from today.

Overread · Oct 13, 2010

Ohh very nice I do like that one! The (not so little!) guy starting out of the furry flowers.

As for the lighting I have to say I'm jealous of your lighting rig even as it is - the smaller macro flashes are far more suitable for macro work than rigs with speedlites - esp when you have two or more. I'm always somewhat jealous that with nikon you can just add more of the smaller flashes to the setup whilst canon limit you to just two (at an insane price I might add)

Arkanjel Imaging · Oct 13, 2010

Overread said:
Ohh very nice I do like that one! The (not so little!) guy starting out of the furry flowers.

As for the lighting I have to say I'm jealous of your lighting rig even as it is - the smaller macro flashes are far more suitable for macro work than rigs with speedlites - esp when you have two or more. I'm always somewhat jealous that with nikon you can just add more of the smaller flashes to the setup whilst canon limit you to just two (at an insane price I might add)

Much thanks.

There were quite a few spiders out enjoying the nice weather today. Really tough to get anything steady that wasnt attached to the ground though. :grrrr:

Yeah these camera companies really have us by the jewels with these prices. I mean, the gear is unbelievable. But unless I start making some $$ I can justify any more macro gear.

icassell · Oct 13, 2010

Arkanjel Imaging said:
Overread said:

Ohh very nice I do like that one! The (not so little!) guy starting out of the furry flowers.

As for the lighting I have to say I'm jealous of your lighting rig even as it is - the smaller macro flashes are far more suitable for macro work than rigs with speedlites - esp when you have two or more. I'm always somewhat jealous that with nikon you can just add more of the smaller flashes to the setup whilst canon limit you to just two (at an insane price I might add)

Click to expand...

Much thanks. There were quite a few spiders out enjoying the nice weather today. Really tough to get anything steady that wasnt attached to the ground though. :grrrr:

Yeah these camera companies really have us by the jewels with these prices. I mean, the gear is unbelievable. But unless I start making some $$ I can justify any more macro gear.

Yeah, that's why I made a DIY ringlight. I find I rarely use it and just go with my 430EX and diffuser most of the time. I would dearly love the Canon twinlight, but don't see that happening anytime soon (especially since I'm squirreling pennies away for a 500 f/4 that I would like to own before I die).