honeybee in echinops

[DanK]

We have some echinops that are a great favorite of honeybees and bumblebees. The shape makes it hard to photograph the bugs; as usual, they go head-down, but they also walk around the surface, so a soon as you have one almost ready, it either dives in or walks away. This was my only keeper from a bunch this afternoon.

C&C welcome, as always. Same rig as previous: 50D, 100mm, 36mm tube, diffused flash.

[deetheturk]

Very nice Dan

[marlunn]

Good capture Dan, I know the feeling, the amount of images of backends of bees i dump !
Like the colours, love the detail, a tad more space under the bee for my own taste would have been better but thats personal choice i guess. Not an expert in any of this.

[IzzieK]

Very beautiful Dan...I believe I have a 36mm tube but I never thought it can go this near....have to test it today when I got the time...thanks.

[DanK]

Thanks, all. Mark, I completely agree with you. Unfortunately, as I was working so hard to obtain focus, I missed the fact that the framing was off when I took the shot. Wearing glasses makes that even more likely. So, I can't redo the framing, but if I could, I would add more space at the bottom. Izzie, I find the combination of 36 mm and a macro lens very good for bug hunting, for full-body shots of medium-sized bugs like bees or head shots of big bugs like butterflies. However, it is a lot harder than shooting without a tube, and I get fewer keepers. In a case like this, I just set the lens to its minimum focusing distance and focus by moving the camera in and out.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Dan I like the shot. The green part distracts a bit, I would try desaturating it.

[DanK]

Hi Binnur,

Interesting idea. Thanks. I will play around with it.

Dan

[Stagecoach]

Good one Dan, great colouring in this.

[ied]

Dan, I like this capture, beautiful colours.

Irene

[Tom Barry]

I know from experience how hard it is to use an extension tube for tiny, living subjects and I have no nits to pick with the excellent result (and much sympathy for those, including myself, who did this stuff back in the film days - the wasted film was expensive!).

[IzzieK]

Yes Dan, thank you for the tip. I have been trying when I have the time and remember what you said. Too busybee these days with classes and doggies.

Tom. I gave up on my film when the cost became too prohibitive and very little good results. DSLR is better ...

[DanK]

Thanks, all.

Izzy, I agree. Even after doing a lot of bugs for maybe 5 years or so, my keeper rate is so low that I wouldn't want to try it with film.

[Slipper]

Great shot and with a tube on too. Good DOF.
So right about the head, by the time they appear again, focus is out.

[Shadowman]

Nice.