[TroyP] SMS Macro Outing Vl (Night Macro at Lower Pierce)

[TroyP]

All shots taken at Lower Peirce 13/02/2009 8pm-12.30am

Nikon D90 + Tamron 90mm macro lens
Manual mode, hand-held, manual focus

First 5 shots were taken with SB600 + DIY difuser

Any help with names would be appreciated.


1) Cricket
ISO 100, F20, 1/100 sec, Auto WB, Multi-segment Metering, SB600 difused


2) Ant Lavae
ISO 100, F20, 1/100 sec, Auto WB, Spot Metering, SB600 difused


3) Beetle
ISO 100, F20, 1/100 sec, Auto WB, Exposure +0.5, Spot Metering, SB600 difused


4) Yellow bug
ISO 200, F22, 1/60 sec, Auto WB, Exposure +0.3, Spot Metering, SB600 difused


5) Lynx Spider
ISO 200, F22, 1/60 sec, Auto WB, Spot Metering, SB600 difused

[TroyP]

My SB600 batteries ran out just as we were talking about milk bottle difusers.
I took the rest of my shots with my DIY milk bottle difuser + onboard flash.

6) Cricket
ISO 200, F18, 1/160 sec, Auto WB, Spot Metering, Onboard flash difused


7) Bug
ISO 200, F18, 1/200 sec, Auto WB, Spot Metering, Onboard flash difused


8) Orb Web Spider
ISO 200, F18, 1/200 sec, Auto WB, Spot Metering, Onboard flash difused


9) Shrimp Grasshopper?
ISO 200, F18, 1/200 sec, Auto WB, Spot Metering, Onboard flash difused

[TroyP]

10) Spider
ISO 200, F18, 1/200 sec, Auto WB, Exposure +0.75, Spot Metering, Onboard flash difused


11) Bug
ISO 200, F18, 1/200 sec, Auto WB, Spot Metering, Onboard flash difused


12) Stick Bug's mating
ISO 200, F22, 1/200 sec, Auto WB, Spot Metering, Onboard flash difused


13) Male Stick Bug (close-up)
ISO 200, F22, 1/200 sec, Auto WB, Exposure +0.25, Spot Metering, Onboard flash difused

[Excel-glsi]

Bro nice 1... But I feel tat ur flash stil abit harsh... Did u ever tin of using a internal flash with a DIY (Stevewhy copy) flash diffuser? Also maybe its a lighter set up...

[TroyP]

Originally Posted by Excel-glsi Bro nice 1... But I feel tat ur flash stil abit harsh... Did u ever tin of using a internal flash with a DIY (Stevewhy copy) flash diffuser? Also maybe its a lighter set up...

Shots 1-5 were taken with SB600. Flash is a bit harsh.
Shots 6-13 were taken with onboard flash + DIY milk bottle difuser. The flash isnt that harsh at all. If you think shots 6-13 are too harsh still, then it's probably due to my poor monitor during post processing in Photoshop. I did a comparison of a shot on my D90 LCD and my computer monitor, and the colours on my D90 are very vivid. My computer looks dull. It's hard to do PP without a good monitor (24" ViewSonic). Maybe i'll try calibrate my monitor...

Some maybe also too harsh because of the fact I was a few cm from the subject.

[parampita]

You'd found so many subjects!
I need to walk near you next time.

BTW, I think the shots are good. The light on the cricket is harsh but the later shots aren't harsh at all, especially the stick insects.

[teebs]

I do agree that the cricket shots are a bit harsh but might also be due to your PP if your monitor is not calibrated properly.

But No.10, U used your extension tubes with the Tamron 90? Superb magnification...

[ex0rzist]

So many nice subjects !!! The Stick insect mating is wicked man !!! Good eyes to spot it. I wished I could make it to join you guys

[TroyP]

Originally Posted by parampita You'd found so many subjects! I need to walk near you next time. BTW, I think the shots are good. The light on the cricket is harsh but the later shots aren't harsh at all, especially the stick insects.

I was there again tonight from 9.20pm to 1.20am. Didn't have as much luck! I walked the full trail this time. Got quite close to a wild boars (5m), they are very noisy breathers!
It's better to go there in a group, more eyes to find things, and it's quicker to take shots with someone else holding the torch.

Yep, the cricket was one of my first few shots. I improved as I took more, but also swapped out the SB600 for onboard flash. Much better for macro

[TroyP]

Originally Posted by teebs I do agree that the cricket shots are a bit harsh but might also be due to your PP if your monitor is not calibrated properly. But No.10, U used your extension tubes with the Tamron 90? Superb magnification...

Thanks!
I did have my tubes on me, but everything was a bit rushed and I never had time to use them in the end. #10 was a very close shot (fully zoomed with the focus ring), and 100% crop.

[TroyP]

Originally Posted by ex0rzist So many nice subjects !!! The Stick insect mating is wicked man !!! Good eyes to spot it. I wished I could make it to join you guys

Yep, lucky to see that. Everyone had already started to leave, and caught that one on the way back out.

I was there tonight for 4 hours and took my time. Didn't have hardly any luck finding things.
Orb spider, crickets, ants, Lynx spider, house centerpede, caterpillar, and 2 other funny looking bugs. But still no jumping spider!

[ex0rzist]

Originally Posted by TroyP I was there again tonight from 9.20pm to 1.20am.

You went alone ?!?! Its better to go with a buddy or in a group for night macros. Quite dangerous to go alone. I can't imagine myself walking through LP at night alone. FREAKY !!!

[TroyP]

Originally Posted by ex0rzist You went alone ?!?! Its better to go with a buddy or in a group for night macros. Quite dangerous to go alone. I can't imagine myself walking through LP at night alone. FREAKY !!!

Yeah it is quite freaky, especially when the wild boars feed right next to the trail. If you make any noise they'll move away through. I used to live in the country from age 10-16, so i'm sort of used to being in the scrub in pitch black. You're lucky Lower Peirce has a board trail to follow :P
The only thing i'm scared of there is those massive ants! Scarrier than the spiders! lol

[parampita]

Originally Posted by TroyP Yeah it is quite freaky, especially when the wild boars feed right next to the trail. If you make any noise they'll move away through. I used to live in the country from age 10-16, so i'm sort of used to being in the scrub in pitch black. You're lucky Lower Peirce has a board trail to follow :P The only thing i'm scared of there is those massive ants! Scarrier than the spiders! lol

Friend, unless you're TarzanP, it will be safer to get a buddy to go with you at night. I am on Starhub, even my mobile reception was bad when I was there.

Got your PM. Next week then, I'm looking forward to some house centipede and scorpion shots.

[airforce1]

Good collections of macros there. I think the next time we need to put more tissues paper on the flash to prevent flash hotspots on the subject. Very good macro.

[parampita]

Originally Posted by airforce1 Good collections of macros there. I think the next time we need to put more tissues paper on the flash to prevent flash hotspots on the subject. Very good macro.

Boss, can hotspots on reflective subjects be avoided/eliminated?

[TroyP]

Originally Posted by airforce1 Good collections of macros there. I think the next time we need to put more tissues paper on the flash to prevent flash hotspots on the subject. Very good macro.

I struggled to remove hotspots all last night. It's probably what I spent most of my time on. Onboard D90 flash + milk bottle difuser. Exposure -1.

[DeSwitch]

Good shots Troy. If entering the reserve alone please keep your eyes and ears open and tunes up 200%. Move out if you sense something uneasy. I do go alone sometimes but with some buddies is always better.


BTW, anyone know where to find Luminous Fungi? I was told LP have but never came across them.

[F_Enzo]

nice shots captured in the night....

[TroyP]

My colours have been a bit off. I opened RAW in Adobe Photoshop CS3, and the colorspace ICC Profile was defaulted to "Adobe RBG (1998)". Should've selected "ProPhoto RGB" instead, and have PS convert it to "Nikon WinMonitor 4.0.0.3000" once opened.