Revised 8/4/2013

I am an ametuer. I mostly shoot insects but have branched out in recent years. I love this hobby. If you have any questions or want to discuss any aspect of photography you will find me more than willing to engage.

I shoot canon. most pictures posted after 2009 are with my 5d mark II but I have also used a 40d and 30d. I love my camera but i don't want to get into the canon/nikon/etc debate. It bores me, Nikon makes great stuff too.

This is the 7th year of taking macro pictures in earnest. I have tried to get better each year while concentrating on a slightly different aspect of photography. I have a special affinity for dragonflies, mantids and bees but if it looks interesting and will stand still for a damn minute - i will capture it. Since I don't have kids, i have had the luxury of buying great equipment. I have 3 dedicated macro lenses (mpe-65 (1x-5x), 100mm f2.8 IS and 180mm 3.5 L - all canon) + the 5x mark II. Nicer equipment than is needed for great pictures but it's fun to shoot with great gear.

I would say 80% of the insects i post are from my back yard. I love the fact that there is all this wildlife (albeit tiny) right in front of you. I think my favorite side effect of taking all these pictures is having acquired an eye to SEE things that otherwise go unnoticed. Our lives - the Joys and fears, are much more about how we see the world than the circumstances we find ourselves in.

I am at a point with this hobby where i am beginning to try to sell my pictures. I have not sold any yet.

Wheeling is in the Chicago area in the USA on the planet Earth, as such we revolve around the sun elliptically. Please don't criticize that, it works for us earthlings. Please don't ask me to take you to my leader because i am not sure who that would be in context, the president, head of the UN, my boss?

Hope you like the pictures.

PS: for those who like to know this kind of thing, here is my setup:

MACRO:

NEW LENS: Canon 180mm macro L.

canon 100mm macro f2.8 IS L (great lens)

Extension tubes (kenko 36, 20, 12).

MT-24ex macro flash (probably the most useful thing I own)

Canon TC 1.4. Combined with the180 I can really get some pictures of insects that normally fly away.

WIldlife/General:

Canon 100-400L (Still learning how best to use it. v nice lens)

Canon 24-105 IS f4 - fantastic general purpose lens

indoor:

Canon 50mm 1.4 (for the money, this is a gret lens)

canon 35mm 2.0 (cheapo lens but nice all the same)

Wide angle:

Tamron 12-24 (I like this lens. well built and sharp but it's only for crop sensors)

sigma 15mm fisheye (love this lens, you can almost take macros with it and it's just a different perspective).

FLASH:

1-580EXII Great flash

2-420EX (one of these is the oldest equipment i own, bought it for my canon G2 in the 90s)

Just bought a rayman ring flash add on my 580-ex. it's nice.

OTHERS:

i have a good tripod which is crucial when using the 100-400. I have a monopod too (both manfrotto) which I am still learning how to use. I bought it for macro but I think it will be more useful for the long lens.