WOW! Doing this sort of shot takes patience, effort, more patience, more effort, and then a bunch of skill - result is ...well WOW! Talk about keeping eye-contact with the subject! Excellent image.
Nice portrait of one of my favourite animals. I can decide if more DoF would have detracted from the eyes, but I like it just the same.
Greg
Posted by Jeroen Stel on March 17, 2009 at 3:35 PM
Hi Guys,
Thanks for your comments so far.
To Greg: More DOF would have given me more diffraction with this set-up and magnification so that was no option. Actually i should have used less DOF and focus stacking for more sharpness but these guys won't sit still long enough..
Impressive true macro image Jeroen, although I'm still not sure on the bg. Are you calculating your mag based on the sensor or the reproduced size? I think this might be somewhat higher than x8.
Working in a field that requires mags of up to x35 I know all the difficulties you face when producing images of this nature and am very impressed with the results produced...
Looking forward to more
Posted by Jeroen Stel on March 18, 2009 at 5:51 AM
Hi Phil,
I too had thought it would be more then 8x i guess it might be around 10x but i am not sure..
I still think you are underselling yourself on the magnification... the way to check is to photograph a ruler straight afterwards (we use special scales) without altering the focus, this will give you something you can measure to work out your reproduced magnification...
If you think about it a 3mm object at x8 will be 24mm (just under an inch), at x16 it will be 48mm (just under 2 inches) I am betting that the magnification people are seeing on their screens is higher than that.....
All the best
Phil
Posted by Adam Seward on March 18, 2009 at 8:43 AM
Great image with loads of impact! What flash did you use?
Posted by Mark Davies on March 18, 2009 at 10:05 AM
bluuuuuurgh that gives me the creeps...from the brief second I was able to stare at it without running out the room screaming it looks like a superb macro. So a for the image and a for the subject!!
Posted by Craig Jones on March 18, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Wow,!! brillant shot of this spider again jeroen,10/10 well done
Posted by John Robinson on March 18, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Great stuff.
JJR
Posted by Jeroen Stel on March 18, 2009 at 6:16 PM
Hi Guys,
Thanks for your comments!
To Adam: I use a Canon 550 EX on a macro bracket with a Gary Fong Lightsphere diffuser wich i altered by adding aluminium foil inside and a piece of kitchen towel between the dome and the lightsphere to get some extra diffusion. I also use a wireless twin flash now wich i also altered the position of the flashes somehwhat by putting them under a 45 degree angle and adding some diffusion material.
To Phil: think you are right and i must try to photograph a ruler sometime to see what comes out.
Discussion
17 repliesGreetings,
Jeroen Stel
Canon Eos 1D Mark 3
Shutter speed: 1/250 sec
Aperture: F 11
Exposure mode: M
Exposure compensation: - 2
Flash:Yes + Gary Fong Lightsphere diffuser +Kitchen Towel
Flash exposure compensation: - 2/3
Metering mode: Evaluative
Drive mode: AI Focus
ISO: 200
Lens: 2x Canon Teleconverter + 72 mm Extension Tubes + Canon 28mm FD reversed
Focal length:N.A
AF mode: Manual Focus
Handheld with Macro flash bracket
Levels/Curves/USM/Contrast/Saturation/Noise Ninja/Homemade mix-Sharpening
Bibble Pro/Adobe Photoshop CS 4
_________________
Good things come to those who wait...
Golden rule in Nature & Wildlife Photography
www.jeroenstel.com
www.wildpixels.nl
Greg
Thanks for your comments so far.
To Greg: More DOF would have given me more diffraction with this set-up and magnification so that was no option. Actually i should have used less DOF and focus stacking for more sharpness but these guys won't sit still long enough..
Greetings,
Jeroen Stel
Matt
Major.
Nice work..
Brett
Remarkeble details.
Frederic
Working in a field that requires mags of up to x35 I know all the difficulties you face when producing images of this nature and am very impressed with the results produced...
Looking forward to more
I too had thought it would be more then 8x i guess it might be around 10x but i am not sure..
Greetings,
Jeroen Stel
I still think you are underselling yourself on the magnification... the way to check is to photograph a ruler straight afterwards (we use special scales) without altering the focus, this will give you something you can measure to work out your reproduced magnification...
If you think about it a 3mm object at x8 will be 24mm (just under an inch), at x16 it will be 48mm (just under 2 inches) I am betting that the magnification people are seeing on their screens is higher than that.....
All the best
Phil
JJR
Thanks for your comments!
To Adam: I use a Canon 550 EX on a macro bracket with a Gary Fong Lightsphere diffuser wich i altered by adding aluminium foil inside and a piece of kitchen towel between the dome and the lightsphere to get some extra diffusion. I also use a wireless twin flash now wich i also altered the position of the flashes somehwhat by putting them under a 45 degree angle and adding some diffusion material.
To Phil: think you are right and i must try to photograph a ruler sometime to see what comes out.
Greetings,
Jeroen Stel