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Badgrandad
Bluebottle (Blow flie) Calliphora vomitoria
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Bluebottle (Blow flie) Calliphora vomitoria



behind the lens badge
cameraPENTAX K-3

settings Aperture 9/1 ISO 250 Shutter 1/30 Focal Length 7000/100 

upload_dateSep, 2016

Views

3449

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Awards

Contest Finalist in The Textures Of Insects Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Macro Masterpieces Photo Contest
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Contest Finalist in Small Things In Nature Photo Contest
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Peer Award
gerhardprinsloo richardeaton_9707 Robert49 davidjprosser Vorster jiha_1591 gerdaeilts +333
Superb Composition
James-Evans loredanafiamma Aeri mrnimaaslan Tanya333 lyntonbolton eelcovanroden +39
Absolute Masterpiece
ssshoot wudalibabu Svenergy72 Avantgarda GeoffreyScrufWatson dritankureta bobbytaylor71 +37
Top Choice
ginnyhirst Jaspa 831John kazimierzfrackowski kenkast2 MjBain JeffreyDeCristofaro +36
Superior Skill
josephleduc mihrt lorenzoberardinetti RickL markkrause taarnes myerscreativearts +17
Magnificent Capture
Confalonieri D-Munn enriquekapie beckykempf pranaypictures Froggylee Burnettj +12
Outstanding Creativity
Igor_pol krnaik AmandaFran jeffreyvolz JeanieLovesPhotography manojayassarvadamanab ChrisHPhotos +6
All Star
DELETED_paulbloch roblawrence Tanners beingsalmankhan LucyCMorr Mother_Nature FullexposureUK +4
Genius
dirkvangeel123 muse2max LondonMcCormick Coshooter
Virtuoso
EvilFrees

Emotions

Impressed
just1jan9 Yanid VieJamias Aeri

Top Ranks

Wildlife Photo Contest 2018Top 20 rank
Wildlife Photo Contest 2018Top 10 rank week 1
The Talent AwardsTop 20 rank
Compositions 101 Photo Contest vol3Top 10 rank
Compositions 101 Photo Contest vol3Top 10 rank week 2
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Compositions 101 Photo Contest vol3Top 10 rank week 1
The Textures Of Insects Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Textures Of Insects Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
The Textures Of Insects Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Wildlife Portraits Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Wildlife Portraits Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Rule Of Thirds Photo Contest v2Top 10 rank
Rule Of Thirds Photo Contest v2Top 10 rank week 2
Rule Of Thirds Photo Contest v2Top 10 rank week 1
Macro Masterpieces Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Macro Masterpieces Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 2Top 20 rank
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 2Top 10 rank week 2
My Best Shot Photo Contest Vol 2Top 10 rank week 1
Textures In Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Textures In Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Textures In Animals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Monthly Pro Vol 29 Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Monthly Pro Vol 29 Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Monthly Pro Vol 29 Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Miniature Worlds Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Powerful Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Powerful Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Celebrating Nature Photo Contest Vol 2Top 20 rank
Powerful Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Celebrating Nature Photo Contest Vol 2Top 10 rank week 1
Eye To Eye Portraits Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Monthly Pro Vol 27 Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Image of the Year Photo Contest 2016Top 10 rank
Monthly Pro Vol 27 Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Image of the Year Photo Contest 2016Top 20 rank week 1
Monthly Pro Vol 27 Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Eye To Eye Portraits Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Monthly Pro Vol 26 Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Monthly Pro Vol 26 Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Monthly Pro Vol 26 Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Small Things In Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Small Things In Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Small Things In Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1

Categories

10 Comments |
Coshooter
 
Coshooter October 25, 2016
Wow! Congrats!
KayBrewer Platinum
 
KayBrewer October 26, 2016
Congratulations - finalist in Small Thing in Nature!
lizziemellis Platinum
 
lizziemellis November 11, 2016
Amazing macro:-)
snowdon PRO
 
snowdon May 16, 2017
Congratulations on your Finalist Win in Macro Masterpieces .. brilliant detail
kenfowkes PRO
 
kenfowkes May 17, 2017
Even with the lens resting on the table, I'm impressed at the complete lack of motion blur at 1/30 handheld. Wonderfully made image and I like your BTL too, especially the part about how macro photography lets us see what the eye cannot. For example, check out the thoughtful looking expression on this little creatures face! Love it. 8-)
catherinethompson PRO+
 
catherinethompson June 05, 2017
Fabulous macro - even though just a blowfly and not a favourite subject LOL
Eduardbetz Platinum
 
Eduardbetz December 24, 2017
Nice work , I like the details and the background.
markkrause PRO
 
markkrause August 02, 2018
Macro photography opens the door to an amazing world. Great job swinging that door wide-open...
RickL PRO+
 
RickL July 11, 2020
Exceptional macro photography,excellent detail
Badgrandad
Badgrandad July 11, 2020
Many thanks Rick, appreciated.
mihrt PRO+
 
mihrt July 31, 2021
Fabulous detail right down to all the little hairs. They aren’t pretty but find them fascinating to photograph!

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#nature #wildlife #fauna #insect #fly #Diptera #Blow Fly #bluebottle #calliphora vomitoria #macro #Close up #pictorial #fine art
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Behind The Lens

Location

This was taken in my back garden on top of our old bird table. I had set out some mashed banana, still in its skin to attract butterflies. However, as you can see more than butterflies were attracted.

Time

Not the best time of day generally speaking i.e. midday at 13.00 hrs.

Lighting

Fortunately the light was diffused by cloud cover. Bright diffused light from clouds offers the perfect conditions for shooting macro. In this regard any time of day is good, but can be more advantageous at what is traditionally the worst time to shoot i.e. midday. Also helpful was the cover offered by our oak tree and hedge, which gave a nice dark background to shoot the fly against.

Equipment

This was a hand held shot and obtained by resting the lens on the bird table whilst supporting the camera to reduce camera shake/movement using my Sigma 70mm macro lens. I have never used flash to date.

Inspiration

Just a love for the world about us and the wildlife within it, particularly the smaller ladies and gents that make up the arthropods, which includes insects and spiders etc. It is amazing to see detail at the macro level that the human eye just cannot appreciate and therefore revealing a whole new world to us through the lens of photography.

Editing

Initially I use DxO to process the raw files globally and using their lens softness to apply some capture sharpening to the raw image before exporting back to LR as a tiff. In LR I then further adjust exposure and colour selectively, also using the brush, gradient filter and radial tool to do some dodging and burning selectively before exporting to PS CC. Here I will further refine using filters like Google Nik effects e.g Define to control noise selectively, viveza for colour tweaking and more refined dodging and burning selectively, before checking the image out with Colour effects. Finally I will do any necessary tidying up in PS CC and further adjustments using layers and masks if suitable/required before finishing with sharpening using the high pass technique.

In my camera bag

I have a gitzo monopod, Giotto tripod, induro ball-head, remote release cable, L-plate, nodal rail, selection of polarisers, Pentax K3 with pentax 12-24, 16-50 and 50-135 lenses plus my sigma 70mm macro lens and supported with a manual old 180mm tamron sp adaptall limited lens.

Feedback

One of the best tips is above in the lighting section. A bright overcast day is perfect for macro photography. Also as above consider your background and composition to simplify the image as much as possible so that there are no distracting elements. Knowledge of your subject helps with field craft i.e. the squashed banana to attract insects and also to understand their behavior and habitat requirements to allow you to go out and find what you are looking for with greater success. Once a particular area is found, then visiting in the early hours when the subjects will be most likely to be still and approachable will also yield better opportunities and results. If the weather is not overcast, then avoid bright direct light and the best light will be low in the sky and form the side to emphasize form.

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