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Help needed please
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Would like to get some good Macro shots but do I need to use a tripod or should I get a ring flash. cant get shots without camera shake. I used the tripod for this shot. Critique needed please. Also do you crop in close.
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This was my bad attempt to shoot a grasshopper in my garden, Did not think about it until after but I suppose I should I have set the camera to a fast shutter speed.Hi Lily.
I would recommend getting a ringflash, if you can, as it will allow you to use smaller apertures & higher shutter speeds while using the camera handheld. A tripod, while great for steady shots, tends to be very awkward to use when trying to get close to insects without disturbing them, but would be ok for flowers etc in most cases.
When shooting macro you have a very limited DOF & the closer you go to the subject, the narrower it gets. Using a ringflash will allow you to increase the DOF by allowing you to use smaller apertures & will also allow a higher shutter speed than daylight will allow. This will help to steady your shots without the use of a tripod. One of the problems I find in my shots while using a ringflash is that it tends to over-power natural light if the correct power ratio is not used & the highlights reflected from the subject can look odd. Also if there is nothing in the immediate background, the background goes black due to light fall-off & this doesn’t appeal to everyone, but is good at bringing out fine detail such as tiny hairs on your subject.
I have used my normal flash unit successfully on the camera in the past with a reflector taped to it to angle the light down to the area close to the front of the lens. This is a cheap alternative to purchasing a ringflash or using an off-camera flash with a diffuser to soften the light.
As the colder weather comes in, there will be less insects to shoot & a ringflash may be a purchase that you won’t use very much over the colder months.
Your first shot is lovely with very nice lighting & composition. Well doneLily
Miki has given some sound advice there and it’s well worth taking. The expense of macro equipment goes beyond normal usage and I’d advise you to think about what you want to do over the winter months. The pop up flash on your camera is more than adequate in a lot of situations and it should suffice for the time being. I wouldn’t be rushing out to get a lot of expensive equipment unless you’re sure that macro is something you want to pursue in depth. There are plenty of big name pros who use the pop up flash in some situations as it’s a quick solution. Mike Moats is a great example of a macro photographer who uses it. I’m not saying that it should be your first choice of flash, but it will work and is a great cheap alternative when you are starting out.
The problem with insects are that they are always on the move during the day so I would suggest setting out either early in the morning or late in the evening when they have cooled down. You will find butterflies of many species resting on grass stalks, where they spend the night. The same applies to flies and bees which will rest out the night time amongst grass and bushes. When you see them at this time, they are less likely to be disturbed so if you mess up a shot you can still get an opportunity to get a good shot. Knowing your equipment is very important but knowing your subject is even more important. You can always fluke a good shot but if you don’t know where and how to find a certain animal then you will never even do that much, so always remember to study the habits of insects as well.
I shoot most of my photos between f/8 and f/13 and at a shutter speed between 60 and 200 but it’s horses for courses and I regularly shoot in f/2.8 as well. It all depends on the type of shot I want. It looks like your grasshopper photo was taken at too slow a shutter speed. That’s why it’s blurry. Even with a flash, a slow shutter speed will still result in camera shake if the camera moves so try and practice how you hold the camera. Use a monopod or bean bag or anything that comes to hand. A great thing about hoverflies is that they are highly territorial and aggressive to intruders of their airspace, so when you find one basking in the sunlight, even if he goes there’s a good chance he’ll be back. Compose you’re shot so that when he flies back to the flower or leaf you’ll have him.
I’ve included a link to my website where you may get inspired. I hope you don’t get disheartened by a few bad shots. You gotta crawl before you can walk. Just keep practicing. I still make make plenty of mistakes. It takes a while to get it together and remember to ask questions on the forum, post plenty of photos and take hints from photographers like Miki and some of the other great shots on this forum. That’s what it’s for.
All the best
http://www.davemcmanusphotography.ifp3.com
Thank you both for taking the time to give me such detailed replies and such good advice. Now all I have to do is put it all into action!
Regards
Lily
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