The Beetles

[CLKunst]

I was thinking of Loupey when I saw this swarm of box elder beetles in MN last summer. Is the DOF too shallow? I really wanted to get the one little guy on the top of the stack in sharp but now that I look at it as a whole I think it might be too confusing. C&C welcome, suggestions cheerfully explored.

[trog100]

"Is the DOF too shallow"

yes but sometimes it can be hard to get more.. thow it could also be lens deficiencies.. hard to say without knowing what u were useing.. plus if u where aiming at the one in the middle its a mis-focus..

trog

[GB1]

Interesting shot. Experimenting with a macro? I think that shallow DOFs are a tool to draw one's attention to another part of the photo. This one draws me to the top, but the beatles there are really no different than the others (cept for that one fellow who's wearing the black coat...) If only there were a punch-liner up there. Not sure cropping is the answer. Just needs a slightly better subject.

The lens creates some nice blur in the foreground btw. Seems that not all lenses create the same look of blur ?

GB

[Loupey]

Hey, where was this ?

Can't not comment when my name is mentioned

My eye is drawn to the one big dark one at the top center of the frame (I don't think that's the one you intended though). I know that shooting conditions don't always allow us to use the setting we'd like. What I find interesting in this shot is the "lack of subject" created by the ring of beetles - like the hole in the letter "P". I would have used that "subject" my center of focus even with the shallow DOF.

Keep shooting like that and you will have to join us

[CLKunst]

Oh well, back to the drawing board I guess. I was using these magnifying filters that I can add on increments to; like I have a +1, a +2 and a +4. Combining them and fiddling with them brings you these shallow DOF effects, kind of like a lens baby filter. The biggest challenge of it is that DOF is so narrow I often can't see exactly how the effect is going to look until I get it home into the MAC, where you then find you've blown the focus. Arrgh! Since I never use them for my documentary or portrait work I don't get a lot of practice with them. There were so many of these Box Elder Beetles at my Aunt's house I figured it would be a good subject to bash away at.

Loupey - Yes I did notice the "P" and had I been thinking about it more, I think the ring would have been a much better subject point.

GB - You are correct about the DOF drawing to the top for this one. It has strengthened my resolve to get the hang of these filters even more so.

Thanks for commenting Trog, I'll try to do better next time!:thumbsup:

Here's a solitary Beetle which I think is slightly better for focus. More effective?

[trog100]

the more u try and magnify the more critical it all becomes also ganging up the close up lenes causes distortions which i think is as much the problem with your shot as dof..

a very small lens opening goes a long way towards solving the dof problem but creates another lighting one.. it took an aperture of F-32 to get this little chap all in focus for example..



trog

[Loupey]

CL, your DOF in the second shot is just about perfect. Juuust a hair shy of getting the one antenae and one foot in focus :thumbsup:

Can't say which is more effective. Both tell two completely different stories.

[trog100]

with insects or any other very small highly magnyfied object the problem is getting the dof deep enough.. mostly u cant.. so the only option is to make sure u have the part of the insect u want corectly in focus.. handheld in the field its pretty much hit and miss..

with slr or dslr type cameras a 100 to 150mm 1:1 macro lens helps.. but a single plus 4 close up on the end of a more normal lens works okay.. with more compact small sensor none slrs the dof is deeper and macros become easier to take..

with still life table-top macros its easier but live insects can be very difficult.. practising with a fake or dead insect makes perfect.. or at least will raise the hit rate..

trog

[CLKunst]

Hurray! A small amount of redemption, at least on the third shot, thanks Loupey!

Trog - Thank you for your good advice ~ I am glad you came back and spent some time expanding on your critique. Your comments are a good reminder of what to be thinking about when shooting macros. As I said, I was experimenting, so in this case I wasn't really going for the crisp macro shot (nice fly BTW). Mostly I was doing the hand held, available light, 'What happens when I use this with this?' kind of thing.

:idea: We learn the most from our mistakes and sometimes discover much more than we set out to find!