Where am I going wrong??

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jomantha

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I took my Tamron out for first time today, these the best of a bad lot and I have loads of questions!!

Sorry, I have read all the advice give and did use my flash, diffused, but I took it off, as I think I want to learn to get manual focusing right first.

Firstly Mr Spider - How would I have gotten his mouth in focus as well as the rest of him?? I just couldnt!


DSC_8036 by jomantha, on Flickr


DSC_8036 by jomantha, on Flickr

Hoverfly close up could not get a sharp image of a moving fly, close up at all, I had to give up on the Bees


DSC_8059 by jomantha, on Flickr

Best I could get of a hovering hover fly - how to get close??

Hover Fly - too much flower not enough fly??


DSC_8056 by jomantha, on Flickr
 
Mallow Flower - just looks, FLAT


DSC_8045 by jomantha, on Flickr

Flower, couldnt get whole stem in focus, no matter how hard I tried.


DSC_8023 by jomantha, on Flickr
 
hard to comment without exif Sam, what aperture & shutter speed did you use?

as a rule of thumb I shoot at f11 or f13 - 1/125th sec ISO 100 with off camera flash

I set my Sigma 105mm to maximum and move the camera in or out to obtain focus ( on the eyes) you do need a steady hand

failing that-add a tripod to the mix, pre-focus on a flower that insect are using and shoot as they land, adjusting focus to get the eyes

Mallow flower - does look a little flat a fill in flash would have helped in that shot I think

The way to decent macro is get as close as the lens allows on insects - this enables the capture of some amazing stuff

above all practise pracitise and then- practise some more- slow and steady and not from above is the best way to approach an insect on a flower

Les (y)
 
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Hi Sam a quick edit by using a curves layer in CS5, what software do you use?

6038313146_41becc57b4_b.jpg

Dave
 
Are you running in aperture priority mode?

The shutter speed on the hoverfly is 1/25 - which is pretty slow when it comes to macro photography - especially hand held, if it was tripod then a small breeze is still going to blur the image.

With regards to the spider, it's probably you had enough depth at f11 to get the head and the body in focus - just aim to get the head in focus and let the rest come. If that doesn't work increase the aperture value.

For the flower you'll need a larger aperture value to get the stem in focus or re-angle/position the camera so the stem is in the plane of focus. However I think you often don't need the stem in focus, so I wouldn't worry to much about that.

You'll need a flash (or good sunlight) to get use high apertures - otherwise you will need high ISO or slow shutter speeds to compensate for lack of light - both of which will cause you IQ problems.

The 'too much flower' photo - the left hand side of the photo adds nothing to the photo - I'd say it detracts from the composition. A tighter crop would be better if the IQ will handle it.
 
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Wow fast response, on my way to a kiddies party now, will reply and read properly later, but thank you, can crop, all 10 meg inmages, i just use the smaller ones for flikr.
 
Lez325 said:
hard to comment without exif Sam, what aperture & shutter speed did you use?

as a rule of thumb I shoot at f11 or f13 - 1/125th sec ISO 100 with off camera flash

I set my Sigma 105mm to maximum and move the camera in or out to obtain focus ( on the eyes) you do need a steady hand

failing that-add a tripod to the mix, pre-focus on a flower that insect are using and shoot as they land, adjusting focus to get the eyes

Mallow flower - does look a little flat a fill in flash would have helped in that shot I think

The way to decent macro is get as close as the lens allows on insects - this enables the capture of some amazing stuff

above all practise pracitise and then- practise some more- slow and steady and not from above is the best way to approach an insect on a flower

Les (y)
Click to expand...


Thanks Les, I think I am just impatient!! So I was using F11 (as advised on my other thread) but should I be in shutter priority to get there rather than aperture priority??

I was using the same technique I use on the Raynox, I have never used the flash, think I better dig out the instructions!
 
Just Dave said:
Hi Sam a quick edit by using a curves layer in CS5, what software do you use?

6038313146_41becc57b4_b.jpg

Dave
Click to expand...

Thats much better thanks.

I am using Elements 8 - was free with laptop.

I will be learning CS5 when I start college again in September (only BTEC level 2 3 hours a week), and then I will have to decide whether to buy it at student price.
 
dancook said:
Are you running in aperture priority mode?

The shutter speed on the hoverfly is 1/25 - which is pretty slow when it comes to macro photography - especially hand held, if it was tripod then a small breeze is still going to blur the image.

With regards to the spider, it's probably you had enough depth at f11 to get the head and the body in focus - just aim to get the head in focus and let the rest come. If that doesn't work increase the aperture value.

For the flower you'll need a larger aperture value to get the stem in focus or re-angle/position the camera so the stem is in the plane of focus. However I think you often don't need the stem in focus, so I wouldn't worry to much about that.

You'll need a flash (or good sunlight) to get use high apertures - otherwise you will need high ISO or slow shutter speeds to compensate for lack of light - both of which will cause you IQ problems.

The 'too much flower' photo - the left hand side of the photo adds nothing to the photo - I'd say it detracts from the composition. A tighter crop would be better if the IQ will handle it.
Click to expand...


Thanks, yes in aperture mode, its the only way I know how to change the depth of field! I knew I wanted to be around F11 so I went straight for it.

I think I will have to stop being scared of using the flash, it has too many buttons and I have lost the instructions.

I have tried various crops and nothing is working, will have another go tomorrow.
 
jomantha said:
Thanks Les, I think I am just impatient!! So I was using F11 (as advised on my other thread) but should I be in shutter priority to get there rather than aperture priority??

I was using the same technique I use on the Raynox, I have never used the flash, think I better dig out the instructions!
Click to expand...

Keep in aperture mode.

In aperture mode, you set the aperture and the shutter automatically compensates so you get enough light in.

As long as the shutter speed stays above 1/60 you've got a reasonable chance of a steady shot. If you're not steady handed you might want to aim for 1/120. Anything above these is fine too.

If the shutter speed drops below 1/60, if you or the subject moves - you're more likely to get a blurred photo.

To prevent it dropping you can do three things, reduce the aperture value (lets in more light, reduces depth of field), increase ISO sensitivity (high values reduce image quality, experiment to see what's acceptable to you with your camera), generate light (flash!).

A decent depth of field with a Raynox will be difficult without a good amount of light, sun or flash.


IF you put it in shutter priority the aperture (read. depth of field) will keep changing, so you will have little control over the creativity of the shot.
 
Thanks - tbh I forgot to check the iso today! I didn't have the raynox on today - but I was just using the same technique.

It's a lot harder than I expected - I thought the raynox took getting use to and a macro lens would be easier.

I'll get there - as said above practise and more practise.
 
Bung the flash back on and try these settings: manual, iso 200, 1/200 f11-16. Camera shake wont be a problem as the flash will freeze any movement. These were the settings I was given when I started and have served well. HTH
 
Get it all in manual and stick the flash on, set to auto, manual focus , iso 200, f11 (to start) and 1/200 . Use the focus ring to set your magnification , move the camera to focus and take the shot. simples :).


use the FEC to control the exposure + if its to dark and - if its to bright, but the Nikon CLS flash system is pretty good.

I really must type faster :bonk: what Rhod said above :p
 
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use the FEC to control the exposure + if its to dark and - if its to bright, but the Nikon CLS flash system is pretty good.

Thanks for the post - it's a jessops 360d nothing fancy - would it be best with the diffuser (piece of corrugated plastic) down or up?

FEC????

Nikon CLS ??

The great thing about an iPhone is I will have all this info with me when I am shooting over the next 9 days
 
dancook said:
I've got a question, why ISO 200 and not 100 if using a flash?
Click to expand...

If your shooting 1:1 at f11 you've got an effective aperture of f22, this coupled with a shutter of 1/200 you need lots of light -


jomantha said:
use the FEC to control the exposure + if its to dark and - if its to bright, but the Nikon CLS flash system is pretty good.

Thanks for the post - it's a jessops 360d nothing fancy - would it be best with the diffuser (piece of corrugated plastic) down or up?

FEC????

Nikon CLS ??

The great thing about an iPhone is I will have all this info with me when I am shooting over the next 9 days
Click to expand...

CLS - Nikon black magic that means you press the shutter and CLS dose the rest for you :)

FEC - Flash Exposure Compensation - volume control for flash - turn it up or down.
 
dancook said:
I wondered if that was an answer, but i didn't want to pre-empt it :)

Something I realise shutter speed affects in a similar way.

noted thanks.
Click to expand...

Yes - if you keep the shutter and aperture the same and increase ISO by 1 stop your effectively doubling the effect of the light coming through the lens, which would be the same as halving your shutter speed and keeping iso and Aperture the same.
 
Thanks I tried these settings - worked wonder
 
Wonderfully on ladybirds! Not much luck with the flying bugs - going out for another play today.
 
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