Moth up close - Macro

[Stagecoach]

I accidentally disturbed this guy this morning and he flew down between some balcony rails and made that his resting place for the day. We had a session in the morning and another tonight and I managed to get a few sets for stacks of which I'm still working on some.

The stacks were undertaken with CombineZP, note in No 3 I did not get enough slices for the stack depth but with No 2 taken in the evening I halved my divisions. The mornings stacks were quite successful but later ones in the evening he was starting to wake and would move just his head now and again that was not noticeable until viewed on the monitor. Another problem is that there was a very small spider/mite crawling all over him again not noticeable until too late

Lighting by off camera flash.

No 1 - 1/60s, f/18, ISO 200


No 2 - 1/60s, f/16, ISO 200, Stack of 3


No 3 - 1/60S, f/16, ISO 200, Stack of 9


Comments and suggestions welcome as always.........

Grahame

[teokf]

Grahame, they are well stacked.
The only issue with me is the dark patch in the third pix.

[chauncey]

I can't comment on the quality of CombineZP...but, you do have some stacking errors.

I use Photoshop and can report that "stacking" is not a "plug & play" scenario...when muddy areas and artifacts rear their ugly heads and they oftentimes will, you need to take one of the appropriate originals and blend it into your finished product.

[deetheturk]

Well done Grahame,they look good to me,he looks as if he's wearing a Roman Centurian's helmet amazing looking this close up!

David

[Downrigger]

As one who has never attempted stacking, I'm impressed. Wonderful detail. Having the more distant bits out of focus doesn't detract IMHO. They all seem a bit dark - perhaps to your taste. I like the third best because I can make out a body plan that makes sense (the second eye helps).

[bnnrcn]

Very nice images indeed Grahame #3 is my best,it looks powerful and terrifying

[IzzieK]

Well done Grahame,they look good to me,he looks as if he's wearing a Roman Centurian's helmet amazing looking this close up!

David

Welcome to my world, David...

[IzzieK]

Ok Grahame...don't laugh but in #2 you got the funky hairstyle very nicely...and the image of a shoe on its back. I think it is place to put a shoe...

#3 got that monkey face in its eye, he one closes to the camera...

No suggestions, you know your job better than I do. I love all three of them especially 2 and 3 are really of special interests

[Stagecoach]

Grahame, they are well stacked.
The only issue with me is the dark patch in the third pix.

Thanks Steven, you are right about No 3 I only used the one flash on that whereas I used two for the later session. The answer is to simply crop it out as the easiest option.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

I can't comment on the quality of CombineZP...but, you do have some stacking errors.

I use Photoshop and can report that "stacking" is not a "plug & play" scenario...when muddy areas and artifacts rear their ugly heads and they oftentimes will, you need to take one of the appropriate originals and blend it into your finished product.

Hi Chauncey, I have never been a fan of stacking primarily because I concentrate on bugs and critters that are often moving, or parts of them are, and success would be rather low.

I was quite surprised at the success of these considering there was a slight occasional breeze but as later series showed even this apparent still critter moved it's head section containing the eye and mouth often in relation to the body and forehead.

The stacking of critters is not something at this time I intend to progress as I like to keep computer PP time to a minimum and prefer to spend my time taking pictures.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Well done Grahame,they look good to me,he looks as if he's wearing a Roman Centurian's helmet amazing looking this close up!

David

Thanks David, it was the colours that surprised me. I was unable to get a straight on head shot due to it's location unfortunately.

Grahame

[terrib]

Interesting. I've never tried the stacking thing. Not sure I have the patience!

[Stagecoach]

As one who has never attempted stacking, I'm impressed. Wonderful detail. Having the more distant bits out of focus doesn't detract IMHO. They all seem a bit dark - perhaps to your taste. I like the third best because I can make out a body plan that makes sense (the second eye helps).

Thanks Mark, I agree about the darkness and I have an excuse Where he was located there was a black canvas awning approx 2 inches behind his head and the weave in this looks awful if I brighten things up. I suppose I could have taken the time to blur it out in PP. For images I took in the later session I managed to stuff something in place to push the canvas farther back so it would be far more OOF.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Very nice images indeed Grahame #3 is my best,it looks powerful and terrifying

Thank you Binnur, I also prefer the more head on shots.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Ok Grahame...don't laugh but in #2 you got the funky hairstyle very nicely...and the image of a shoe on its back. I think it is place to put a shoe...

#3 got that monkey face in its eye, he one closes to the camera...

No suggestions, you know your job better than I do. I love all three of them especially 2 and 3 are really of special interests

Hi Izzie, that's a great imagination you have but I can't see the monkey What I can see in No 2 is that the wings look like a worn out carpet.

Thanks for keeping us laughing

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Interesting. I've never tried the stacking thing. Not sure I have the patience!

Terri, like everything it's worth a try but I think one of the main things is that you have to have a subject and scene that warrants doing it rather than doing it just because it can be done. Otherwise the effort and patience to me seems wasted.

Grahame

[FootLoose]

You may not be 100% satisfied, Grahame, but I think they are great. When I look pictures of bugs like the third one, I can see when sci-fi writers get there inspiration for alien characters.

[Stagecoach]

You may not be 100% satisfied, Grahame, but I think they are great. When I look pictures of bugs like the third one, I can see when sci-fi writers get there inspiration for alien characters.

Thanks Greg, I have to admit that it's seeing their faces close up with the detail that inspires me to take these shots and they are just something we do not get to see with the naked eye. Now you have mentioned aliens Izzie's imagination is going to go wild

Grahame

[IzzieK]

Hi Izzie, that's a great imagination you have but I can't see the monkey What I can see in No 2 is that the wings look like a worn out carpet.

Thanks for keeping us laughing

Grahame

Look again, Grahame...In #2 there is a shape of a shoe on the top right of its head...

In #3 look at the eyes on the right side below the antenna...there are two eyes, a nose, cheekbones (the ones with brown lines), a mouth and a chin...stop looking at it like a moth...look at it differently...

[Stagecoach]

Look again, Grahame...In #2 there is a shape of a shoe on the top right of its head...

In #3 look at the eyes on the right side below the antenna...there are two eyes, a nose, cheekbones (the ones with brown lines), a mouth and a chin...stop looking at it like a moth...look at it differently...

I do not see that Izzie but in the right eye (as you look at the screen) at the top I see a man's face wearing glasses with a moustache and receding hair at the sides looking right, absolutely serious You need to view from back a bit.