2 Hours later

[Don Hoey]

Rob set the starter with his Nine Frames Later thread. A great idea, so I thought I would join in.

Well its a while since I took a pic, so looking round the garden today I thought of a photo. 'Yellow' ....... a macro of a hoverfly on a yellow Dahlia.

This was certainly going to be easier said than done as there was a fair old wind into the garden and it was fairly cloudy dull.

To get in close and I was using a 105 manual focus macro lens plus PN11 tube (52.5mm extension), and fill flash with SB-80DX and diy food bowl diffuser. Given that lens to subject distance with 105mm lens and PN11 is 9inches, I had to do a lot of sitting around on the ground waiting for the hoverflys to get used to me and the camera setup before they would come near the flower. I think the big food bowl diffuser had a fair 'scare' impact as far as they were concerned too.

Dof with that lot is really pretty shallow and often by the time the subject was framed and nearly in focus it was off. Either that or just before pressing the shutter a bumble bee would land and scare the hoverfly, or a gust of wind would render the whole thing a blurr just before tripping the shutter.

Perseverance finally paid off and I got the shot I had in mind, so I tried a different flower for a another shot and so another 40 minutes passed before I got that one. This exercise was not so much a how many frames later job, but more a time thing, as it took nearly 2 hours to get these two shots. A fair degree of focus frustration with fast moving subjects so this was most certainly an occasion when I wished I had a fast accurate autofocus lens.

Don

[robski]

Don, 2 hours in engineering terms how many bacon sarnies is that

[surfg1mp]

great thread don......i find these very interesting, its always great to see how these great pictures were achieved. some set-up shots would be good too. keep up the good work.

[yelvertoft]

Excellent write up Don, thanks.

[wolfie]

Very interesting Don, because I've just been doing the same.

In my case it's 10 frames later, but an identical subject. The rains stopped about 15 minutes ago, so I popped out into the garden. Unfortunately almost gale force winds (slight exaggeration), but with the camera + batterypack and twinlight in one hand, with the other hand holding the flower (budlia) I managed these.

Harry

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by wolfie

............ Unfortunately almost gale force winds (slight exaggeration), but with the camera + batterypack and twinlight in one hand, with the other hand holding the flower (budlia) I managed these.

Harry

Well you are a better man than I gunga din. No2 is BRILL.

Old shakey hands here had to rely on a tripod.

Don

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by surfg1mp

......... some set-up shots would be good too.

Weather permitting I will try tomorrow.

Don

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by robski

Don, 2 hours in engineering terms how many bacon sarnies is that

Rob I could have eaten my way through a stack while I waited for the hovers to become accustomed to the kit and me. But Stevie was having none of it. Guess I am on a diet I know nothing about.

Don

[Don Hoey]

Originally Posted by surfg1mp

....... some set-up shots would be good too. keep up the good work.

Really poor light here today but I did manage a pic for you Lee.

For info, the PN11 extension tube is on a homemade foot to push the camera further back to give clearance for vertical orientation because of the D2X battery housing.

Flash is on a slightly moded Metz 45CL bracket, and the diffuser is a poly food bowl lined with scrunched kitchen foil and covered in a double layer of kitchen towel.

Don

[surfg1mp]

thank you don! looks like quite a mean set-up. Love the modified bowl jobby.

Im wondering if i could achieve similar with what i have?

D90.....50mm af.....extention tubes.....sb600, only problem is i see you have a pretty good working distance. I would have to be pretty close with the 50mm, so its hard to get enough light to the subject without scaring every living thing away.