Insects C&C

macnab

This is my first c&c, so be gentle.....

Old Perry

macnab wrote: »

This is my first c&c, so be gentle.....

Like this a lot, sharp as a tack and the circular effect is cool, any post processing?

macnab

Old Perry wrote: »

Like this a lot, sharp as a tack and the circular effect is cool, any post processing?

Thanks, no processing except maybe an auto touch-up on the camera.

Old Perry

All the better so, great eye for a photo , i wouldn have the patience to photograpgh them little buzzers.

GhostInTheRuins

Nice find! Only problem for me is that it's just a shame it's not exactly sharp.

Old Perry

GhostInTheRuins wrote: »

Nice find! Only problem for me is that it's just a shame it's not exactly sharp.

Sharp enough to go 8x12 id say,what more do ya need

macnab

GhostInTheRuins wrote: »

Nice find! Only problem for me is that it's just a shame it's not exactly sharp.

i think i might take a tripod with me in future, i might even buy a remote shutter release

John

Old Perry wrote: »

Sharp enough to go 8x12 id say,what more do ya need

I don't think it is at all, if you look at the picture full size the focus is quite soft and I think you'd notice that on an 8x12 print very easily.

macnab, do you have the exif data for the shot? What exposure, f-value and ISO did you use? Did you use flash? It's a great shot (looks like they're having a convention!) but could be sharper.

DutchGuy

Nice discovery but I would agree with Ghostintheruins, while some of the insects are sharp others are just a bit out of focus.

The insects are not all in the same focal plane (distance from the lens), you can get away with this if you are using a small aperture or are taking photos of far away subjects but in this case with the settings you used you end up with some of the in focus and some of the out of focus.

If you did shoot this with a wide aperture, try using a smaller one next time (if you find a situation like this again).

Unless you're a lot more patient than me, my advice would be to not use a tripod as setting it up tends to scare away insects for a while but to use a narrower aperture and flash if necessary.

Also, and this might just be being picky, I think the composition would be a bit better with a slightly tighter crop. The empty space at the sides distracts a little.

Definitely keep looking for bugs though!

pixbyjohn

John wrote: »

I don't think it is at all, if you look at the picture full size the focus is quite soft and I think you'd notice that on an 8x12 print very easily.

macnab, do you have the exif data for the shot? What exposure, f-value and ISO did you use? Did you use flash? It's a great shot (looks like they're having a convention!) but could be sharper.

Standard Information
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CreateDate: 2010:08:25 18:26:56
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GPS Information

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Barname

@ John

John wrote: »

do you have the exif data for the shot? What exposure, f-value and ISO did you use? Did you use flash?

John, you can use this to find exif data about images, I use it in my tool bar and simply click an 'exif' button (after activating the image I want the exif data on) above my tabs and its opens a new tab with all the data


http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/

very handy tool

Crispin

Composition is cool. I like it. It's just not sharp. up your f-value to get all of them in focus. f11 and up I would think.

John

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Standard Information
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D3000
Software: GIMP 2.6.7
ImageSize: 2379x1899
ComponentsConfiguration: Y, Cb, Cr, -
CreateDate: 2010:08:25 18:26:56
ModifyDate: 2010:09:13 18:16:20
DateTimeOriginal: 2010:08:25 17:15:03
ExposureTime: 1/125"
Aperture: F8.0
MaxAperture: F4.8
DepthOfFocus: 0.01 m (1.25 - 1.26)
CircleOfConfusion: 0.020 mm
HyperfocalDistance: 236.88 m
ExposureProgram: Not Defined
ExposureBiasValue: 0
CompressedBitsPerPixel: 4
MeteringMode: Multi-segment
Flash: Auto, Did not fire
ISO: 100
WhiteBalance: Auto
FocalLength: 195.0 mm
FocalLength35efl: 195.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 292.0 mm)
SensingMethod: One-chip color area
SceneType: Directly photographed
ColorSpace: sRGB
NoiseReduction: Off
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
ShutterCount: 1750
LensSpec: 70-300mm f/4-5.6 G

GPS Information

Other Information
AFAperture: 4.9
AFAreaMode: Single Area
AFInfo2Version: 0100
AFPointsUsed
ActiveD-Lighting: Unknown (65535)
AutoBracketRelease: Manual Release
AutoFocus: Off
BitsPerSample: 8
BlueBalance: 1.130243
Brightness: Normal
CFAPattern: [Green,Blue][Red,Green]
ColorBalance1: 1.76953125 1.484375 1 1
ColorComponents: 3
Compression: JPEG (old-style)
CropHiSpeed: Off (3904x2616 cropped to 3904x2616 at pixel 0,0)
CustomRendered: Normal
DateAcquired: 2010:09:10 22:00:10.121
DateDisplayFormat: D/M/Y
DaylightSavings: Yes
DigitalZoomRatio: 1
Directory: C:\Users\John\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low\Content.IE5\S6FRRD5A
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FNumber: 8.0
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FileInfoVersion: 0100
FileModifyDate: 2010:09:13 20:26:18+01:00
FileName: Macro%20015a[1].JPG
FileNumber: 0124
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FileType: JPEG
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FlashCommanderMode: Off
FlashControlMode: iTTL-BL
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FlashMode: Fired, Commander Mode
FlashSetting: Normal
FlashType
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FocalLengthIn35mmFormat: 292 mm
FocusDistance: 1.26 m
FocusMode: AF-A
FocusPosition: 0x11
GainControl: None
HighISONoiseReduction: Off
HueAdjustment: None
ISO2: 100
ISOExpansion: Off
ISOExpansion2: Off
ISOSetting: 100
ImageBoundary: 0 0 3216 2568
ImageDataSize: 3001622
ImageHeight: 1899
ImageWidth: 2379
InteropVersion: 0100
JFIFVersion: 1.01
LastKeywordXMP: Macro
Lens: 70-300mm f/4-5.6
LensID: Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO DG Macro HSM

You should try, as Crispin suggests, a higher f value and personally I'd use a higher ISO to compensate. However, it depends on how far apart the insects are as even with a higher f value, they may still be out of focus. Try focussing in the middle plane of focus so the insects slightly nearer and farther away are caught in the depth of field.

daycent

Barname wrote: »

@ John



John, you can use this to find exif data about images, I use it in my tool bar and simply click an 'exif' button (after activating the image I want the exif data on) above my tabs and its opens a new tab with all the data


http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/

very handy tool

Off topic, sorry.

Barname, I downloaded this.... how would a fella go about using it??:o

macnab

yeah I agree with the comments about parts of the shot being out of focus, the parts that are in focus are lovely and make nice pictures on their own, but the out of focus sections detract from the composition. I will have to practice a similar shot with different F values. Thanks for the comments, lots of food for thought there.

Barname

daycent wrote: »

Off topic, sorry.

Barname, I downloaded this.... how would a fella go about using it??:o

If you are using firefox you will note a small exif button above your tabs, click on the image on your screen (activate) then press the exif button

presto ! the data will open in a new tab