Now I've noticed you've changed things a bit this week. I've been shooting in manual for less than two months. At first I thought it was impossible for me to do manual at the same time as managing my extension tube for macro, but I started practicing with flowers, that couldn't run away. This is one of my first shots in manual in early June.
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| My 2econd Skin Milk and Honey texture applied |
I've found the biggest change during that time is my familiarity with the dials and metering. I love the freedom of manual, being able to capture the image you had envisaged.
So on to my current manual photo (remember this was written last week).
Just the other day I was thinking that I hadn't taken any shots of bees or insects lately. Yesterday I saw a bee buzzing around outside my window, so I ran for my camera.
I set my aperture and ISO and metered off the bushes he was buzzing around. As I use an extension tube I have to focus manually and can't zoom in on my subject. So I just plunged my head and camera into the bushes and tried to find the bee. When I thought it was in focus I managed to shoot off one frame before he buzzed off and then left our garden.
I was so happy when I zoomed in on the bee in the view finder. I love that the shutter speed was fast enough to freeze his body but slow enough to show movement in his wings.
I also love that I thought to meter off something else for a moving target.
So I learned that sometimes you just need a bit of luck and possibly a bit of photography knowledge ;-).
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| Processed with Isabelle Lafrance Soulful Delightful Daylight action |
Taken with my 50mm 1.8 together with an extension tube EF25 II.
By the way this shot hasn't been cropped. While you can't zoom with my set up you can use the focusing ring to effectively increase or decrease the size of the subject in the view finder. I quite often manually set the focus ring then sway in and out from the subject until I see it in focus.
If you're interested check out my post on extension tubes here.
I also posted some dew drop shots I took with my extension tube in July here.
Linking up with Click it up a Notch
Constructive critique welcome
16 comments:
These are both fantastic. I absolutely love the flower, but the wings in motion on the bee are superb!
I've also found that regardless of my settings, luck always helps. These are both gorgeous.
wow, the focus is great!
Love both shots and the details you have given. You make a D-SLR sound very worth while. A little luck helps too!
Sorry your wee boy has an ear infection. It's a rotten thing to have, hope he gets better real soon.
Ilove both of your pictures. That flower one is just beautiful so sharp and crisp and your bee shot with it's wing movement is great. You were not scared pushing your head in the bush to see the bee? I might have been. Lol
From the day I started using manual (it took a long time to be brave enough to try it!), I never looked back. These are such wonderful photographs Sara, especially the first one! It's also true that a little bit of luck never hurts! :-)
Have a great day!
Nice macro shots. Thanks for the link to the post on macro work. This is something I'm wanting to learn.
Wow both of these are such great photos. I love shooting manual! I hope your son gets better soon.
The bee is lovely! Lighting is amazing, such glorious colors. You've done good work in the last two months!
Your macros are stunning! I love the selective focus that you've achieved in your floral capture and the detail and moving wings on the bee are fantastic!
It's funny how the whole shooting manual thing was such a big deal to me. Like Lisa, I didn't try it for the longest time, then reading one book took the mystery out of it. Silly, is all I can say!
Wow that bee shot is awesome! Great job!
I love both of these! I like how the green is peeking out from behind the white petals, and the bee is just amazing. I can't believe you've only been shooting manual for 2 months.
Thanks for all the lovely comments!
Yep, it took me a while to tackle manual, I understood aperture and shutter speed and in theory how they worked together but I didn't know how to meter, until I read understanding exposure and everything clicked into place. Silly right!
These are both great! And I agree that a little bit of luck never hurts. :)
Aaah! Can't wait to get extension tubes. I love the light, the motion of the wings and the color of the flowers!
I need to use manual more!!
Holy cow! First off, I didn't realize you had only been shooting in manual mode for a few months! Wowzers!! Seriously!! That first daisy shot is wonderful! I love the way you focused on the center and allowed the pedals in the front to be out of focus! It would be nice to see you crop it a little to move the center of the flower to the right of the frame a bit. That bee shot..are you kidding me! I can't believe you took this with a tube and not a "true" macro lens. I LOVE the movement of the wings! The bee looks so sharp! Again, the only thing I would change is to crop it so the bee is in the right of the frame a little. I'm so impressed you were scared of getting stung!! Wow!! I hope you frame this one!
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