Macro on Insects Advice Request
Aug 19, 2013 13:22:05 #
I have just begun macro photography and need some advice on photographing insects and other moving things.
Is there a trick or method or whatever to get close enough to photograph without the subject flying or running away? Or do I have to depend on luck and patience?
I have a Micro Nikkor 40mm lens. I am in no position at this time to purchase anything else such as extension tubes.
Dale
Is there a trick or method or whatever to get close enough to photograph without the subject flying or running away? Or do I have to depend on luck and patience?
I have a Micro Nikkor 40mm lens. I am in no position at this time to purchase anything else such as extension tubes.
Dale
Aug 19, 2013 14:16:00 #
40-50mm macro lenses are intended for stamp collecting/coins etc, for life you need 100mm an longer, tubes will not help.
The shortest length you need is 100mm for the distance.
BUT, IF you have a medium zoom, and you get decent tubes, I only use Canons, because cheap ebay specials have no internal baffles and they have nice shiny connecting pins on show which causes internal reflections and reduces contrast, then you can use them very well on the zoom, I often use my 12 or 25mm Canons on my 28-135 Canon
The shortest length you need is 100mm for the distance.
BUT, IF you have a medium zoom, and you get decent tubes, I only use Canons, because cheap ebay specials have no internal baffles and they have nice shiny connecting pins on show which causes internal reflections and reduces contrast, then you can use them very well on the zoom, I often use my 12 or 25mm Canons on my 28-135 Canon
Aug 19, 2013 14:16:28 #
Aug 19, 2013 14:38:00 #
Aug 20, 2013 09:40:18 #
Bugfan
Loc: Toronto, Canada
Ok, first of all that lens you have is for copy work, not for nature photography. Your problem right off the bat is that you have to get too close to your subject to capture a life size image.
I have that lens and I find my working distance (lens to subject distance) can sometimes be as little as a half an inch. I have a 100 mm macro too (the Nikon 105 mm f2.8) and this gives me a working distance of six inches or more. I also have the Nikon 200 mm F4 macro lens that gives me a good foot of working distance. My favourite is the 105 mm since it has an image stabilizer but I do work around the lack of one with the other lenses.
Ok, since you can't afford another lens I also have a few suggestions.
Technology wise you should close the lens down as far as you can to maximize your depth of field. At the same time you'll need a reasonable shutter speed, maybe around 125th or higher so you may have to boost your ISO. You can use the autofocus as I suggest further down, or you can set your lens to manual, put your focus on minimum, and move the camera back and forth to achieve focus. That's a technique I do use once in a while. Your meter should always be the spot meter when it comes to insects and that in turn gives you a spot focus too.
Now ... first of all insects are cold blooded. So catch them and put them in the fridge for a couple of hours. Set up your shot, put the camera on a tripod and establish your focus, your aperture and your shutter speed. Now take the bug out of the fridge, drop it into the shot, fire off as many pictures as you can before it starts to shiver and take off. That's one way to do it.
Another technique, since you don't have a fridge in the bush, is to be very slow and patient.
First of all watch your intended subject, see where it flies to, where it lands, how it behaves. Then try to position yourself where it is likely to go next and wait for it to come to you.
Once it comes to you take a picture immediately BEFORE you move in. It's better to have a picture of a small bug than no picture at all. Then very slowly move towards your subject perhaps moving a few inches at a time and each time you're a bit closer take another picture. This way if it takes off suddenly at least you have a few pictures for your trouble.
As you do this, do not cast a shadow on the insect, that will spook it. Do not cause any vibrations. Do not make any sudden movements. Do everything very slowly and often the bug will stay in place for a long period of time. Remember too that some insects like a dragon fly can see 270 degrees in all directions, never assume the bug is not aware of you, it usually is.
Another trick is to bribe your subject. A small drop of honey on a flower where butterflies frequent will cause the butterfly or a bee to stop for a while to feed giving you time to get a picture or several. A bit of meat will hold some hornets and wasps and some beetles.
Finally, a technique I also use to great effect is to set the camera to continuous focus, the meter to spot meter, the focus points to only nine points and the shutter to high speed continuous release. Then I begin to slowly approach the subject making sure my spot meter in on the subject. As I do this I lean on the shutter button and just fire away as I keep getting closer. As long as you keep the spot meter and the focus point on the subject the camera will eventually come into focus and hold the focus. Since you're shooting continuously you get a lot of nice sharp images and if you're lucky you might even get a shot of it flying away.
Beyond that all I can tell you is to learn patience, learn how to be stealthy, learn now to predict where your subjects will go and learn how not to spook them. And practice and practice and practice. These techniques are trivial for me and very successful today but then I've been doing this for forty years. After that much practice you'll be amazing too.
Finally, if you're really serious about insect photography or macro in general I'd suggest saving up for a 105 mm f2.8 macro lens which will solve most of your problems. The 200 mm also has advantages but if you can only afford one the 105 is my choice.
For lighting there's nothing like shaving mirrors on stands for brightening your subjects though in this case mostly flowers instead of bugs. They're cheap and plentiful. Better is to save up for a ring flash (about $400) and better yet is Nikon's Macro Flash (about $800). These provide you the lighting you need if you're in the bush. But those are of course also rather expensive as are the two lenses too.
Still, Christmas is coming eventually so maybe that's another way to get some of these gadgets.
I hope this helps a bit. Good Luck!
I have that lens and I find my working distance (lens to subject distance) can sometimes be as little as a half an inch. I have a 100 mm macro too (the Nikon 105 mm f2.8) and this gives me a working distance of six inches or more. I also have the Nikon 200 mm F4 macro lens that gives me a good foot of working distance. My favourite is the 105 mm since it has an image stabilizer but I do work around the lack of one with the other lenses.
Ok, since you can't afford another lens I also have a few suggestions.
Technology wise you should close the lens down as far as you can to maximize your depth of field. At the same time you'll need a reasonable shutter speed, maybe around 125th or higher so you may have to boost your ISO. You can use the autofocus as I suggest further down, or you can set your lens to manual, put your focus on minimum, and move the camera back and forth to achieve focus. That's a technique I do use once in a while. Your meter should always be the spot meter when it comes to insects and that in turn gives you a spot focus too.
Now ... first of all insects are cold blooded. So catch them and put them in the fridge for a couple of hours. Set up your shot, put the camera on a tripod and establish your focus, your aperture and your shutter speed. Now take the bug out of the fridge, drop it into the shot, fire off as many pictures as you can before it starts to shiver and take off. That's one way to do it.
Another technique, since you don't have a fridge in the bush, is to be very slow and patient.
First of all watch your intended subject, see where it flies to, where it lands, how it behaves. Then try to position yourself where it is likely to go next and wait for it to come to you.
Once it comes to you take a picture immediately BEFORE you move in. It's better to have a picture of a small bug than no picture at all. Then very slowly move towards your subject perhaps moving a few inches at a time and each time you're a bit closer take another picture. This way if it takes off suddenly at least you have a few pictures for your trouble.
As you do this, do not cast a shadow on the insect, that will spook it. Do not cause any vibrations. Do not make any sudden movements. Do everything very slowly and often the bug will stay in place for a long period of time. Remember too that some insects like a dragon fly can see 270 degrees in all directions, never assume the bug is not aware of you, it usually is.
Another trick is to bribe your subject. A small drop of honey on a flower where butterflies frequent will cause the butterfly or a bee to stop for a while to feed giving you time to get a picture or several. A bit of meat will hold some hornets and wasps and some beetles.
Finally, a technique I also use to great effect is to set the camera to continuous focus, the meter to spot meter, the focus points to only nine points and the shutter to high speed continuous release. Then I begin to slowly approach the subject making sure my spot meter in on the subject. As I do this I lean on the shutter button and just fire away as I keep getting closer. As long as you keep the spot meter and the focus point on the subject the camera will eventually come into focus and hold the focus. Since you're shooting continuously you get a lot of nice sharp images and if you're lucky you might even get a shot of it flying away.
Beyond that all I can tell you is to learn patience, learn how to be stealthy, learn now to predict where your subjects will go and learn how not to spook them. And practice and practice and practice. These techniques are trivial for me and very successful today but then I've been doing this for forty years. After that much practice you'll be amazing too.
Finally, if you're really serious about insect photography or macro in general I'd suggest saving up for a 105 mm f2.8 macro lens which will solve most of your problems. The 200 mm also has advantages but if you can only afford one the 105 is my choice.
For lighting there's nothing like shaving mirrors on stands for brightening your subjects though in this case mostly flowers instead of bugs. They're cheap and plentiful. Better is to save up for a ring flash (about $400) and better yet is Nikon's Macro Flash (about $800). These provide you the lighting you need if you're in the bush. But those are of course also rather expensive as are the two lenses too.
Still, Christmas is coming eventually so maybe that's another way to get some of these gadgets.
I hope this helps a bit. Good Luck!
Aug 20, 2013 09:49:14 #
dalematt wrote:
I have just begun macro photography and need some advice on photographing insects and other moving things.
Is there a trick or method or whatever to get close enough to photograph without the subject flying or running away? Or do I have to depend on luck and patience?
I have a Micro Nikkor 40mm lens. I am in no position at this time to purchase anything else such as extension tubes.
Dale
Is there a trick or method or whatever to get close enough to photograph without the subject flying or running away? Or do I have to depend on luck and patience?
I have a Micro Nikkor 40mm lens. I am in no position at this time to purchase anything else such as extension tubes.
Dale
I know you said you did not want to spend any more but you could consider a +4 close up lens to go on your kit or zoom lens.
These can give very good results with a reasonable working distance at low cost.
Have a look on eBay.
Aug 20, 2013 09:52:20 #
Thank you, Bugfan, for your valuable advice! I really do appreciate your time to respond. But, 40 years for me in this field is unlikely unless I get into the Guiness records for longevity :-).
Aug 20, 2013 09:52:58 #
I am a very green photographer. I too have a Nikon 40mm lense that I am just learning to use. I shoot insects that are in the plants on my deck since they are used to having people around. I agree with all the photographers that say patience and practice.
Aug 20, 2013 10:49:43 #
Rumble wrote:
I am a very green photographer. I too have a Nikon 40mm lense that I am just learning to use. I shoot insects that are in the plants on my deck since they are used to having people around. I agree with all the photographers that say patience and practice.
oooh, pretty! and sharp! I get one of those every once in a while! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
Aug 20, 2013 11:27:37 #
dalematt wrote:
I have just begun macro photography and need some advice on photographing insects and other moving things.
Is there a trick or method or whatever to get close enough to photograph without the subject flying or running away? Or do I have to depend on luck and patience?
I have a Micro Nikkor 40mm lens. I am in no position at this time to purchase anything else such as extension tubes.
Dale
Is there a trick or method or whatever to get close enough to photograph without the subject flying or running away? Or do I have to depend on luck and patience?
I have a Micro Nikkor 40mm lens. I am in no position at this time to purchase anything else such as extension tubes.
Dale
Just stick a pin in them they'll stop moving
Aug 20, 2013 12:08:18 #
"Ok, first of all that lens you have is for copy work, not for nature photography. Your problem right off the bat is that . . . "
Bugman, just about to get into macro myself and find your response REALLY helpful. THANKS !
Pete
Bugman, just about to get into macro myself and find your response REALLY helpful. THANKS !
Pete
Aug 20, 2013 12:59:24 #
Start watching for used items on ebay or shopgoodwill.com I use a lens that is over 30 years old for my macro older manual focus lens are great I do not need AF for macro and you do not need to spend mega bucks on a ring flash my whole flash set up is about 100.00 my results speak for them self with my equipment. But till you can find something you can afford or save up to it you can get started with what you have biggest thing is practice and patience insects are hard to shoot in the brush with natural light so a flash is almost always needed you can start by making a diffuser for your pop up flash.
Go over to the macro section of this forum you will get all the answers you need.
Go over to the macro section of this forum you will get all the answers you need.
30+yr old lens 100.00 worth of flash
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