Post your insects

[Geoff F]

Several items here.

Claudio. I nearly always use some form of exposure compensation. In most cases it is an over exposure issue with me, so my default starting point would be around -1 exposure compensation when not using flash.

That is with evaluative (matrix) metering. Spot metering can be better or worse depending on the subject. But it is often a choice between exposing for the subject or the background; and often a compromise between the two.

The same potential problem arises with light and dark subjects where the only option is to expose for the lightest area then recover what is under exposed during editing.

Sometimes this produces a rather dull looking result with low colour saturation. But that can be adjusted during normal processing.

In many cases, the ambient light is simply too low to produce a suitable exposure with the necessary aperture and shutter speed; which is where flash is the only method.

For real close up work, I get as close as possible for the shot, then crop as required. When you need to see the hair on an insect's legs you have to crop closely, which is one of the few occasions when a large sensor camera is useful.

But I never resize the image upwards for a print. Zooming in on a computer screen for identification work is usually possible.

Joanne. In theory, Bumble Bees are so badly designed that they are unable to fly. But nobody has ever told them about that - so they continue flying!

Not sure which bee that is, possibly a rather faded Bombus pascuorum. Good photo, they are difficult to photograph well.

John. Your Speckled Wood photos seem a fraction over sharpened to me. The first looks like a decent photo but there is a definite problem with the original shot of the second image.

F8 or F9 is a bit on the shallow side for macro work. I never go wider than F11 and even that produces a very shallow depth of focus. Which means you need to get 'square on' to your model so as much as possible will be in good focus. However, parts of a large/long insect and the background will always be outside the limited focus depth.

Hand holding is often a problem with such a shallow focus, which is why I always use a tripod, besides camera shake. Also, were these manual or auto focused? Auto can produce problems with false focus, which could be the issue here. It looks as though the area in front of the butterfly is actually better focused.

Subject movement is another potential area for failure. Some insects twitch their wings when flash is used. Even a shutter click can startle them sufficiently to produce a blurred shot.

[John 2]

Thanks Geoff, I realised that they were not quite right. I had gone down to the reserve to photograph birds and I find a tripod a bit restrictive. I use a bean bag for the most part. Just after I settled down in the hide, the wardens turned up to do some gardening (planting some extra cover) so I dug out the macro and went hunting sans tripod and of course had to use autofocus as a result. Your right about the aperture. That was just carelessness on my part. Should have raised the ISO. The D7100 will cope with it.

[Brownbear]

It's an amazing image! I think it is a green cricket. Beautiful!

PS I thoroughly enjoy viewing all the images on this thread... Amazing!

This is quite an image. What is it?

[ga6742]

This is quite an image. What is it?

Bruce and Christina .....It is in the family of Tettigoniidae which are commonly called katydids or bush-crickets. I am not an expert. I just looked it up. Thanks for looking and commenting.

George

[ClaudioG]

Hi all..was out this morning getting some macro shots..trying to improve..i tried going for mostly natural light so i upped my ISO (Max 1600)to get shots at Shutter speeds of no less than 1/200... please lemme know what you think(and if noise is acceptable)..any and all comments welcome. Got some ladybugs mating here... wherever i looked they we're at it... i know what im coming back as (Just kidding people) Really.....
#1

#2 i liked this one cos of the blue sky and "orange" shell.

#3

#4

#5 i have nooo clue what this is..Peter..Geoff...John?

#6 This is some kinda stink bug i think?

#7 i'm not happy about this one..but its the only grab i got of its kind..was just by luck i saw it...could do with a bigger aperture though


I will start looking for proper identification soon.. i dont njoy putting these up without proper identification, my main concern at the moment though is knowing if the images seem ok to you? and if my upping my ISO hasnt degraded my images to far?

Thank you in advance

[Geoff F]

Personally, Claudio, I would crop the first three a little tighter to reduce some of the distracting blurred background. There would still be sufficient space to show some background colour and place the insects in a natural context.

#5 looks like some form of beetle to me; but I struggle with identifying UK species.

The bug, #6, could be one of several families from that angle. What sort of Shieldbugs do you get?

And the last could also be one of a few families. Not sure if it is a true bug or a form of cranefly.

Some of my more interesting species have been quick 'look at that and click' shots.

The only one which suffers from some background noise is #6. What I usually do in this situation is to lightly run over the problem areas with a low opacity soft edged Blur Brush.

For identification, you could try the Wild About the World site. I regularly use the UK version.

[ClaudioG]

Personally, Claudio, I would crop the first three a little tighter to reduce some of the distracting blurred background. There would still be sufficient space to show some background colour and place the insects in a natural context.

What I usually do in this situation is to lightly run over the problem areas with a low opacity soft edged Blur Brush.

For identification, you could try the Wild About the World site. I regularly use the UK version.

I will definitely take your advice on these 3 points. Much appreciated. Thanks Geoff

[Rita]

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[ClaudioG]

Hey guys..i've tried puting a bit more effort into finding correct names for this guy..but it aint easy..this is some srota moth..which im not sure if its some type of hawk moth ..or emerald moth?

[Geoff F]

The antennae seem rather short and stout which is typical of the Hawkmoths in general.

But you will need some more angles for a full identification. No matter how many camera angles you shoot - you never have the one which is required!

[John 2]

Small Tortoiseshell butterfly. The mound of hair behind its head is slightly blurred and I find that it invariably is in my shots of butterflies. It's almost as if that area is vibrating, perhaps to keep the insect cool? Anybody know if this is so?

Nikon D7000
Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro.
1/60th @ f22 ISO 800

[John 2]

Hey guys..i've tried puting a bit more effort into finding correct names for this guy..but it aint easy..this is some srota moth..which im not sure if its some type of hawk moth ..or emerald moth?

Had a quick look at one of the sites I use and came up with this image of a Small Verdant Hawk Moth which seems close. The spotted body markings are similar but as Geoff says, you never have the right angle.

http://www.ispot.org.za/species_dict...iothia%20medea

[Dawn1]

Hi Claudio,

Yes John2 has found it I think

http://blog.projectnoah.org/post/280...6/moths-africa

Is this your moth ? This link shows a moth in the same pose/position as your image and looks very similar, could it be the same one. If so it is a... small verdant hawk moth name ...Basiothia medea.

Regards
Dawn

N.B. look half way down the page in this link to see the moth referred to above

[ClaudioG]

Hi Claudio,

Yes John2 has found it I think

http://blog.projectnoah.org/post/280...6/moths-africa

Is this your moth ? This link shows a moth in the same pose/position as your image and looks very similar, could it be the same one. If so it is a... small verdant hawk moth name ...Basiothia medea.

Regards
Dawn

N.B. look half way down the page in this link to see the moth referred to above

Hi Dawn..thank you for finding this site. That is exactly the one as in my image..the markings on the abdomens side seem the same.. Thanjk you John for your assistance to. Dawn, I've put aanother image of a spider..in the link Spider and moth..could you tell me if theat is a black widow? Or as we call em..button spider or knopie spinnekop

[dabhand]

Just saw this little chap when I was out walking the dogs - no idea what 'make' it is but hopefully someone will be able to tell me.



TIA - steveb

[Geoff F]

That is a Speckled Wood butterfly, Steve.

Not sure if that one is slightly over exposed but at one site this year, I have found a few extra pale versions with spots that are more silvery than the normal pale yellow.