# Do I just need more practice?



## Feezor (Jun 5, 2010)

Hey guys I just am borrowing a lens from a friend for a week or so today is day 2. This is a picture I took this morning of a bug on a dandelion. I cant seem to get the whole thing in focus. If the eyes are in focus then the body isn't and vise versa. Please if you have any idea of how I can get better pictures let me know. Its a Canon 100mm EF 1:2.8 macro.


Shutter speed :     1/250
Aperture :            5.6
ISO :                   100


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## ifi (Jun 5, 2010)

It is a nice shot. You can try to close aperture a bit to focus more.


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## MartinCrabtree (Jun 5, 2010)

A higher ISO would allow stopping down and reasonable shutter speeds for more depth of field. That is what you're having problems with. When shooting that close DOF is mighty shallow even closed up. Good macro is tough. And that's not a bad image either. Trial and error is how everyone learns just keep at it.


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## icassell (Jun 5, 2010)

Your aperture is at f/5.6 which is far too large for most good bug macros.  Getting DOF in a macro image is always difficult.  I usually shoot bugs at about f/11 or f/13 and, even then, it is often difficult to get the whole bug in focus (unless he is parallel to your imaging plane).  In that situation, the best compromise is to get the eyes spot-on.  That is the most important part of the image.

Good luck!


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## Feezor (Jun 5, 2010)

I will try out those tips. Thanks guys!


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## dak1b (Jun 12, 2010)

cus use more DOF...seems little blurry and that yellow stem in front is annoying...


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## Arkanjel Imaging (Jun 13, 2010)

First off, stop looking at NateS threads and your macros will appear 100% better.  :lmao:


Seriously though, keep working at it.  Macro is rewarding but it takes a lot of patience.


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## irfan (Jun 14, 2010)

or u could just move back a little   jk


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## GregR (Jun 14, 2010)

Arkanjel Imaging said:


> First off, stop looking at NateS threads and your macros will appear 100% better.


 
No kidding!!

Just keep shooting and adjusting.  Macro is a LOT of patience when dealing with little critters that just don't follow direction!


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## NateS (Jun 15, 2010)

Arkanjel Imaging said:


> First off, stop looking at NateS threads and your macros will appear 100% better. :lmao:
> 
> 
> Seriously though, keep working at it. Macro is rewarding but it takes a lot of patience.


 


GregR said:


> Arkanjel Imaging said:
> 
> 
> > First off, stop looking at NateS threads and your macros will appear 100% better.
> ...


 
Lol...thanks guys.

For tips, I would do a couple things....since youa re natural light...backing up and cropping in post will give you more DOF (i.e. shoot near 1:2 and crop into 1:1).

Second, don't crop _too_ heavy. I've shot these subjects a lot and I know that you are probably pushing a 100% crop on the above shot.

Third, as mentioned, you need more DOF....but you can do it with f5.6. If you look at the post I did recently of the green sweat bee. I forgot to change my settings after a portrait shoot and that shot is at f5.6. It was an accident and it would have been much better at f/13, but it is still sharp and in focus.

Lastly, when you get the bug in the focal plane....start firing away...take 50 pictures of the same subject while trying to hold it in focus. Chances are that you will end up with quite a few that are in focus and maybe even a few that work for focus stacking. I'm down to shooting maybe 15 shots of the same subject/pose to get this, but I started by taking 50 or so each time. It honestly looks like this one is just a mis-focused shot and if you had fired a bunch more you'd probably have one with better focus.  Focus looks to be on his hind end under the wings.


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## Nod (Jun 15, 2010)

Question for NateS, would flash fill help bring out the details more?


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## Overread (Jun 15, 2010)

Fillflash would certainly help where you have shadows in the shot, especailly since its very easy to end up shadowing the subject with a part of your self (something you want to try and avoid as much as possible, not just for exposure but also because shadows appearing over insects is one thing that they use as a warning and many will scarper (esp the winged sorts). 

However fillflash would essentailly mean that you were relying upon natural light as a main component of the light for the shot, this carries with it risks if your shutter speed is not fast enough at the time. A slow shutter speed shot with fillflash can certainly work, but you need that perfect static subject and camera - otherwise you will end up with blur where the camera capture the ambient and fillflash out of sync with each other.*

Like NateS my main experiences and work with macro is with flash as the dominant lighting source. 

*ie you get one exposure for the fillflash and overlayed on that the one for the ambient lighting.


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## NateS (Jun 15, 2010)

Yeah...overread basically answered it.  Fill flash will kill shadows if you are shooting in conditions where say the sun is peeking through leaves and lighting with weird shadows.  What I do (and assuming overread does the same) is to basically kill ambient, or most of the ambient light with the flash.  I never shoot in direct sun...always an overcast or in the shade.  F13 1/200th, ISO 200 usually is enough to kill most of the ambient for me, and I let the flash do most of the lighting.  If you shoot like this but have the background portion in the sun (i.e. Sunny day shooting in the shade with the sun portion in the background) you can still achieve a nice green background....however that's not always possible and this is why macros sometimes end up with black backgrounds....small sacrifice for having evenly, well lit photographs with great detail...handheld.


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## Feezor (Jun 15, 2010)

Well then if I find something I want to shoot and it is in direct sunlight, then should I still use a flash and maybe a faster shutter speed to compensate for the lighting? I just sometimes see things in direct sunlight I want to shoot but then again dont want it to be over exposed.


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## Arkanjel Imaging (Jun 16, 2010)

Get yourself a diffuser/stand (or assistant.)


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## Overread (Jun 16, 2010)

Even using flash in direct sunlight your camera is still metering for both the light and your flash meters its output itself based on the lighting and your in camera settings. Modern auto flashes are quite good (they can trip up of course like anything automated can) and even if that fails you can adjust the manual power output on the flashes. 

As Nates says if you work with around f13, 1/200sec and ISO 100/200 even in good sunlight a shot will come off very dark to pitch black when taken (try it and see) this is why the flash is the dominant lighting in those cases


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## Nod (Jun 16, 2010)

Thanks for the info Overread & NateS, I'm thinking of getting a good macro lens and doing some expiermenting with macro.


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## Feezor (Jun 16, 2010)

Going to go pick up a flash later this week been looking at the Canon 580 ex II. Is that a good flash or is there one better? I want to be able to use this for basically everything. From Macro work to night shooting and all the in between. Any help on this subject? Also for the macro work should I get one of those soft box "covers" for the flash. You know the little like velcro on the end of the flash ones or do I not need it and thats a waste of money?


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## NateS (Jun 17, 2010)

Feezor said:


> Going to go pick up a flash later this week been looking at the Canon 580 ex II. Is that a good flash or is there one better? I want to be able to use this for basically everything. From Macro work to night shooting and all the in between. Any help on this subject? Also for the macro work should I get one of those soft box "covers" for the flash. You know the little like velcro on the end of the flash ones or do I not need it and thats a waste of money?


 
I'm no Canon guy so I can't say for sure, but the 580 EX II might be a little big if you plan to mount it via bracket for macro work.  You might want something a little smaller like the 430 ex....I know that I have an SB-600 (NIkon's version of 430) and I sure wouldn't want a larger SB-900 (Nikon's version of 580 EXII) hanging off the side of my camera.


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## Feezor (Jun 17, 2010)

Okay thanks for your input. I guess the real reason I was leaning towards the 580 was the faster recycle time


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## NateS (Jun 17, 2010)

Feezor said:


> Okay thanks for your input. I guess the real reason I was leaning towards the 580 was the faster recycle time


 
Well, it is something to consider.  I've thought about an SB-800/900 for my setup to give me faster recycling times.  I just think the extra weight and size would hinder me more than the faster cycle times would help me.  This is my personal feelings on it though and opinions will vary.


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