# Water drop fly macro



## kalgra

Been awhile since I've done any macro. This is a 4 image stack at 3x magnification slight crop.







20160716[/url] by Kristian Algra, on Flickr[/IMG] 


20160716 by Kristian Algra, on Flickr


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## jcdeboever

Looks military. Great shot.


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## kalgra

Thanks! I just noticed one spot didn't stack correctly not the first time photoshop has done the. I'm really curious is some of the other programs out there would be better.


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## davholla

Very nice photo.


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## smoke665

One word COOL!!!


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## kalgra

Thanks again everyone! Here is another one I tried.
This is a 29 image stack. I was trying to be creative but not sure it came out as I really wanted. I shot this one with a prism behind the subject for some color.
Shutter speed was 1/30 and iso 200 to get some of the ambient light from the prism. In the end I feel like it just looks like I photoshoped the fly onto a colored background when in fact it really was all in camera. Perhaps I should have used much fewer images so that part of the fly blurred in with the background I think that might have worked better. Maybe ill try that.

Anyway I do think I got some good detail on this one and it was a good learning exercise.




20160717-fly1 by Kristian Algra, on Flickr


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## jcdeboever

Wow, simply amazing. I would nominate one of these for POTM but I ran out of votes.


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## kalgra

jcdeboever said:


> Wow, simply amazing. I would nominate one of these for POTM but I ran out of votes.



Wow thanks! I dont think any of these are POTM worthy but im sure glad you like them. 

Here is the second one redone. I used the first 15 from the stack instead of all 29. I also think I retouched this one better. I lost all the detail in the wings but at least it dosnt look so superimposed. What you you think?




20160717-flystack07192016 by Kristian Algra, on Flickr


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## jcdeboever

kalgra said:


> jcdeboever said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, simply amazing. I would nominate one of these for POTM but I ran out of votes.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Wow thank! I dont think any of these are POTM worthy but im sure gals you like them.
> 
> Here is the second one redone. I used the first 15 from the stack instead of all 29. I also think I retouched this one better. I lost all the detail in the wings but at least it dosnt look so superimposed. What you you think?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 20160717-flystack07192016 by Kristian Algra, on Flickr
Click to expand...

I'm a guy...


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## kalgra

jcdeboever said:


> I'm a guy...



Ha sorry stupid auto correct that was supposed to say.
"Wow thanks! I dont think any of these are POTM worthy but im sure glad you like them."


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## jcdeboever

kalgra said:


> jcdeboever said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm a guy...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ha sorry stupid auto correct that was supposed to say.
> "Wow thanks! I dont think any of these are POTM worthy but im sure glad you like them."
Click to expand...

I think they are.


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## JustJazzie

Its always surprising how pretty those pests can be when you see them up close. Well done!!


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## DScience

So does PS stack them automatically?


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## kalgra

DScience said:


> So does PS stack them automatically?



Sort of I guess. The work flow I use for PS at a high level is to first do any Lightroom corrections to one image then synch those changes to all other images from the stack and export them to PS. In PS I run the load images into stack script for all the open images, then run align images, then run merge stack, Finally I flatten the stack and refine the image with spot removal, etc.

If using Helicon its much more automated. I use the Helicon Lightroom plugin so I can export the synched images to Helicon which automatically loads the stack, click on the stack option I want and click render.


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## Streets

kalgra said:


> Been awhile since I've done any macro. This is a 4 image stack at 3x magnification slight crop.
> 
> OUTRAGEOUSLY  FINE WORK!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 20160716[/url] by Kristian Algra, on Flickr[/IMG]
> 
> 
> 20160716 by Kristian Algra, on Flickr





JustJazzie said:


> Its always surprising how pretty those pests can be when you see them up close. Well done!!


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## Emanuel M

The first one is really nice.
What's your setup? What did you use there, i mean 

Cheers


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## kalgra

Emanuel M said:


> The first one is really nice.
> What's your setup? What did you use there, i mean
> 
> Cheers



Thanks! I used a Canon 70D APSc with the MP-E 65mm at 3x magnification mounted on a tripod and a cheap kiwi focus rail.
For lighting I used two speed lights a canon 430EX III and a Yongnuo YN600EX. On the the Yongnuo I used a cheap 6"x6" Vello softbox diffuser and on the canon I just used the oem diffuser.

Im new to this stacking thing, Im just starting to figure out some of the post processing tricks which I could have use to correct the flaws in the first one you mentioned had I known of them at the time. Been doing macro for about a year it what got me interested in Photography in the first place. Actually I pulled out my receipt just a couples days ago, August 13th will be my 1 year anniversary of buying my first DSLR so Im still trying to figure it out and I got to keep reminding myself of that.

I suppose as is the case will all good photography light is everything. I feel like im finding this especially true with macro. With the macro I see that really blows me away I can always tell that the lighting was perfectly diffused at just the right angles. I notice that with your macros you have done recently, the lighting really makes them have that extra something. I think it shows your experience and talent that im still trying to acquire.

These are a couple more from the last week one I posted in a separate thread the other one is new. I definitely dont think I nailed it on the grasshopper. The lighting still seems too harsh. Granted its body had much more reflective surfaces. How might you have done the grasshopper differently?




20160723-2016-07-24 10-12-35 (C)finalx by Kristian Algra, on Flickr




20160719-flystack07192016.5 by Kristian Algra, on Flickr


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## Emanuel M

Yes, light is everything 
You have a MP-e 65mm :O
I am jealous now...

I can't go past 3X magnification with tubes and stuff, and you have a lens that can go up to 5X natively 

I am also new to macro photography.
With reflective bugs I tend to diffuse the light even more. That obligates me to reduce the shutter speed.
But at those magnifications you have to be on a tripod, so it's the same 
I don't use flash, but two led lamps...

I will post my setup again when my new Tokina and Raynox arrives 

Cheers


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## kalgra

Emanuel M said:


> Yes, light is everything
> You have a MP-e 65mm :O
> I am jealous now...
> 
> I can't go past 3X magnification with tubes and stuff, and you have a lens that can go up to 5X natively
> 
> I am also new to macro photography.
> With reflective bugs I tend to diffuse the light even more. That obligates me to reduce the shutter speed.
> But at those magnifications you have to be on a tripod, so it's the same
> I don't use flash, but two led lamps...
> 
> I will post my setup again when my new Tokina and Raynox arrives
> 
> Cheers



So maybe thats the next step for me is to get a couple decent constant light sources and save the flash for the field work. I just ordered a Cognisys stack shot motorized focus rail and soon will be adding a Canon 2x III teleconverter which will take me up to 10X magnification. I think this is where the stackshot will really come in at these extreme magnifications as is has a step resolution of .01mm


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## Braineack

insane detail.  crazy.


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## Emanuel M

kalgra said:


> Emanuel M said:
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, light is everything
> You have a MP-e 65mm :O
> I am jealous now...
> 
> I can't go past 3X magnification with tubes and stuff, and you have a lens that can go up to 5X natively
> 
> I am also new to macro photography.
> With reflective bugs I tend to diffuse the light even more. That obligates me to reduce the shutter speed.
> But at those magnifications you have to be on a tripod, so it's the same
> I don't use flash, but two led lamps...
> 
> I will post my setup again when my new Tokina and Raynox arrives
> 
> Cheers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So maybe thats the next step for me is to get a couple decent constant light sources and save the flash for the field work. I just ordered a Cognisys stack shot motorized focus rail and soon will be adding a Canon 2x III teleconverter which will take me up to 10X magnification. I think this is where the stackshot will really come in at these extreme magnifications as is has a step resolution of .01mm
Click to expand...

Don't buy the 2X teleconverter for that. It doesn't work like that 
It will transform your 65mm into a 130mm, but the focusing distance also changes.
To higher magnifications you will need tubes or other lenses.

My "master" uses microscopic lenses on a 200mm.
But it's kinda complicated...

But if the 2X converter it's on the way, you can try it for yourself and see if does anything 
I would be happy to go up to 5X with quality 

Cheers


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## kalgra

Ah you know what you are right, the guy I saw doing this was also using the TC with additional extension tubes.  Im getting the teleconverter to add a little reach to a 70-200 2.8 anyway so no loss if it dosnt work as planned. Will be fun to play with regardless.

Thanks for your your input.


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## Emanuel M

But I am not 100% sure 
You can give it a try and then you can say something here 

Cheers


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