MACRO, according to woodrim

[woodrim]

Still pretty new to macro, I learned a few things today. First though, I must say I'm getting tired of working this same flowery bush, but it's the only one in my yard that stays green and produces flowers all through the winter.

I've learned that, on average, a bee stays on a flower almost as long as it takes to focus a manual lens. Bees somehow know which flowers are being cased, and they land on all other flowers. And if you move to a new flower, guess where the bee will then land. I felt like killing one of the little ba#@%&ds and sticking him on a flower.

Anyway, I've also learned that true macro is very frustrating. For me, close up is a much better choice. I've found that using my 90mm in 1:1 mode, or close to it, provides so shallow a depth of field that I'm challenged to get what I want in focus. Part of this is my eyes, I'm sure, but still, the focus is generally too shallow to get meaningful captures of three dimensional objects, especially those that move. Today's targets were not just flowers, but bees on the flowers.

What seems to be working for me, and the degree of magnification I want coupled with focus depth, is my 200mm Vivitar lens coupled with the macro adapter for the 90mm Series 1 lens. And I get a very good working distance. I'm certain that I wouldn't have been able to get today's pictures with a true macro. So if you can do without seeing a bee's gonads, this is a good compromise. All from today's session and the standard issue Vivitar 200mm f/3.5

[mo]

I think you have done better than ok!! I will get my macro this week so will join you in the frustration dept.Did you stick the bees on??

[walter g]

Looking good. I just got a set of Vivitar close-up lenses. I'm going to give them a try on my 200mm.

Fustration or luck, we shall see.

More than likely, fustration.

[martinsmith99]

Good captures.

I tried for ages to capture them and found the key is patience and many attempts. Some of my better attempts were with a Helios 44-2 on extension tubes. Working distance was minimal but the bees get used to you after a bit.

[poilu]

great series! macro is a nice hobby to fight stress

[xjjohnno]

Mosquitoes are a good subject for macro, and if they move you don't feel guilty about giving them a little slap so they stay still. Unfortunately the last mosquitoe I slapped was kind of crushed as a result.

[PaulC]

I think you would be feeling something other than guilt if you slapped a bee.

[dino1]

This works for me.
Make up a sugar solution say a spoonful of sugar mixed with some warm water.
Load some into a small syringe.
Select the flower you want the bee or butterfly to feed from and place a few drops of the solution into middle of the flower.
If and when the bee finds this ( I’m not sure if they can locate it by smell) you will find that he will tend to drink his fill stay put far longer than usual.
If you are lucky enough to own an Apo Lanthar then do a blow up of your shot of the bee and you will definitely be able to see a smile on his face.
dino1

[spiralcity]

Nice job !

Fast moving insects can be a pain in the arse!

[spiralcity]

[Bruce]

I take a stiff wire and attach it to my cameras tripod mount [no tripod] and extend it in front of my lens some 12". I prefocused
the lens for the end of the wire and attached a freshly picked flower from the other flowers to the wire.
I just follow the bees at this point till they find me. It doesnt take long!
I get to pick my background too

[Himself]

[Boomer Depp]

Sound like a great idea....Bee Balm Plants and Honeysuckle really attract bees.Could have a go with some large gauge brazing rod or a 3/8" wood dowel, with a cutting off one of these plants attached....Also clover attracts bees.I have never delved into macrophotography of bees,because of waiting for them to land where your set up...this sounds like a neat trick.

[Bruce]

[Boomer Depp]

Thanks....I'll do that....

Save me getting dizzy chasing them around the Bee Balm....

[Bruce]

Just set your camera to burst mode, and let your little machine gun fire away.
my 40D gets 6.5 frames per second

in addition, not only does the prefocused flower on a wire save you time in chasing and focusing, it allows you to work on your shutter speeds and your background.
I like to shoot my camera level to the ground over the top of a low lying cluster of blooms with plenty of bees. This way I can get plenty of bokeh flowers in my backgrounds and enough light to get a decent shutter speed.
Pointing your camera into a bush/shrub of roses is likely to darken your frame and slow your shutter.
Shooting over the top, as a profile, one can get plenty of light for faster shutters, more background flower, and maintain great stop action for bee wings.
I get great looking stop action with a little motion blur at aprox. 230 shutter. A completely "frozen in action" wing might look a little phony esp if the wings are too close to thier body. I find a little motion makes for a greater IQ.

[mo]

Some great tips and tricks!!

[Boomer Depp]

[patrickh]

El nikkor 80/5.6 on bellows plus tripod and patience:




patrickh

[Boomer Depp]

I need to be that patient....but probably with tubes for now...thought about getting some bellows last year and giving it a go....but after my first couple tries,figured I needed some practice just trying to get a decent pic of a bee...

On my first couple of forays of getting all set up last summer I would say____it and start chasing bees with camera in hand.....

So after that if a bee came in the neighborhood of my lens when I was doing some flower shoots,I'd try and get a shot...and the little buggers would invariably move,usually to the other side of the plant on another bud....

Thought above rolling in the clover and then smearing my body with Honey Suckle or Hollyhocks to attract them

....at any rate,I'll give it another go this summer at a leisurely pace and try not to take the camera off the tripod and chase bees.

[xjjohnno]

Mofo it was a little love tap.

[Mal1905]

I'm fortunate to have Dublin's Botanic Garden near my home, and it has huge greenhouses with amazing varieties of flowers and plants.

This little chap/chapette played ball with me while I merrily snapped away...

S-M-C Macro-Takumar 4/50 on EOS 5D, handheld, Metz 58-AF1 flash full-on

[woodrim]

Wow, that's crisp.

[justtorchit]

These are some really great ideas. I have been photographing insects for a few years now and honestly never thought much about attempting to lure the bees to me via these methods. Now I have some things to try, hurry up spring! Thanks for the hints guys!

[woodrim]

Just a word of advice, guys, don't spill any Pepsi on your shirt or get any gooey sweets where you don't want it. Been there. It used to be when I dribbled, my shoes would get wet; today for some reason it ends up on my shirt.