Shoot fast moving insects

kiwijohn says

RE: Shoot fast moving insects

1. Use iso 400 or even 800 if you have a camera like the Nikon D300 (and some others) - they have the processing power to give brill results even at higher iso's so you end up with minimal digital noise on the final image. 2. Use f8 or f11 or even smaller if you can get away with it, as near the 1:1 image to subject ratio the Depth Of Focus (DOF) is gonna be pretty minimal. Shutter speed needs to be >1/250 I would say as shake is REALLY magnified too and is a BIG issue here! 3. Try to get a "plane of focus" running through the EYE of the insect and one or more of its legs or other bits - A sharp insect eye/s is essential in an insect shot and you don't HAVE to have the entire body in sharp focus to get a pleasing effect - anyway, its not often you will be ABLE to get the WHOLE insect sharp from closest to furthest bit of it from your lens! This is where small apertures make the most of DOF. 4. On solid surfaces like rocks and walls or trees where you are trying to get shots of lichens etc or less easily spooked "trundle type" bugs, clench your fist and rest the edge of the macro lens on your knuckle with the other end of your fist braced on the solid surface, and rock it into focus. I use a Sigma macro flash which allows me to do this without getting my big knuckles in the picture! This "knuckles - length" working distance is just about right for my 60mm macro - won't work for a 90 or 105mm one. where your operating distances are far greater. 5. Yes, I agree, turn off VR and autofocus - they really can't cope with the extremes of macro and just end up annoying you and getting in the way. VR might be OK if your subject is about 1 metre away. (Try dragonflies for a real challenge!) 6. Experiment, experiment, experiment!!! Enjoy!

11 October 2008 06:40

MarkRamsey says

RE: Shoot fast moving insects

Macro shots are of great interest to me and the tutorial as ever was full of quality advice. I am also impressed on the down to earth delivery. Many thanks to the team.

04 October 2008 13:15