Macro Insect Photos

Some may recall a reference in this group to the incredibly beautiful
insect photos that appeared on the pishmo.com site in Bulgaria. I have
been most fortunate that the photographer who took the original images
sent me all the information I had hoped to uncover, somewhere, somehow.
Not only that, he turns out to have a fine sense of humor, a
sophisticated worldview, and an engaging writing style. I am happy to
share his email to me:
============================================================================
Hi Hoarcroft,
I have just stumbled upon the thread "macro insects" on google groups.
By pure chance, funny thing really. The thread is probably long time
cold dead, but anyway...I happen to be the author of the discussed pics,
posted on the Bulgarian (apparently) pishmo site.
I would like to shed some light on thetechnique/equipment I was using.
You can just copy/paste my reply on the forum. Or keep it to yourself.
Could you please do me one favor however: post the link to the original
site:
http://www.photo.net/photos/siwanowicz .
The original pics are not as brutally compressed as the ones on the
Bulgarian site. Also, there is plenty more where they came from.
SO, here is some equipment info: Lens: Canon EF 100 mm/2,8 Macro USM. It
gives 1:1 magnification. I use F/ usually @14-18.
Camera body: Canon EOS 10D, I moved to 20D as soon as it appeared on the
market.
Lighting technique: I am using Canon 550EX mounted on the Manfrotto
macro bracket, on a dedicated extension cord. It's set as a "master."
420EX is set as a wireless "slave," on a light tripod. I experiment with
the positioning of the light sources and flash heads. The most important
thing is softening/diffusing the light. I use home-made diffusers
(alu-foil, cardboard, thin paper), shaped something like Lumiquest
Bigbounce.
Lazy ass that I am, I shoot mostly indoors. But I try to make the bugs
behave as naturally as possible. This is what they usually do anyway.
Some cooperate, some don't;
patience is the key.
One more thing: any occult signs/symbols/sigils you may encounter in my
works, it's all for fun. I like seeing peoples' reactions to all this
crap. You can see that they go like: is this guy serious? Wtf is wrong
with this sicko? Hope this would clear things a bit! Spread the word.
Cheers,
Igor
===============================================================================
Visit that site referenced above. Spectacular work!
-
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les clark / edgewater, nj / usa
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Hoarcroft@verizon.net

Re: Macro Insect Photos

Yeah, some of the compositions are interesting. Probably something lost
on many viewers.
Surprised he is not championed more by some. When the D1 came out, he
proclaimed it better than film.
Ciao!
Gordon Moat
A G Studio
<http://www.allgstudio.com>

Gordon Moat

Re: Macro Insect Photos

Thanks. A number of times someone or other got indignant, didn't see the
irony, etc., etc.....
--
John

John McWilliams

Re: Macro Insect Photos

[SNIP]
To whom would you speak it?
;-)
Peter (Someone had to bite!)

Bandicoot

Re: Macro Insect Photos

So what is "great photography?"

Annika1980

Re: Macro Insect Photos

....
Your opinion, noted... but given the way you state it, the mark
is a negative one in your column, and doesn't reflect on the
work you directed it at. (The first tipoff being any claim that
one brand or another of hardware is part of the formula you use
to evaluate someone else's work.)
Learn to appreciate the fact that most great photography is not
done in your particular style, and whether you like something or
would want to take that type of photograph has *nothing* to do
with whether is is good photography or not.
--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) floyd@apaflo.com

Floyd@apaflo.com (Floyd L. Davidson)

Re: Macro Insect Photos

You are certainly entitled to your opinion.
Different strokes, I guess.
Scott makes a valid point. I'm sure there is much better macro work
done with Nikon gear than the link you posted. Man, that stuff was
awful! My opinion, of course.

Annika1980

Re: Macro Insect Photos

or
Gordon sometimes you are just full of BS, like now. The images are not
that good, but
I said that I was sure a Nikon could do much better. I have never
bashed Nikons (other then the D70 and D50 with are not all that good).
I just don't see much there in the images, unless you like rather wild
colors
As for myself, I don't own a true Macro lens so it is unlikely that I
have ever produce a really good macro shot. I don't even own a lens
that can image a 1:1 I have done a few close up images but this is not
my main area.
But I will say that Bret's Macro images are far better then the ones in
the link you provided.
Scott

Scott W

Re: Macro Insect Photos

Both you guys should e-mail Bjørn then. He does lots of UV light
imaging, which is a better explanation of colours in his images. He also
has converted microscope lenses, and made other strange adapters for
various lenses, like the Rodenstock f0.75 lens that can only be used for
macro imaging.
Since both you guys think the camera brand is what makes the image,
there is not much point in further discussion. I am not into macro or
micro imaging either. Funny thing is that I while I don't care for most
of the images Bjørn has on his website, and I don't necessarily agree
with his opinions, it is my opinion that he has shown better macro and
micro images on his website than I have ever seen from either of you
with your Canon gear.
So there you go guys . . . you got your Nikon .vs. Canon thread that you
wanted . . . have fun with that.
Ciao!
Gordon Moat
A G Studio
<http://www.allgstudio.com>

Gordon Moat

Re: Macro Insect Photos

fishin' in the shallow end of the gene pool as it were.

No_name

Re: Macro Insect Photos

Good grief. I thought that was a joke, but I think you are
saying Tim is wrong and what I said is true, he *is* blind.
Interesting condition for a photographer.
--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) floyd@apaflo.com

Floyd@apaflo.com (Floyd L. Davidson)

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