Bee
Jun, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took the photo in my gardenTime
The best time of day for insect activity is early afternoon when the sun is bright and the day is warm. Flowers open up in this weather and therefore attract the insects. This shot was taken around 2 pm.Lighting
The light is direct sun with dark foliage as backgroundEquipment
I used my Nikon D7100 set to continuous high capture rate and a Sigma 105mm macro lens. I bought this lens specifically for nature close ups as I particularly like the sharpness of the main subject and blurred [ out of focus] backgrounds.Inspiration
I saw some great examples on photography websites and by speakers at my local camera club.Editing
I use Paint Shop Pro X4 for most of my shots. A useful plug in is the Nik Color Efex Pro, darken/lighten centre, which allows me to change the main subject and background luminosity independently.In my camera bag
My other equipment is a Nikon 35mm fixed focus lens and a Nikon 70-300 mm zoom.I use a Manfrotto tripod with ball head.Feedback
You need a fast shutter speed to capture insects as they rarely stay still for long and perch on foliage which also moves in the breeze. I usually go for maximum 500 ISO to maintain good quality but always aim for a minimum of 1/500 sec to freeze the action.
