Macro Photography: Small Bee/Wasp collection

[Raam]

Since I started with this yesterday.. I figured I might as well continue...

So, I looked for a few samples of pictures I've taken of bee's and wasps..


C&C welcome =)


Picture 1:




Picture 2:




Picture 3:




Picture 4:

[Showtime]

There all pretty good in their own way...

Number 1 is a little boring but its still pretty good

The reason I dont like number 2 is because it has no great focal because you can't see the bee's face...
But number 2 IMO has the best blending of the background :/ go figure lol

But number 3 looks like a picture you really need to water mark because that is an amazing picture!

Number 4 is also very neat too

[Annyah]

I think you deserve your own forum topic
Anyway, I think #1 looks odd because half the wood is in perfect focus, and the front part isn't. It seems to do that in some, like the 3rd one has half the flower in focus, and the bottom half slightly off. the 1st pic in "Photos By Me: Nature" is in and out of focus, but artistically it works! Strictly a personal opinion, but I'm not sure how well it worked for you in the 1st pic here.

That being said... 3 and 4 are tied for my favorites. I think I like #4 the best, but I agree with Showtime that 3 is an amazing picture! Mark 'em both

[Raam]

Originally Posted by Annyah

I think you deserve your own forum topic
Anyway, I think #1 looks odd because half the wood is in perfect focus, and the front part isn't. It seems to do that in some, like the 3rd one has half the flower in focus, and the bottom half slightly off. the 1st pic in "Photos By Me: Nature" is in and out of focus, but artistically it works! Strictly a personal opinion, but I'm not sure how well it worked for you in the 1st pic here.

That being said... 3 and 4 are tied for my favorites. I think I like #4 the best, but I agree with Showtime that 3 is an amazing picture! Mark 'em both

The DOF is about as wide as it can be... Almost impossible to avoid in hand-held macro photography.. because if I had to avoid it.. I would have to shoot at F22.. and then there'd be a severe lack of light.. The only way to compensate for that would be high speed sync and then lowering the shutter time... But the thing is (And this is where it becomes technical)... Highspeed sync for your flash basically allows the flash to sync with shutter times faster than 1/250, which is normal max sync time... What it does instead of use multiple flash exposures throughout the length of your shutter time - so rather than normally where it freezes the subject in ONE flash exposure.. it will now use several. The problem is though, that it will capture a slice of the picture for each flash charge... and with fast moving subjects like bee's and other insects for that matter - that just won't work.. because it will seem TOTALLY out of focus and not sharp at all...

... I _COULD_ potentially use F16.. But.. that is still enough to minimize the sharpness in the pictures.. so the ultimate and best compromise is F11... and when you as close as 30cm (Around 12 inches) from your subject, which a 150mm lens... the DOF (Depth of field) will be very very narrow.

In all aspects.. I like the artistic approach it creates though... so for me its fine - but I totally understand your perspective...

[Raam]

Oh.. and.. btw. Number 4 is my favorite... very satisfied with the composition of that picture, the contrast and the activity of the bee...

[Annyah]

Well I totally understood the technical jargon
I'm so used to my mom taking pictures of the stuff that doesn't move, I didn't even consider the fact that your subject is less-than-motionless! (Sorry! haha) I agree that it's definitely a cool artistic approach though, and I'm not saying that the pictures are anything less than awesome!

Have you put them in any sort of contest or anything? I know most states' department of natural resources have contests where stuff like that would definitely place. Plus like the county/state fairs and such.

[Raam]

Originally Posted by Annyah

Well I totally understood the technical jargon
I'm so used to my mom taking pictures of the stuff that doesn't move, I didn't even consider the fact that your subject is less-than-motionless! (Sorry! haha) I agree that it's definitely a cool artistic approach though, and I'm not saying that the pictures are anything less than awesome!

Have you put them in any sort of contest or anything? I know most states' department of natural resources have contests where stuff like that would definitely place. Plus like the county/state fairs and such.

Im going to say thanks for that question... because I take it as a compliment that you actually consider them good enough to be in a contest.

The short answer is, No... I currently only take pictures for myself... it gives me a soothing relaxing feeling to go out and take pictures... and its not something I do because I aim to make money of it or the sort...

Not saying that wont change in the future perhaps.. but it is currently not something I think about.