First Attempt at Macro

[Bonish Photo]

I've been into photography for more years than I can remember, but until recently, I havent ever tried Macro work.

After so many of you have posted such amazing macro work this stuff has really opened my eyes to a whole new world.

Thanks to all of you who have opened my eyes with your amazing work.

Here are my first attempts with some African Daisy's. I know they arent real Macro compared to any of Danlentech's bees or some of your other posts, but the best my limited equipment could do.

1.

2.

3.

Then I wasnt sure what I would like better, so I tried one with the f-stop at a f/2.8 and then one with it set way up to f/32

f/2.8


f/32


All of these were taken with a Canon 30D and a Sigma 24-70 with a 2x extender to get me right in there. I dont have a real macro lens yet, I'm still trying to decide on the Canon 100 Macro or a Canon MPE-65?

Would love to have any of the pros give me some comments as to how I could better these.

Thanks

Pat
www.everymilesamemory.com

[bob_r]

Pat,

Be careful, shooting macros can be adictive

Have you considered getting Kenko closeup tubes? They won't get you closeups like Dalantech's, but they will introduce you to the macro world with the equipment you already own. With tubes, a teleconverter (optional) and one of your lenses and you'd be surprised at what you can shoot.

I think I posted these before, but they're uncropped shots with an 85mm f/1.8, a teleconverter and a closeup tube:




The closeup tubes for Canon mounts are $169 at Adorama, but that's a lot cheaper than a macro lens. When you do get your macro lens, they can help get you even closer.

Bob R

[Bonish Photo]

Thanks Bob, that might be my best option as I really cant afford the $800 for the MPE-5 Lens that I really want.

I'll check out the Kenko tubes.

Pat
www.everymilesamemory.com

[Bonish Photo]

Ok Bob, you did it, I was looking at a Canon forum that I browse quite a bit and found a set of Kenko Tubes for $130. That was a savings of $40 over brand new, and I the seller said he has used them only a few times for a job he needed to do.

Funny story was I looked at a Canon 600mm f/4 lens for sale. If you've never seen one of these, they're about the size of your leg! He was letting it go for only $6000 which is a big savings considering I've seen them for 8 & 9 before. I called Cindy over and told her to look at it joking when I asked her if I could buy it.

Of course I got the rolling of the eyes and the normal "Grow Up! If you sold all of your work then I'd let you" She walked back a few minutes later when I pulled out my wallet to get my credit card number to pay the guy for the Kenko Tubes. All she saw me type in was the $130 which I told her was for the shipping and handling and insurance for the big lens.

For the rest of the day I had her so mad thinking that I had just dropped a few months worth of our travel expenses on one lens, that I finally had to break down and tell her I was just joking after threats for my manhood were being laid out on the table.

Needless to say, she didnt find any of it funny. Just thought I'd share a bit of humor that I'm sure anyone with a Photography addiction could relate to.

Pat
www.everymilesamemory.com

[bob_r]

As mentioned above, macro can be really addictive. A few years ago I was taking an environmental literature course, which involved a lot of writing about personal experience. As a part of the course, I was supposed to "adopt" a natural area and write about it. I chose to look at the tiny aspects (rather than trees and deer and other large subjects). That macro world was full of predators and prey, plants, and tiny landscapes. The best news is that that wilderness is condensed so much (compared to the usual landscape) that there can be hundreds of subjects in a few square yards.

Gordon,

I think that being condensed is one of the reasons it's so popular. I can't always get away to shoot, but I can always pop out in the backyard for a few minutes. With all the flowers we have, there's always something to shoot for at least 7 or 8 months a year.

Pat,

I can see Cindy giving you another of her patented "hand gestures"

Bob R

[hw771230]

Pat,

You're going to love the tubes. I picked up a set last year, and use them mostly on my 50/1.8. I generally use an f setting of about 16. This seems to give me the best depth of field with this setup. Don't forget that you will lose a stop or so depending on the length of extension that you use. HAve fun with your new toys.

Here is one of mine from this summer.



Caleb

[swoozie]

With my 50mm f2... I love this lens..

[bob_r]

I generally use an f setting of about 16. This seems to give me the best depth of field with this setup.

Caleb

Caleb,

Not sure how many tubes you use at one time, but tubes will reduce the available light. I'm surprised you could get this kind of focus with the amount of light you had available at f/16.

I used Dalantech's method for my 2 shots. I used a flash and set the speed to 250. The camera set my first shot at f/4 and the second at f/8. If you haven't read his tutorials, I highly recommend them. After all, he is the master.

Grasshopper

[hw771230]

Bob,

My camera will not autofocus with the tubes installed. They will if I fork out the money for a lens with a built in focus motor. All of mine use the screw type autofocus. There is generally plenty of light for manual focusing, then I use depth of field preview to set the aperture. Then I bracket with the shutter speed. I generally try to keep it above 1/100. In lower light I sometimes have to open up a bit to get the shutter speed a bit faster. This method seems to work pretty well. Also, I always use a tripod, though sometimes I have to use it more as a really short monopod as in the case with the photo above. This was only about a foot off the ground. I have read the tutorial you mentioned above. I don't have the equipment he suggests. I would really like to get a macro flash, but I will most likely get a real macro lens first. For now I am happy being able to take these photos with the equipment I have, which for macro is generally my Nikkor 50/1.8 with 21, 31, or combined 52 mm of tubes and sometimes 1.4 tc , but it tends to get a bit soft with the tc. I am able to get approximately 2:1 with this. As I mentioned in another post the only drawback I see with this setup is the focusing distance, which can be in the 1-3 inch range. For insects I have used my Sigma 70-300 with tubes and gotten pretty good results, but that lens is much softer than th 50.

OK, I got a little long winded there. Anyway, thanks for the comments and suggestions. As always they are welcomed and appreciated.

I'm off to get some shots now that I am fired up.

Caleb

[Bonish Photo]

Thanks for posting all those fantastic Macros. I havent gottent he tubes yet, I had to have them shipped to a friends house since were on the road and havent been able to drive back up to get them. I'm going nuts knowing that they're sitting there waiting for me and I dont have them.

It really makes you look at every subject differently! This past week, I've seen so much stuff that I wished I had them with me.

I tried the African Daisy's again before we left my firends and came up with another cool look



Cant wait to get the tubes and read through all of Dalenatechs tutorials. We should start a thread of POST YOUR BEST MACROS so we can all share each others ideas. I love to look at other macros so I get new ideas

Pat
www.everymilesamemory.com

[hw771230]

Pat,

That is a great effect, what did you use to get that look?

Caleb

[bob_r]

Nice work on the daisies, Pat.

[Bonish Photo]

Pat,

That is a great effect, what did you use to get that look?

Caleb

Just shot at it from a low angle, then in Photochop, I went in under Filters>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask and played with the sliders till it sort of popped out like that. The orignal was pretty close, but the unsharp mask will really define the edges to make them look almost 3D.

I'd love to see some of your work, because like I said, everyone looks at things differently, and when playing with macro, ANYTHING can become an interesting subject

Sort of like my LSD days...LMAO

Pat
www.everymilesamemory.com

[Allie]

I came into this a little late, but I've been playing a little with macros, too. You're right, you can get hooked! This is a Thanksgiving cactus that lives in back the entrance of my home.
Just wondering -- what can I do to improve my presentation of this flower?? Should I have cropped it? or could I have pre-processed it in some way to make it stand out?

I would love to sell my photos one day -- but right now I'm just enjoying taking pictures and reading everything I can get my hands on.


Thanks in advance for any comments...

Shot with Nikon D80; Lens - AF Micro Nikkor 60mm 1:2.8 D; f/8; 1/50;ISO 640; Metering = Pattern; Focal length - 60mm