# Don't know how you'll do it



## Eel Noob (Aug 21, 2009)

Can't seem to get the results I want. Hope I'll get some pointers and be more prepare for my next attempt.


Decided to give macro another attempt today. Didn't turn out so well as you'll see from the pix:lmao:.

C/C welcome

This guy/gal would not stay still and don't know how you'll do it but can't see how get the whole bug in focus.







used same settings as others but this one came out very grainy:thumbdown:





almost remind me of a basketball





Here's an unknown bug/cocoon? I didn't even noticed those little green bugs next to it till I look at pix on monitor.


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## manaheim (Aug 21, 2009)

GAH!

Twice in one night!  

Bug pics!


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## Big (Aug 21, 2009)

What settings were you using? If your complaining about not having enough of the bug in focus, maybe use a smaller aperture like f/8 instead of f/2.8 

Just a suggestion...


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## Eel Noob (Aug 21, 2009)

manaheim said:


> GAH!
> 
> Twice in one night!
> 
> Bug pics!




hehe sorry




Big said:


> What settings were you using? If your complaining about not having enough of the bug in focus, maybe use a smaller aperture like f/8 instead of f/2.8
> 
> Just a suggestion...




IS100
F16


What are some tricks to getting better pix or getting the bugs to stay still long enough?


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## camz (Aug 22, 2009)

I'm not much of a macro guy. Don't know what you shoot but for Canon there's the AI focus mode ideal for erratically moving subjects.


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## camz (Aug 22, 2009)

Actually take a look at this thread by doenoe here who inspired me to
keep an eye out on a future macro lens. He gives advice throughout the thread. Nothing like getting word from the horse's mouth.


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## Eel Noob (Aug 22, 2009)

Thanks for the C/C and link everyone. Hoping to be able to take pix half as nice as the ones in link one day.


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## doenoe (Aug 23, 2009)

camz said:


> Actually take a look at this thread by doenoe here who inspired me to
> keep an eye out on a future macro lens. He gives advice throughout the thread. Nothing like getting word from the horse's mouth.


Did you just call me a horse? 

And ladybugs are a pain to shoot, they move quite fast. So its better to find one thats resting. Downside to that is that if they rest, they tug in their legs. So i suggest try to shoot some docile bugs first, like spiders in a web or some stuff like that. 
And you dont have to get the whole bug in focus, as long as the eyes are. Thats the most important thing, just like shooting people or other animals (except if your are going for something a bit different offcourse). 
And those last 2 are the same as the first three, except in a different stage of live. Those are the cocoons of a ladybug.
Hope this helps a bit


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## DigitalScape (Aug 23, 2009)

Nice start on the macro shots.  Practice, Practice, Practice is key.


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## ottor (Aug 23, 2009)

Eel Noob said:


> manaheim said:
> 
> 
> > GAH!
> ...



*Step on'em....  You'll make Manaheim happy, you'll keep them still for your shot, and you'll solve your focus problem !!*


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## Andrew Sun (Aug 23, 2009)

The first shot turned out well, well done.

The most interesting is the last 2 shots. Are those ladybugs transitioning into something? Or they aren't even ladybugs at all? And those little green bugs are quite fascinating!


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## doenoe (Aug 24, 2009)

those are something transitioning into ladybugs. Ladybugs first look like THIS then transform into the shape you can see in the last 2 pictures and after then they go into Ladybug mode.
I think the little green things are Aphids


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## xiangji (Aug 25, 2009)

Are they hard reflections from your flash on the first few shots? If they are would you be better off using a diffuser? 

...I'm just trying to sound like I know what I'm talking about lol


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## Overread (Aug 27, 2009)

Doenoe gave some great advice so here is my little addition.

1) If your using flash a diffuser is a must addon - both Doenoe and I use lumiquest softboxes on our flashes to get diffused lighting - the larger the diffusion area you can get the better.

2) Sleepy bugs are far easier to shoot than awake ones, but they are not about all day. Get up early and hunt around dawn - you canoften find many insects which are very suggish at this part of the day - cooled and slow from the cold night and not yet warmed up from the sun - later in teh day most insects (even moths) are quite awake and have energy to move around

3) The eyes in focus - seriously go and look at some wildlife and macro shots - you will be surprised how many don't actually have that great a depth of field to them -but the key part is that the eyes are sharp - they are what we look to first in a shot.

Overall I like the exposures and your focus seems quite good - I would possibly drop down from f16 to f13 as a standard aperture to use (since around f16 and beyond diffraction can start to be a problem which will lead to you getting softer images).


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