Training a Jumping Spider

[Stagecoach]

I gotta hand it to you Grahame.

I really don’t see a lot of macro critter shooters using lighting the way you do. Maybe I need to get out more but I really admire that.

Just the fact that you lit the BG separately rocks this shot to my eye. The catch lights are awesome and make all the difference in the world.

I look at your work and try to see what parallels can be drawn with my own non-critter macro applications I have been shooting as of late. Very different yet very much the same. Very cool.

I wonder if you might be convinced to expound on your lighting/shooting setup?

Terry, thanks for comments. I have to go out shortly but will add to this thread tonight the lighting set up I have been using with some pics of it as well.

[Loose Canon]

Awesome Grahame.

I'm going to be battling the airports for a day or two myself and probably be out of commission but I can't wait to see what you have going on.

Enjoy your outing and I'll be looking forward!

[jamn4ex]

I really like the background here, your subject is excellent. As I have come to expect.

[Stagecoach]

I wonder if you might be convinced to expound on your lighting/shooting setup?

Terry,

As promised here's a run down of what I'm using at present but will also say that it varies somewhat depending upon access, closeness and how still the critters are. I have the full Nikon R1C1 kit with the two SBR200s and lens mounting kit but have found these restrictive in that if used to light from each side I can not get close enough at the same level as the critters if they are on a horizontal surface.

At present I'm favouring my two home made adaptations. For the above shot I used the below rig although this is now modified to replace the packing foam with the lid with a circular hole, cardboard annulus fitted with three pieces of tracing paper. The tracing paper is in fact oven paper as it's all I could get here and the number of layers were determined by being able to get adequate light at f/29.

This 'snoot/diffuser' is taped onto one SBR200 and the beauty of this set-up is that I can very quickly rotate it to any angle I want to assist with access and light direction. For the above shot this would typically be at an angle of around 45 deg from the side and above the subject and pretty close.



My other favourite is this one which gives a larger light surface area helping to also light the rear of the subject and vary between having it on the SB600 on camera or at a bracket to the side. This also has a cardboard extension tube so I can get it to the front of the lens if using extension tubes.



It's downside is that it gives 'window wiper' catch-lights but I have no excuse for not changing the front end to circular.



For control of the lighting I use the on camera pop up with it's shield in place as commander, I'll have the lens mounted flash on TTL and in the case of the shot with the illuminated background that flash on manual. For moving subjects I find the TTL excellent and once compensation is set by using the histogram it remains good throughout the aperture range until you start hitting the f/25s upwards.

So you see there is nothing clever about any of it and the aim is to get the subject reasonably lit without too many shadows but not to zap it due to controlling the specular highlights.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

I really like the background here, your subject is excellent. As I have come to expect.

Thank you James, they certainly are great critters to shoot.

[Marie Hass]

Dear Grahame,

I am very spider phobic, so it took me while to look at your thread. You have done a great job for such a tiny subject! It is interesting to see your set-up. Thank you for sharing.

Marie

[deetheturk]

Grahame,this is a superb portrait of one fang here,well done mate!

David

[Stagecoach]

Dear Grahame,

I am very spider phobic, so it took me while to look at your thread. You have done a great job for such a tiny subject! It is interesting to see your set-up. Thank you for sharing.

Marie

Hi Marie, I'm also not keen on the larger ones and have been quite wary when getting in close to them but these are just cute. The set-up seems to evolve and it's very interesting looking at all the other home made rigs others are using, plastic bottles, milk cartons and lots of cardboard and tape

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Grahame,this is a superb portrait of one fang here,well done mate!

David

He did have two David but would only drop the second quickly and my response was too slow

Grahame

[bnnrcn]

I'm a bit late, busy with some other things Superb shot Grahame, it is like an emperor sitting on the world and saying ' I own the world'

[Loose Canon]

Excellent Grahame. Very cool seeing your BTS (behind the scene) set-up. I remember the thread you did while you were tweaking the modifier in the first BTS shot. Looks like you have it dialed in!

So I wonder if I might bounce a couple of questions off you? I apologize in advance if I am being a bother and if so I’ll be happy to cease and desist!

Firstly, is that a continuous light pictured in your first BTS shot? And if so are you using this as a modeling light to set focus, etc.? This based on your camera settings. And would I be correct in assuming that those settings are shutting out ambient as well, including the continous?

I have a lot more questions Grahame but I’ll try not to be a nuisance!

[Stagecoach]

Excellent Grahame. Very cool seeing your BTS (behind the scene) set-up. I remember the thread you did while you were tweaking the modifier in the first BTS shot. Looks like you have it dialed in!

So I wonder if I might bounce a couple of questions off you? I apologize in advance if I am being a bother and if so I’ll be happy to cease and desist!

Firstly, is that a continuous light pictured in your first BTS shot? And if so are you using this as a modeling light to set focus, etc.? This based on your camera settings. And would I be correct in assuming that those settings are shutting out ambient as well, including the continous?

I have a lot more questions Grahame but I’ll try not to be a nuisance!

Terry, no problem with the questions.

The desk light in the pic is what I often use for the modelling light, allowing focus and seeing what's happening and has no affect in the image as the flash totally overrides it. I also often use a small LED head-light for the modelling that I can position using a flexible clamp. These are also extremely useful with their elastic straps for attaching around a lens hood if your flash is mounted to the side of camera and you are handholding.

The settings I use, generally 1/60 to 1/200 around f/11 to f/25 with the concentrated directional flash kill just about all the ambient including bright kitchen ceiling down-lights behind where I work at night. As an extra precaution I often have a black surface placed about 1 mtr behind the subject.

Grahame

[Loose Canon]

Well then Grahame, I’ll just ask and let it ride from there!

So when the BG is lit separately do you get that dialed and then when it looks good bring the stage and star spider once you have the BG the way you want it? I guess what I am asking is do you shoot the BG and get it tweaked before the star takes the stage or is it run and gun?

[Stagecoach]

Well then Grahame, I’ll just ask and let it ride from there!

So when the BG is lit separately do you get that dialed and then when it looks good bring the stage and star spider once you have the BG the way you want it? I guess what I am asking is do you shoot the BG and get it tweaked before the star takes the stage or is it run and gun?

Terry, for this shot I did the following;

a) Place the stage (pebble) in position and the background (house plant) behind it with a gap between.

b) Undertake a check through the viewfinder that from any position on top or at the edge that the subject may be and I would be able to shoot it that the plant would be included in the frame.

c) Place a small object (I used a screw in this case) on the pebble and take a shot to confirm/set the main flash (Group A on TTL in this case) to get a good exposure. This flash compensation may need varying once a shot of the actual subject is taken.

d) Place another flash (SB600) behind the stage pointing at the plant and set this flash (Group B on Manual) at a power that looks right, 1/16th power for this. This has/had little affect on the main flash for the subject.

I suspect things may be better if I was to use spot metering having just looked at the Exif for the shot as this would further isolate any affect from the background flash.

The fun then starts, enticing the little fella from a leaf onto the pebble and attempting to synchronise his position, the camera position, the framing, the focus and remote shutter operation whilst remaining sane.

When I initially started taking this type of shot I had so many failures simply due to not having considered and planned and I would possibly get a great critter image but it would have an OOF kettle in the background so I now strive to get things right in camera. I suppose the lighting concept is of little difference to what would be used for a model in a studio it's just that space plus control of subject are so different.

Grahame

[Loose Canon]

I couldn’t tell Grahame, do you shoot from focusing rails? And do you ever stack?

[Wavelength]

Stunning, as always

[Brownbear]

Hi Grahame,

The colour looks beautiful and real to me. I suspect that bugs adore not only from all the antics you describe when you photograph them but because you capture them so beautifully.

I'm still trying to find some bugs. Photographed a wasp the other day... certainly the ugliest image I have ever taken. Then I got the butt end of a bumble bee inside a flower... So my quest continues!

Hi Christina,

That green is from a Sansivarius in a pot, not really sure how true the colour is but I do not normally bother about the WB on odd shots like this. Hopefully they are friendly and not just putting on a show for the camera

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

I couldn’t tell Grahame, do you shoot from focusing rails? And do you ever stack?

Hi Terry, I do use a focus rail at times but primarily to provide a means of physically moving the camera back and forth from the subject in preference to dragging the tripod around. It allows maintaining the magnification ratio easier. Depending upon the subjects 'stage' there's also the option of physically moving the stage but this depends upon maintaining alignment with any background or if it will cause a lot of movement to such things as flowers.

If the subjects are moving I find it easier to focus with the lens but if still I may use the focus rail for focusing.

Stacking is something I do now and again but almost impossible with moving critters and even those that to the naked eye appear perfectly still they have a habit of moving some part of their body slightly that you find out later when viewing on the monitor.

Grahame

[Stagecoach]

Stunning, as always

Thank you Nandakumar, there's an endless supply of stunning critters out there

[Loose Canon]

Very cool Grahame!

Hey man? I just want to thank you for posting your BTS shots and explanations. Great of you to do so and I know you didn't have to. Very informative.

I have pondered what it is about macro critter shots that are so appealing. Its obvious to me that it is the detail that cannot usually be seen by the naked eye. I have shot some critter and found it absolutely fascinating and I may do some more. I found that I could get totally lost in the macro world and it really opens your eyes to something that most people never bother to see or look for until there is a great macro shot put before them.

For now my macro is mostly non-critter such as jewelry, etc. and involves stacking. But its not moving and the lighting situation is way, way different. But I still need to know everything I can about it and I appreciate you telling us how you work and your patience with me asking. I admire the fact that you are using a studio environment and your use of applied light.

I have one last question (for now anyway) Grahame if I may?

Do you have a bunch of rogue critters roaming your house that went over the wall (escaped)? My Blushing Bride would probably kill me!