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JohnLim

Head female Flesh fly

Macro shot of the head of the Flesh fly, in the family Sacrophagidae.

Macro shot of the head of the Flesh fly, in the family Sacrophagidae.
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Nov, 2015

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Awards

Chatter Award

Zenith Award

Curator's Selection

Top Shot Award 21

Legendary Award

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Contest Finalist in A World Of Macro Photo Contest

People's Choice in Bug Eyes Photo Challenge

Staff Winter Selection 2015

Peer Award

+121

Superb Composition

+58

Absolute Masterpiece

+52

Top Choice

+41

Outstanding Creativity

+20

Superior Skill

+17

Magnificent Capture

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Virtuoso

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Behind The Lens

Location

This picture of the head of the female Flesh fly in the family Sarcophagidae, was taken at my home in SIngapore. I have been experimenting with macrophotography for months, trying to capture what the unaided eyes cannot see. I am still learning and I have a long way yet to go!

Time

The pictures were taken in the early afternoon. Six frames were shot between 2.35pm to 2.36 pm. I know it's a female fly as she was laying her live maggots at the time and kept still long enough for me to take the shots. House flies lay eggs, Flesh flies lay maggots

Lighting

I used natural lighting.

Equipment

The camera I used was the Leica V Lux4, at full 24 times zoom i.e.108mm, (600mm in 35mm equivalent). The data was not recorded as I attached a close up lens. I had an ISO of 160, f 8, and shutter speed of 1/25sec. The final picture is a composite of six frames, shot within 60 seconds in JPEG, camera on a focusing rail mounted on a tripod to facilitate the use of two hands. I had a Raynox close up lens ( DCR250 ) attached to my Leica V Lux 4 camera.

Inspiration

I have always been fascinated by the compound eyes of insects, and the Flesh fly having relatively large compound eyes would be the natural subject to photograph to show the details of a compound eye.

Editing

I cropped a little over the top and right margins to trim away excess blank space and to cut down the vigenetting. I then stacked the frames. Minimal Post Processing to correct exposure and saturation in order to produce the actual colours. At this magnification, it's near impossible to get this DOF with one frame.

In my camera bag

I have several cameras at home, each with certain uses in mind. I like the Leica V Lux4 because of it's long zoom, light weight and small size, and I carry this around pretty often. With this I also carry the close-up lens attachments, the DCR250 and DCR150, a bean bag and small sturdy table top tripod. This camera is suited for most situations. It's only draw-back in my mind, is the smallish sensor megapixel size ( 1/2,3”-CMOS with 12.8 MP [effective 12.1 MP] compared with my Sony A7R Full frame, with 36.4 megapixels ) which is great for cropping or enlargements.

Feedback

Watch lots of uTube videos on how to do macro photography! You may want to look at some of the focus stacking software that's available. This is a software that compresses several picture frames at different focal planes to give you that depth of field a single frame cannot give. I use the Zerena software. You need to purchase this software. Most of all is a lot of patience, perseverance, and breath control! Yes, you need breath control, believe it or not!

See more amazing photos, follow JohnLim

JohnLim

JohnLim

Head female Flesh fly

Macro shot of the head of the Flesh fly, in the family Sacrophagidae.

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow JohnLim

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