Aphid and comment on Depth of Field

[billtils]

I was in the garden trying to get a butterfly shot but the butterfly had other ideas . When about to pack up I saw a tiny green insect on the cover of the patio set table, and fired off a couple of shots.

It was an aphid and I was quite pleased to get something new (no aphids in the macro collection so far) but not happy at the bulk of the table preventing me getting directly over it so that the body was parallel to the sensor.

However, the overall effect of the bug + the weave of the cover provides a nice illustration of how critical orientation is in regard to DoF in macro shots.

[Mike Buckley]

However, the overall effect of the bug + the weave of the cover provides a nice illustration of how critical orientation is in regard to DoF in macro shots.

It sure does! The photo was disorienting for me until I took the time to analyze it and then have my conclusions confirmed by your comment.

[Wavelength]

I really like the visual effect in this image

[JohnRostron]

An excellent shot. How big was this bug? I'm not convinced that it is an aphid, but I don't reallly know what it is.

John

[xpatUSA]

. . . the weave of the cover provides a nice illustration of how critical orientation is in regard to DoF in macro shots.

+1 to that, Bill.

Not trying to hijack your thread but here's a shot that also illustrates your point (bug against a woven b/g) . .



For that one, I was up against a screen door but was able to use portrait orientation with the camera.

Sigma SD10 + 70mm macro.

[billtils]

An excellent shot. How big was this bug? I'm not convinced that it is an aphid, but I don't reallly know what it is.

John

John, it was no more than 2mm long

[billtils]

Thanks Ted - Nice one, that I regard as a positive contribution and absolutely not a hijack.

[billtils]

An excellent shot. How big was this bug? I'm not convinced that it is an aphid, but I don't reallly know what it is.

John

I wouldn't be surprised if you are correct on the identification. I'm running at about 0/10 in that area just now . Perhaps Geoff will look in and help us out?

[Geoff F]

My guess, going by the hind legs, would be for one of the Planthopper species, but I don't recognise it. However, that is a fairly large and tricky group.

You could have a look through the British Bugs website.

[bnnrcn]

The bug has very nice colors. A nice shot considering the shooting conditions and the size of the bug Bill

[Shadowman]

Nice shot.

[AlwaysOnAuto]

So Bill, just so I'm clear on this, you've rotated this image as shown, correct?
I've always thought DOF moved forward/backward in an image, not at a 45* angle such as the weave is showing.

[JBW]

So Bill, just so I'm clear on this, you've rotated this image as shown, correct?
I've always thought DOF moved forward/backward in an image, not at a 45* angle such as the weave is showing.

I've found that DoF follows the hills and valleys. 45* is not unusual

[billtils]

So Bill, just so I'm clear on this, you've rotated this image as shown, correct?
I've always thought DOF moved forward/backward in an image, not at a 45* angle such as the weave is showing.

Alan

I wondered if someone would comment on that! No, this is the orientation as shot. However, the cover was not flat - it was over the table but with about 30cm of the umbrella holder protruding from the centre, and the insect was making its way uphill when the shot was taken. I suspect that the in-focus "lane" is the part of the 3-dimensional pyramid that was parallel to the sensor.

[dem]

You get DOF moving up and down the image when you tilt the camera up and down.

If you turn the camera from left to right, the DOF is going to run vertically down the image.

Now, if the camera is both tilted and rotated, you will get any angle between horizontal and vertical.

It is all about how the camera sensor is oriented with respect to the table cloth.

[billtils]

It is all about how the camera sensor is oriented with respect to the table cloth.

Substitute "object" for "table cloth" and that's it exactly!

[IzzieK]

Your grasshopper (planthopper) is very colourful and iridescent. It must not be a common bug around that part of the pond if Geoff cannot exactly identify it. Nice shot.

[billtils]

Thanks Izzie. Even if Geoff is correct with the species, as he notes it is a large and tricky group, as I discovered when following up his suggestion of looking at the British Bugs website.

[dem]

Substitute "object" for "table cloth" and that's it exactly!

Fine, but it has to be a big and flat object