Photographing creatures in containers - discussion

[davholla]

I have actually photographed the insect below outside of a container and obviously it looks better (It is Volucella Inanis).


HoverflyIMG_5736 by davholla2002, on Flickr

However sometimes in the field for rare creatures you have to photograph them in containers because they might fly away and you have to get the shot of unknown x.
Any ideas on how to do this so it looks better - things that look better than this test tube?

HoverflyIMG_5615 by davholla2002, on Flickr

 

[Jeff G]

That's a tough question. For clarity, the thinner the walls of the container the better, but it has to survive travelling too. Don't know if this will help but I did find this article.
A Portable Lightbox Studio for Macro

 

[Derrel]

Good link, Jeff!

 

[davholla]

These photos are why I want to do this, a tricky specimen which was quite elusive. Fortunately it was in a very big container my house.
In the field it would have been much trickier and as I only had one specimen then it would have been shame to not photograph it.

IMG_1919Ichumenonfly by davholla2002, on Flickr

IMG_20200424_145517_570 by davholla2002, on Flickr

 

[Soocom1]

About a bazillion years ago I remember reading on a contraption someone made with a large (early days of clear plastic containers) with a hole cut in the side and some diffused rings light(s) attached and then it was used to "capture" a bug and take the shot. (Usually a hit and miss if the critter was skittish).

You simply had the bug on a flat surface and then you simply put the container over the bug and start shooting.

Then someone else put a motion trigger to something similar to fire the camera when it was "in range".

it was a DYI project from about 1980....something.
Weird looking thing, but effective.

 

[Derrel]

Over a decade ago I saw some of the most amazing flying insect photos,which were made by putting insects into a 4-inch diameter PVC pipe. An electronic trigger system was rigged so that so that when the bug flew into the space where two beams intersected,it would trigger the camera. The end caps were made of clear plastic and behind that the photographer had positioned colorful posters. The flash pops were very high speed, made by four Vivitar 283 flash units each dialed down to about one-eighth power. The backgrounds were quite fantastic.

The photographer was a former Oregonian shooter who had made the transition to working for the Oregon Zoo. I believe the man was Michael Lloyd . A series of these amazing insect in flight photos were displayed at poster size on the walls of Portland's Pro Photo Supply for several months. They were amazing!

 

[davholla]

Over a decade ago I saw some of the most amazing flying insect photos,which were made by putting insects into a 4-inch diameter PVC pipe. An electronic trigger system was rigged so that so that when the bug flew into the space where two beams intersected,it would trigger the camera. The end caps were made of clear plastic and behind that the photographer had positioned colorful posters. The flash pops were very high speed, made by four Vivitar 283 flash units each dialed down to about one-eighth power. The backgrounds were quite fantastic.

The photographer was a former Oregonian shooter who had made the transition to working for the Oregon Zoo. I believe the man was Michael Lloyd . A series of these amazing insect in flight photos were displayed at poster size on the walls of Portland's Pro Photo Supply for several months. They were amazing!

Fascinating. Do you mean something like this? I wish I could buy a set up like that. I hate DIY photo stuff (because I am useless at it)

4 Inch x 3m Length Clear PVC Plastic Pipe OD =114.3mm

I would have thought that scratches on the PVC would spoil them.

He is Michael Durham btw
Here is his website
Michael Durham

Some of his photos are unbelievable

This of a whirlgig beetle. (The very talented British photography Julian Cremona has said that he has never photographed this live and they are not uncommon in the UK).

whirligig beetle | Michael Durham

This is of a great diving beetle.

I am thinking of contacting him to ask him to create an ebook or video on how to take these.

diving beetle | Michael Durham

 

[Derrel]

Yes, Michael Durham....Michael Lloyd was a contemporary of his. Of my college photo Buddies knew Michael Durham, and he told me how those amazing flying insect photos displayed at Pro Photo Supply had been shot.

I do not know if Durham used clear PVC tubes or if he used the standard white types.

By using four Vivitar 283 flashes ganged together, it was possible to get a very very short flash duration; at 1/4 power The Flash duration is much shorter than it is at full power and with four units at quarter power, you have quite a powerful flash pop, so you can use low ISO and a small aperture and also have a decent guide number. Both my friend Michael and Michael Durham had made these 283x4 flash units, which were mounted back-to-back, and to which they had fitted a custom fresnel lens.