It is rare that I have a chance to get outside with a macro lens and pretty much every time I do, it is as windy AF. And today, it was no exception. Smallsteps is at a birthday party that my wife took her to for a few hours and the wind is blowing hard enough to make macro focusing a near impossibility for my skills - but screw it - I went outside anyway.
At this time of year, the garden is greenish, but not overly interesting, as most of the flowers have wilted away and leaves are starting to get that shade to indicate Autumn is here. However, there are still some flowers on the mint, and the bees seem to have found it tasty enough to fill their larder, in the absence of pretty much everything else. There might be a camouflaged fly or two in here also.
As said, the wind was up and the plant stalks were swinging around quite wildly, so sharpness is a bit of an issue, even though I was using a flash with a decent macro. Even slight movements in the stem (combined with my own shakiness) results in slightly out of focus images, which with macro, get translated into massive blur and softness.
I like macro photography a lot, but I am not very good at it and I think that one of the reasons is that I don't set up any shots, and I won't even hold the plant still in an attempt to stop it swinging. I am one of those "shoot what I see" types, which works out okay sometimes, but doesn't have the polish of professional photographers by a very long shot. Still, it is fun and challenging, which is enough for me to feed my interest and skill level.
I always feel that macro gets me "closer" to nature, not because I can see it in more detail, but I am actually paying more attention to finding the details, both when taking the pictures and when reviewing and editing them. Often, there are little details that I didn't realize when shooting, that I only notice after. Nature itself is amazing and majestic and this fractals from the universe level, all the way down to the particle level, with the insect level being a place of imaginative horror.
If there was one, you'd have to question the mind of the creator who designs these kinds of creatures, let alone the way they behave and interact, wouldn't you? There is an insanity in there somewhere, whilst still finding a terrible harmony with everything else, all part of the same ecosystem that is eternally evolving at every level possible. The organization required is at a level impossible to imagine, which is why at least in my opinion, there is no organization at all, it is all just decentralized competition and random action.
Which, kind of goes with the chance of getting a good macro shot of insects in the wind - not very likely. Yet, I didn't actually shoot off that many images to get these and they are "okay" overall, considering. Other than a crop and lifting the shadows to soften. And for anyone interested, these were taken on an Olympus EM-1 MkIII, with a 60mm 2.8 lens, some with an off-camera flash, some without.
Buzz buzz.
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
One of those bees looks quite cute.
They are highly organised and use pheromones and vibrations to communicate. They also have some kind of forecasting mechanism because they can make enough honey to get them through two lean winters with a lean summer between.
I looked up how they make honey and now I can't eat it :%
That is pretty amazing! Nature is pretty awesome at times - like how there is an animal that can think through and create tools to get to space, yet that same animal fails to look after its environment well enough to protect its own future.
I know, but I don't think I want to see video footage of it. :D
I think Macro does bring one closer because they Have to look for the detail. The fun part is when the detail is in such detail. I find most of my treasures... when i crop and edit my shots because there is so much more that i didn't see at the moment of capture.
I am one of those "shoot what I see" types as well. That's another reason macro is so fun is that you see a snap-shot (literally) of life as it is happening. I am sure set up macro shots are cool too... especially if you find something worth the time and effort to shoot.
Ultimately, i think successful macro is just presenting a different perspective properly. Some of the normal rules of photography don't necessarily have to apply. I will mention anchoring though. To help compensate for one's own shakiness... it's best to use things to prop up your elbow or to stabilize your wrist.
Similar to how a sniper stabilizes its weapon. I never use a tripod but i will use my knees to support my elbows and wrap my wrist chord around tight to stabilize my whole camera and hand. It's almost an art in and of itself. I'm sure you do it already but it can help you hover for longer periods of time to get the best shot off. I even hold my breath and squeeze the shutter button like a sniper.
Even without considering the wind, i think these shots are better than you give yourself credit for. Thanks for sharing them here with us in this community browski!
(hope Smallsteps and your wife had fun!)
There is a guy here (name escapes me) that has done some tutorials on macro bugs, that he has killed and glued into position. The results are fantastic! But I can't kill bugs... :D
Now you are sounding like @galenkp ;D
The shots are okay under the conditions, but I still didn't quite get what I was after - but then the question is, do we ever really get what we want?
I thought you would appreciate my militaristic sense of the description. I think i saw that gentleman post a few posts with the bugs and the macro shots. They were super badass. Another person that sets up macro sometimes is anitahorvatir
She is super good with photography and macro in general but some of her set up shots were really amazing. Cheers
I will have a look :)
Taking photos...honestly.
One shot, one kill. That's my type of skill.
Might be an interesting debate/topic, since there are also photographers who burst their shots.
I used to take photos at motor racing, the Australian F1 Grand Prix primarily, and would burst shots...It gave me far better results...and hours of going through them for the one I want.
Oh yeah, for Grand Prix, you got to be using those flagships with insane FPS! What camera did you use? But photographing a person, or a building, or a landscape that isn't going anywhere (any time soon that is), might be a waste of the burst :D
I had a Canon EOS 500D which did a reasonable job. Prior, my grandfathers' Nikon 35mm like the one below. I remember taking it to the first F1GP in Adelaide, 1985 (I was 15), with a pile of film rolls, and I went nuts. I had a 300mm zoom on it and borrowed a monopod from my granddad. I worked my ass off to raise the money to develop them all. Lol.
I don't have the camera now, although I wish I did, just for the fact it was my grandads.
It is rare to see a post about photography from you. You shot an important process in the nature, which is done by bees. They say if they don't do this, we will die 🙄
I have heard that it is 4 years or something like that before we all die without the help of bees.
You have got the photo of this beautiful bees from different angles making it look very beautiful and professional in its own sense. To us who love taking photos of almost every thing I think we're the best photographers lol.
The wind is a natural force and when it's acting on the leaves where an insect is resting getting a 100% stand still photo might challenging. I remember in 2018 while taking a badminton practical examination the wind made me perform below my expectation because the lecturer decided to use an outdoor badminton pitch rather than an indoor pitch and I still made a good grade therefore you have made a great grade with the macro photography. Kudos 👍👍👍
Badminton is one of those games where - evert time you want to play outside, the wind picks up :)
Honestly, and I'm not a very good player of badminton and playing outside means double honor to poor performance hahahaha
These are wonderful. You see what most of us overlook, thank goodness.
Maybe God is an insect.
God has as much chance of being an insect, as of being a guy with a long, white beard :)
In some photos, you get very good results. I'm sure you've worked hard for all of this.
It is really very fun and challenging for you, as you have stated here.
I really enjoy what you have shared here.
I've heard what a professional photographer who often won several competitions and often sold his macro photos said, that many people have an interest in the macro photo segment. Especially in macro photos of living things, there are many challenges. However, no matter how high the skill level one had, luck played a lot more. It's much different if you play in the macro photo segment of still lifes.
With that said, you are right that someone who loves photography should "shoot what they see", as you have done, Mr @tarazkp.
Have a great day.
I think it is because people like to see what they know, the familiar, but in ways they aren't used to seeing it. I think there is a kind of shared secret in macro.
I thought the blur and softness added to the overall charm of the photos.
I find myself paying more attention to the nature in my neighborhood when walking because I am looking to share a pic or two (if anything catches my attention) on Liketu or as part of my Actifit activity etc...
This is definitely something. Looking for "post content" tends to make people pay more attention to normal life.
Agreed. In the past, walking my neighborhood was a time to clear my mind. Nowadays, I find myself walking longer (which is a good thing) to both "get the shot" and then walking to clear my mind. Which I can say has been a benefit to my overall health and fitness.
These are pretty awesome man. Macro is one of my favorite types of photography because you get to see the world from a whole new perspective.
Cheers. Would love to spend more time with macro and, go down the rabbit hole of new lenses :)
Dear @tarazkp!
I felt you had a very delicate sense!
The photos are fantastic!
Thanks :)
Bzzzzzzzzz, a bzzzzzzz bzzzzzzzz bZzzzzz
:)
Very nice shots you've got there and you've pieced it up into a nice series!
THanks!
I love the way you focus on every picture. The bee came so clear. I like your photography. Nice work
Beautiful pictures 😍😻
It has been a long I had seen this, the camera is pretty clear the capture was nice
Very beautiful photos, they have quite an artistic style !LUV
@siphon(4/4) gave you LUV.
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Beautiful shots Taraz! I know how difficult it is to get them bees in focus!
Lol, no you will never talk to me privately like that :)