Happy Hornets Harm No One
Nov, 2016Views
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Awards
Winner in Bugs Bugs and more Bugs! Photo Challenge
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at my home in Riverside, California. I walked too close to a bush in the front yard and several angry hornets flew at me to let me know I should stay away. It was not a large nest. About he side of a ping pong ball but there were nearly a dozen hornets. The nest was low to the ground and well within the reach of my camera.Time
I happened upon these hornets in the late morning. The nest was in a bush in complete shade. I had to grab a pair of scissors and CAREFULLY cut away some branches and leaves to expose the nest completely. That task took a long time and was a little scary as the hornets were already upset. I let them calm down while I gathered my equipment. Being so low to the ground I was not able to use a tripod. I had to steady and brace myself laying on the ground and propped the camera on the edge of some bricks. I had only had my macro lens for a few weeks and was so desperate to get a good photo of insects like I had seen other artists so expertly grab.Lighting
Lighting was a little difficult to get right. I ended up running the ISO up higher than I would like. The the LED flash ring I had attached was an inexpensive add-on and didn't add terrific lighting. Not ideal but I was able to do some correcting in post processing.Equipment
At the time, I used my Canon EOS REBEL T5i with my favorite lens. The Canon 60mm f/2.8 macro USM. This photo was shot at f/4 with a shutter of 1/40 and ISO400. I had an inexpensive Neewer Macro Ring flash attached as well.Inspiration
I really LOVE macro work. I have been inspired by so many photographers photos of wonderful insects and the details that they capture. The eyes of insects are especially amazing. I wanted to find that style in my work as well. The macro world is a masterpiece waiting to be captured. All the beauty is there but so tiny that most people miss it or haven't had the opportunity to see. I love to share those beautiful details that God took the time to put into His work with everyone.Editing
I had recently purchased Lightroom and this was one of the first photos I edited. I did not know all of the tools and tricks available to me so the editing was pretty basic. I smoothed out the pixels and brighten a little. I love to add a lot of sharpness and clarity and did so with gusto on this photo. I really wanted to make the eyes and the features on the head of the hornet jump out.In my camera bag
I used to carry 'EVERYTHING' I owned but now I only have one body, the Canon 7D Mark II and 3 lenses. 60mm f/2.8 macro, 24-105mm f/4, and a 50mm f/1.8. Extra batteries, cleaning cloths and of course and tri and mono pod. I don't even carry the focus ring or flash any more and just look for good lighting conditions when I shoot.Feedback
For macro work, I think it is important to take your time and look at the world with a new set of eyes. Your focus is smaller. Your vision is closer. Be ready to capture all the time. You never know when a moment is going to present itself. Be patient and take your time with a shot. I fired off about 100 shots before I got the half dozen or so that I fell in love with. Whether insects, flowers, or water drops, Macro work is exacting. Focus and a steady hand are key. It's hard to setup a tripod or even a mono pod for a shot that is so close to the ground and because some subjects will not patiently wait for their moment in the lights. My 60mm requires me to get up close and personal with all my subjects. Find something to steady your hand and camera body on. BACK BUTTON FOCUS has been a game changer for me and allows me to capture more perfectly focused shots of these sometimes moving targets. Play with your F-stop and experiment with several settings on the same subject. I find that the amount of the subject you have in focus becomes a style and tells a story. Adopt a style that speaks to you. Play with angles to pick up great background colors. SHOOT. SHOOT. SHOOT. You will find more rejects than pearls but the pearls will be fantastic.
