My First Macro's by Fisherprice (tm)

[Rich]

Hi All,

Two things of note today.

Firstly, this was my first day out with my Shiny new Canon 30D :D (its lovely :D)

Secondly, this was the first time i had used my £10 Macro extension tubes (lol, £800 camera and £10 tubes. The term "Shampagne taste and lemonade money" comes to mind). I used them with the 70-300 Sigma and think some of the results are ok tbh.
One or two times i have clearly got the focus on the body and not the Eyes ***, but it is SO difficult to combine manual focus with such shallow DOF along with critters flying around all over the place.
To say i have a new found appreciation for the Macro photographers around here would be an understatement. In awe of would be more appropriate.

Anyway, here are the pics, please do post any comments and crit you can think of.

Thanks.


http://www.ackroydonline.co.uk/2006/Temple%20Newsam/slides/Fleur.jpg

http://www.ackroydonline.co.uk/2006/Temple%20Newsam/slides/brundel2.jpg

http://www.ackroydonline.co.uk/2006/Temple%20Newsam/slides/crane3.jpg

http://www.ackroydonline.co.uk/2006/Temple%20Newsam/slides/brundel3.jpg

http://www.ackroydonline.co.uk/2006/Temple%20Newsam/slides/Hoverbeast.jpg



There are a few more at http://www.ackroydonline.co.uk/2006/Temple%20Newsam/

C+C appreciated.

Thanks.

[CT]

1,2 and 3 are excellent. With the two hoverfly shots, you've just missed the critical focus point which is almost always the head, in fact you really need to try to focus on the sticky out bits in front of his head, to guarantee a sharp looking shot. You learn to be merciless in chucking away the 'nearly' ones, it hurts at first, but they're either sharp or they aint.

Excellent shots though for a first attempt and you'll only get better. :)

[Rich]

Thanks for the comments!

Yeah, i did keep missing the head by a fraction of a wrist turn. Those buggers know when you are about to hit the sweet spot and they spin around or fly off :lol:

Its certainly a lot of fun anyway, and like today, there wasnt much else to take pictures of, so its nice to have another form of photography there as a backup.

Ill keep practicing and hopefully get a little better :D


The 30D is a joy to use too, so quick at everything and so sturdy :D

[InaGlo]

Well done, nice to see someone else having their first play at the macro stuff too!
I particularly like 2&3.
I agree they seem to sense just when youre about to hit the button, though I found it irritating it also seems like half the fun.

[CT]

If you really want to improve your success rate, use a tripod. I know it probably seems like a pain in the bum, but it really does make focusing and framing much easier. :)

[Rich]

These blighters were moving around so much that i wouldnt have got a single shot with a Tripod :lol: Well, not with the el cheapo tripod i have anyway :D

[InaGlo]

Tripod is the next thing on my hitlist CT :)

[CT]

The hit list never ends!

If you have a ball and socket head, try to adjust the tension so it's just enough to stop the camera drooping, but loose enough to be able to move it quickly when a chance comes.

[CT]

I shouldn't really say 'Pain in the bum when I'm using this avatar, should I?" :D

[Venomator]

I shouldn't really say 'Pain in the bum when I'm using this avatar, should I?" :D

Oh I don't know ... seems quite respectable really ... but now if you'd said pain in the arse we would have had to call for ... a 1,000 lashes or something ... :lol:

[digitalfailure]

I shouldn't really say 'Pain in the bum when I'm using this avatar, should I?" :D



:lol::lol::lol:

[matty]

coming along nicely there Rich