ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Thursday 4 June 2015

DULL BUT ENTERTAINING. (04/06/15)

It’s a dull start to the day but it isn’t raining yet. I had a wonderful time bugging this morning, I spent ages watching and trying to get some pictures of a very attractive Carder Bee, It was a common carder bee but in pristine condition. I failed but caught this fly.
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I think it is a Long Legged fly but I haven’t managed to identify it yet. I am now thinking it is a Two-spotted Centurian Soldier Fly; Sargus bipunctatus.
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A Seven Spot Ladybird. Cocinella 7-punctata. I suppose it ought to be written VII-punctata.
The star of the morning was this beauty, it looks very ferocious but it is a gentle giant and only eats pollen and nectar.
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A Longhorn Beetle. Rhagium bitasciatum, I hope, There are about sixty different ones to choose from. This one was very obliging and sat perfectly with a little smear of honey as a bribe or payment for posing so nicely.
That’s all for today as I'm going to try and sort the new look out, I have too many colours in the template. I got carried away yesterday, just because they are available doesn’t mean I should use them all. I would like the word “COMMENT” in red but it won’t have it. I’ll dive in and alter the code then it will.

26 comments:

  1. Super photos Adrian, great detail. I might have to hunt out my macro lenses and have a go at some closeup work. How do you keep them still long enough to take photos?

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    1. Ian, Flies I tend to catch sunbathing or eating. Creepy crawlies I pop on a stone in a saucer of water, some can swim but not many. I then use flash to freeze motion. Focusing is just practise. I never use auto focus, I just follow them around until they look sharp then click. I use a prismatic screen in the Canon but they take some getting used to. All these are shot at f16, 200s, ETTL with the MP-E 65mm.at between 1:1 and 3:1. It is a little madam of a lens to get used to. Non of these are cropped but the two face on beetle shots are straightened. I took them a bit on the piss.

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    2. Thanks Adrian. Useful information and tips there, much appreciated.

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    3. Ian depending on your macro lens you will be using very small apertures to get maximum depth of field. At ISO 160 or whatever the native speed of your sensor is it doesn't really matter what exposure you use so ETTL isn't that beneficial. A cheap ring flash will do and about half power one side and an 1/8th the other should be a starting point.

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  2. Replies
    1. Mersad, they are colourful but a bit boring they only have tiny eyes and they blend into their heads.

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  3. The longhorn photos are quite dramatic and compelling.

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    1. John, it was good to find a big insect. Something to look at.

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  4. Fabulous macro shots of these insects! I particularly like the ladybug.

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    1. Linda, I don't mind Ladybirds as we call them but appart from the colour unless they fly they are a bit boring.

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  5. I love the new look blog. Great! The photos are very clever, but I'll never be a fan of flies. They always look so predatory.

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    1. Frances, many of them are but the biggest predator is mankind. There's an oxymoron.

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  6. HI Adrian I love your header.wonderul suttle colouring. The close up of the insects are fabulous

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  7. Those last few shots make me very glad the subjects are tiny in real life. I like your new look, it's very you! Or what I know of you.

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    1. Thanks Pauline, I needed a makeover. The insects do look fierce but the ladtbird that looks nice is the only one here that bites and a painful nip it can give.

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  8. You have a winner with your lat shots. the bug cooperated but you still have to do the work to get what you see. I'm always amazed at the amount of hair some of the insects have.

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    1. Red, I never cease to be amazed how tolerant of the flash they are. It rarely bothers them.

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  9. The Longhorn I'd my favourite by a country mile. Stunning detail and beauty of a mini beast. Glad to see my favourite green jewel is your latest header image

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    1. Douglas, It's both good and bad to find a large insect. They are easier to film but DOF is a bigger problem. I may have another go at the header as I like liked the old fade in one. I could fade in one beetle as well.

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  10. The last one is pretty neat. Nice shots!

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  11. I developed rather a fondness for Longhorn Beetles in NZ. They seemed the most cooperative bugs.

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    1. Graham they are and what's more they are open to bribery.

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  12. Aaaggg...se van a salir de la pantalla... Nunca había visto una mariquita así!!!
    Un abrazo..

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    1. Laura no tengas miedo solo come miel. Las mariquitas comen áfidos y son buenos en el jardín.

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