Honey Bee Collecting Nectar
A honey bee collecting nectar from a cherry blossom in full bloom.
A honey bee collecting nectar from a cherry blossom in full bloom.
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Apr, 2016Views
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MacroGuy
May 04, 2016
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MacroGuy
May 04, 2016
Thanks for your likes and comments! I apologize for erasing comments, as I was using my phone and didn't realize I hit some kind of erase or disable feature. I always appreciate any feedback! Thanks everyone! Just really wish I could have caught more various angles of this bee! Thanks again!
denisemurphy_1895
May 22, 2016
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Shanghai during a very wet spring. I believe it was early April.to be exact!Time
I took the photo in the afternoon right after a storm had ended a day before. I really wanted to get out and make some nice spring captures, as I feared the storms and strong winds would cut the viewing time greatly. This in turn ended up being true. Most blooms were gone within 5 or so days!Lighting
I am firm believer in using the golden hour approach dusk or dawn, but I will shoot in any kind of light as long as I have a lens capable of doing so! Sometimes, I prefer overcast and wait for that perfect moment for the sun to peak out and cast some nice dramatic lighting into my scene. That is actually what happened here!Equipment
I captured this shot with my Sony a7rii. This is a bit whacky, but I was using a Minolta Auto Rokkor PF 55mm with a cheap Minolta MD to NEX adaptor, on a set of three extension rings (a 7mm, a 14mm and a 28mm)! I was just in the mood to experiment I guess! I was actually surprised at the results I achieved and the rendering was kind of dreamy. I can only imagine how great this photo could have been with my regular dedicated macro lenses.Inspiration
I absolutely love spring, especially any time it involves apple, cherry or plum blossoms. I usually take trips to Japan to enjoy flower viewing during the cherry blossom festivals which vary across the country. I also do the same locally in Shanghai since I work there and often venture to other cities nearby.Editing
I often use Capture One 9, especially if I shoot in raw. During this shot I believe it was straight out of the camera and onto viewbug.In my camera bag
I made the move to the a7rii about a year ago. It is rather small body and is ever present in my kit bag! I am going to strike some as a nutty, but I love my manual lenses. I ditched all my AF lenses, so in my bag you'll find only manual lenses for now. I love my Minolta Rokkor X Macro's a 50mm 3.5, and a 100mm f4. I also have my beautifully built Vivitar Series 1 90mm 2.5 Macro lens made by Tokina with the matching adaptor (great to have in case you need to defend yourself from your subject or environment! ...they don't make them like this anymore!) and also the tank built Vivitar 105mm 2.5 made by Kiron. I also have Canon 200mm F4 Macro lens for when I need that extra working distance for the skittish bugs and other subjects. I actually love the 200mm Macro lens from Canon on my a7rii as it's easy to handle and considerably lighter than I expected, and renders beautifully! It is actually way lighter than the Vivitar 90mm 2.5 lens. For my normal lenses I have have a Minolta MD Rokkor 24mm - 50mm zoom, Minolta Auto Rokkor Pf 55mm, Canon nfd 20mm 2.8 and Canon nfd 50mm 1.4! I also love using diopters and usually carry a set of four, in relation I carry a large number of step up and down rings so I can mount these on my various lenses, very convenient. Oh and of course I have a set of extension rings handy for altering distance. I also pack my Sony HVL-MT24AM Macro Twin Flash Kit when I need serious light and homemade reflectors. I always carry extra memory cards and batteries, who doesn't. Last but not least I carry a LED torch inspection light, I like to use it to photograph compound eyes of insects or to add a little depth to my images!Feedback
If your going to shoot macro you should have a set of various macro focal length lenses for various subjects! 50's for flowers and coins and stationary, 90's - 105's for butterflies, bugs and etc, and 180mm - 200mm for butterflies, frogs, dragonflies and other quick moving insects or skittish creatures! You also have to polish your technique and know your subjects quite well! Though I prefer shooting dragonflies with my 105mm - 200mm lenses, I have made some impressive captures with my trusty 50mm macro's, as many other photographers have. The truth is the closer you are the more detail will be captured, especially true if you add a diopter lens or two! If you shoot wild life or certain kind of plants, it really helps if you read up on them and know about life cycles, behavior and the kind of environments that are preferred by your subjects. Research your lenses about their properties and weigh before purchasing. Shooting handheld with a heavy weight lens can risk losing many hand held shots of course depending on the angle of your shot. Sometimes the extra weight can help balance your shots as well. If I were to chose a single macro lens I'd choose a 180mm or 200mm macro lens just due to the working distance. The flexibility really improves your chances of making more great captures and if you want to change the working distance pop on a diopter. My advice is to experiment and find what works for you, then unleash the artist and scientist within you! Now a last bit of warning: Be careful macrophotography is addictive! Happy Shooting!
