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Just A Little Crowded

© Shawn M. Marymee

Just A Little Crowded

Uploaded: December 13, 2006

Description

70-300 mm lens Set on the Macro setting. I saw this sunflower the last days of Oct. I couln't resist takeing the photo.

Comments

Shawn M. Marymee December 13, 2006

Please Help with Critique. Just don't know what to do with this one. #571936

Ariel Lepor December 13, 2006

Very nice subject and colors. I also LOVE the POV. The grasshopper below the flower is a funny touch. Though generally, it is better to have the main insect facing you.

Anyway, it's obvious that the picture is missing a few essential elements. (And don't get me wrong - I know all about the difficulties of getting all the elements right in macro insect photography. And I truly admire the fact that you managed to get a butterfly like this, especially with this awesome composition. But still...) Number one, the wings are cut off. You need to zoom out a little next time. Number two, the focus is bad. Only the very back of the butterfly is in focus, which can't be good. So next time, use less zoom (which increase the DOF) and get closer. If you set up on a tripod, you could shrink the aperture and increase the exposure length, too. Also, if it looks on the screen like the back of the butterfly is clear but not the front, adjust the focus (or move the camera slightly closer). If the butterfly was just resting there and not moving, what you could do would be to set up on a tripod, take the picture with just the back in focus, change the focus to slightly higher up the butterfly, capture again, and keep doing this until you have many pictures from the same angle with the butterfly in the same position with each part of the butterfly being in focus over all the images. Then you can use Helicon Focus to combine all those photos into one totally awesome focused shot.

Remember to use flash.
see also:
http://azone.clubsnap.org/insectguide/page01.html
http://scrattyphotography.wordpress.com/camera-settings/
http://www.heliconfilter.com/pages/focus_overview.html

Ariel
ScrattyPhotography.com
ScrattyPhotography Blog #3700262

Shawn M. Marymee December 14, 2006

Ariel,

Thank you very much. I have had a hard time with Macro I have a 70-300 mm telephoto lens with a macro setting. It seems that I can't control the Depth of feild with it very well, have playded with the aperture. It still has such a small area focused. Would it help if I had a Macro Only lens?

I played with some flowers last night after reading you response. I changed the aperture used bracketing and, I am still getting only a small area infocus. HELP!!! Hair Pull will start soon. lol.
shawn #3702782

Ariel Lepor December 14, 2006

Well, making the aperture small will help, but it's the zoom that's really causing the narrow DOF. So shoot at 70mm, smallest aperture. You should notice a much bigger DOF than 300mm at widest aperture.
See http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
Zoom is important with macros, and I think you should keep it. So unless a macro lens adds a magnification glass to the front, it's just letting you get really close (at low zoom for a "macro only" lens) and still focus.

Again, like I said, if your subject will stay still, you can just use manual focus and keep moving the tripod/camera slightly closer per shot and combine them using Helicon Focus. Helicon Focus has a free trial, you know. #3703035

Shawn M. Marymee December 14, 2006

Ariel,

Thank you! Again. I will try that. I had never heard of Helicon?? So I will look it up.
Thank you for your time
Shawn #3703679

Ariel Lepor December 14, 2006

It's a pretty new company (since 2000 I think). Your welcome! #3703703

Z. Banu December 16, 2006

So Beautiful image butterfly is so preety well done great shot..Shawn #3709802

Shawn M. Marymee December 16, 2006

Zaanat,

Thank you for taking time to comment on my photo! #3710336

Sumith and Lea Samarakoon December 17, 2006

Hey Shawn! Your composition and color looks great to me. I have a hard time with macro photography myself. Keep up the good work and thanks for visiting me and my wifes gallery. Happy Holiday Season! #3711434

Shawn M. Marymee December 17, 2006

Sumith,
Thank you! Macro is so hard. I got the Helcion filter though and I think it will make a big difference in my macro from now on. Aloha #3711878

Barbara Helgason December 29, 2006

Great capture Shawn! #3750433

Shawn M. Marymee December 29, 2006

Barbara,

Thank you!
Happy Holidays
Shawn #3752187


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