CZJ Tessar 50/2.8, macro bellows, and bees

[fuzzywuzzy]

Fall is in the air, and the bees are going bonkers preparing for winter. There are many plants still flowering in my wife's garden, but the False Sunflowers attract all the insects. At any moment there are 5 or 6 bumblebees among the blossoms, in a mad rush, only spending 4 or 5 seconds on each bloom. There was no capturing of decisive moments, just madly trying to nail focus, then spray 'n pray before the little guys moved on to the next flower.

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4 - I love this angle but missed the focus, something to remember for next time



5 - missed focus, I just wonder what he's doing here? scratching his back? rubbing some pollen back there for later?



6 - got a lot of flower shots as my bee buzzed away just before I took the shot



7 - cedar foliage



8 - A fly in bee's colors



9 - a poor neglected rose, no bees to visit you today



To my eye the bees have great vibrant colors and the rose seems washed out, anyone know why?

The Tessar was a bargain at $20.50 because the aperture is very sticky. On the bellows this isn't a problem

You have to get pretty close with the 50mm + bellows. Fortunately these guys were preoccupied with the flowers and didn't mind me at all.

All handheld, aperture f/11. Pics resized, the cedar was cropped, otherwise straight ooc.

[Attila]

Post processing is important otherways pictures looks 'dead' , light source is also critical on a macr shoot.