how do you take macro shots of insects?
- Thread starter cantaresg
- Start date
- Status
.
me no standard to be called a master.
but here goes my 2¢
use proper hand holding technique
use any form of extra support that you can find around you
either use flash or a combination of ambient light + flash
get as much DOF as you can as macro distances will give you razor thin DOF
read above for the other good advice
for me, I prefer to shoot using a combination of ambient light + fill flash
actual settings depends on your equipment setup, so experiment
I shoot using shutter priority at the slowest shutter speed that i dare (beware of camera shake, wind factor and subject movement)
know your subject and eg. DFs need to warm up before they get active
they also have favourite perches and will go back to it.
but here goes my 2¢
use proper hand holding technique
use any form of extra support that you can find around you
either use flash or a combination of ambient light + flash
get as much DOF as you can as macro distances will give you razor thin DOF
read above for the other good advice
for me, I prefer to shoot using a combination of ambient light + fill flash
actual settings depends on your equipment setup, so experiment
I shoot using shutter priority at the slowest shutter speed that i dare (beware of camera shake, wind factor and subject movement)
know your subject and eg. DFs need to warm up before they get active
they also have favourite perches and will go back to it.
Today I had my first attempt on butterfly shooting... Out of the 10-15 species I saw, I was only able to capture 3 species, of which only 2 are barely acceptable. I noticed that the butterflies tend to fly towards the treetop. Is this a common behaviour?
I had tried to stalk a few species for up to 30min, but they never seem to need any rest. Is there any good reference available on the web?
I had tried to stalk a few species for up to 30min, but they never seem to need any rest. Is there any good reference available on the web?
Sign up here:
http://www.b-pals.com/forums/index.php
The above link is a forums specifically catering towards Butterfly Photography.. =) And yes, some species hardly rest.
so far i found shooting early morning by far more forgiving as during the day or in the afternoons. Our six-legged friends seem to be still a bit groggy at that time of the day and then there is also a lot less air movement. Low light is an issue but can be countered by flash, but its also a very nice soft light.
During the day there is a lot more light, eliminating the need for flash, but the light means heat and heat means the little buggers are on the run.
Afternoon and evening has beautiful light, our friends prepare to sleep but usually a lot of wind which means even if they dont run they move....
Dragonflies are very friendly, can go as close as 10-20cm as long as you dont shake their resting place... so enough time for setting up of a tripod, focusing, composition. Same for grasshoppers, crawl to them and you get very close. Spiders dont move as well unless they are jumpers... be careful with those, they are light sensitive and the flash makes them move!
Handheld is the best to shoot, gives you a lot of freedom but i seem to be too jittery, either my DOF is at the wrong place or there is blur...
in the end i shoot a lot and hope that one or two are good
During the day there is a lot more light, eliminating the need for flash, but the light means heat and heat means the little buggers are on the run.
Afternoon and evening has beautiful light, our friends prepare to sleep but usually a lot of wind which means even if they dont run they move....
Dragonflies are very friendly, can go as close as 10-20cm as long as you dont shake their resting place... so enough time for setting up of a tripod, focusing, composition. Same for grasshoppers, crawl to them and you get very close. Spiders dont move as well unless they are jumpers... be careful with those, they are light sensitive and the flash makes them move!
Handheld is the best to shoot, gives you a lot of freedom but i seem to be too jittery, either my DOF is at the wrong place or there is blur...
in the end i shoot a lot and hope that one or two are good
- Status
Similar threads
