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Dragonflies (several images) ...

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cjed

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Given the terrific weather here in the South West UK today I took a couple of hours out at some lakes shooting Dragonflies (my current favorite subject). All with the 300D, some with a 200mm f2.8L and extension tube (available light, ISO 200), some with the 100mm Macro and MT-24EX flash (ISO 100). All hand-held, manual focus, slight cropping, resize and sharpened :-











That last one was so relaxed about the whole thing he spent the best part of 10 minutes sitting on my bag!



--
You want macros? We got 'em! Check out:
http://www.pbase.com/cjed
 
I especially like the 2nd one because he is smiling for the picture.... and the third one because the setting and colors and composition. :)

Looks like you had an enjoyable time!
--
Sayer
http://PBase.com/Sayer
 
The third one is my favorite. I like it very much. I think the lighting is better in this shot and it looks natural... and well composed.

Thanks for showing.
--
~ Lydia

CATS member #96 > ^..^
 
Thanks for the comments folks. Some additional info :
  1. 1, #2, #3 and #6 were shot with the 200mm f2.8L USM + 13mm extension tube and available light at 1/400th and between f5.6 and f8, ISO 200
  1. 4 and #5 were shot with the 100mm f2.8 USM Macro and MT-24EX macro flash, 1/200th @ f16, ISO 100
--
You want macros? We got 'em! Check out:
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the wind and the temperature would wind down around here. The wind being a macro freaks natural enemy and the temperature making the subjects very active. I can't seem to get with 5 feet of a dragon lately. (sniff)
--
Heaven sends snowmen to earth unassembled!
 
but getting close is still a problem. That's why I'm mostly using the 200mm with extension tubes for the Dragonflies, it allows me to get full frame shots from around 60 to 70 cm away. Damselflies don't seem to care, I can shove the 100mm macro right up in front of them.

Still working on the 'in flight' shots though. Spent about 30 minutes yesterday for not much return. Trying to track them in the viewfinder while adjusting the focus is not easy!

--
You want macros? We got 'em! Check out:
http://www.pbase.com/cjed
 
Nice shots! I've also tried to find some dragonflies around here but unfortunately I haven't been successful so far. But I'll keep on searching...
 
Superb shots as usual Charles.

I seem to have lost the plot with macro's at the moment and finding it very difficult to get nice sharp ultra close pics - its almost like your heartbeat puts them out of focus lol, must keep practising :(

--
Linda
http://www.pbase.com/lindabuckell
 
wow, some real nice ones there,

manual focus too, impressive, ones ive spotted will never stay still for long enough to nab them!

100mm macro lens you say- did you try it on auto focus just out of interest- was it pants?
 
how much of a diffence does the extension make?

i.e. as a very ruff guide: could u fill in the guesses ive made!

200m no ext full frame= 40cm
200mm 11ext full frame= 50
200mm 20ext full frame= 65
200mm 30ext full frame= 100,

and a combination of the 3 provides just addition of the 3 results,
 
oldskooladdict said:
how much of a diffence does the extension make?
i.e. as a very ruff guide: could u fill in the guesses ive made!

200m no ext full frame= 40cm
200mm 11ext full frame= 50
200mm 20ext full frame= 65
200mm 30ext full frame= 100,
Click to expand...
Actually the working distance gets less as you add extension tubes (because you're increasing the magnification). At a rough guess I'd say it was approximately :-

200mm, no extension - about 115cm
200mm, 13mm extension - about 75cm
200mm, 21mm extension - about 60cm

but I'd have to measure it to make sure.

--
You want macros? We got 'em! Check out:
http://www.pbase.com/cjed
 
Thanks Linda, just keep practicing :-)

Try and avoid the temptation to try and 'hold' focus by not moving - you just can't do it hand-held. The trick is to hit the shutter as you're moving in to focus, probably slightly anticipating the actual point of focus, because if you see it get into focus it's probably going to be out by the time you hit the shutter.

--
You want macros? We got 'em! Check out:
http://www.pbase.com/cjed
 
Thanks for that tip Charles, that is definately where I am going wrong! Wish someone had told me that earlier lol lol, I am always trying to hold focus before pressing the shutter, will have to try this technique now and see how I get on.
cjed said:
Thanks Linda, just keep practicing :-)

Try and avoid the temptation to try and 'hold' focus by not moving
  • you just can't do it hand-held. The trick is to hit the shutter
as you're moving in to focus, probably slightly anticipating the
actual point of focus, because if you see it get into focus it's
probably going to be out by the time you hit the shutter.

--
You want macros? We got 'em! Check out:
http://www.pbase.com/cjed
Click to expand...
--
Linda
http://www.pbase.com/lindabuckell
 
oldskooladdict said:
manual focus too, impressive, ones ive spotted will never stay
still for long enough to nab them!
Click to expand...
Thanks, but impressive is photographing them in flight! I'm still trying to get that one.
oldskooladdict said:
100mm macro lens you say- did you try it on auto focus just out of
interest- was it pants?
Click to expand...
No, I almost always shoot macros with it in manual focus. The reason isn't that the AF is poor - I think it's actually pretty good on the 100mm f2.8 USM Macro lens. It's just that at near 1:1 magnification hand-held your slight movements (what we'd call camera shake normally) are enough to put the focus plane out. You just can't hold it still enough to give the AF a chance.

I find that using the 'lean slowly in towards the subject and hit the shutter just as it's coming into focus' method works better. Other's experience may be different, I know some of the other Macro enthusiasts on the forum use AF.

--
You want macros? We got 'em! Check out:
http://www.pbase.com/cjed
 
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