Conker

[DavidM61]

Hello

I recent purchased a Tamron 90mm f2.8 SP Di macro lens, and have just started trying out some macro shots. Here is a conker that I took using natural daylight. Any and all comments and critisims welcomed, especially as am I new to macro photography work. The original photo looks rather better than this, but then again it is nearly 19Mb in size!!

Many thanks in advance.

[tbob]

I like the texture and colour. There is enough with this subject to try for several other shots of it.

The nemesis with natural light is avoiding shadowing and highlights. You can cheat by using reflectors and diffraction stuff. It can be really cheap like using a flash with part of a plastic milk jug covering it, a bit of white translucent plastic or some thin white cloth. Reflectors can be as simple as bouncing the flash off some white cardboard or other slightly reflective white surface. In this instance the front needs to be a little better lit.

The depth of field needs to be a little deeper to get away from the out of focus spot on the very front. Depth of focus is a real problem with macro.

[DavidM61]

Many thanks for that Trevor, appreciated. I shall try some more shots of it, and experiment with the lighting.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi David,

What aperture did you shoot this with?
I agree a bit more DoF would be preferred.

I'd try to 'fill' the foreground shadow with some reflected daylight off a 5" x 3" record card, or similar, just below the lens - you may be surprised what 'modelling' you can do with a couple of carefully placed and angled reflectors at this scale.

Cheers,

[JPS]

Hi David,
I agree with the guys about the lighting and DoF. As I'm sure you already know there is plenty you could do in PP; but I think it would be much more fun setting up the lighting / reflector etc. and have a re-shoot.

Thanks for sharing and keep posting and having fun.

Cheers
John

[DavidM61]

Many thanks for all the comments. I will revist this subject and try out different lighting techniques.

I took this at f3.5.

[gregj1763]

Hi David,
I have the same lens. It's brilliant and have had it for about a year now. I fell into the macro trap when I first got it and most of my shots had a very shallow depth of field. When using it for insect photo's f/14 is about as low as I go now. Additional lighting is the secret to getting good images as mentioned, flash or reflectors will do the trick. Oh and practise, practise, practise.
Cheers, Greg