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A beekeeper was kind enough to crack open a few hives for me, and I managed to photograph a honeybee birthday (Apis mellifera liquistica).
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 1x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT (E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held.
Technique: I injected artificial nectar into a Lavender flower and when the honeybee started feeding on it I grabbed onto the stem of the lavender flower with my left hand, and then rested the lens on that same hand to help keep the scene steady. Then we played a game where I'd frame and compose the scene only for her to move at the last second ;)
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200 with highlight tone priority) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-24EX (both flash heads on the Canon flash mount, E-TTL metering with -1 1/3 FEC, second curtain sync). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. Image taken in 2016 but I'm just now getting around to processing it.
I went out early and found this rather alien looking metallic beetle hanging out on a Dandelion. Tentatively identified as Buprestidae, likely in the genus Acmaeodera. Common name: Jewel Beetle.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (almost 3x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order. I held the flower close to a wall to keep the background from being black.
This female Sweat Bee is using her mandibles to strip pollen out of a Sourgrass anther. I shot a video on how I take these photos youtu.be/iQtUIiNCSzs
Sweat Bees in Sourgrass Deconstruction
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (around 2.5x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC, second curtain sync). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order. I was holding on to the flower's stem with my left hand, and then resting the lens on that same hand to help keep the scene steady. Easier to do on days when it's windy since the vibrations that I create when I grab onto the flower are masked by the breeze.
While walking through my yard looking for something to shoot this Honeybee landed on my shoulder. Not sure why its metabolism tanked, but it was enough for me to coax it onto a finger and photograph it feeding on some sugar syrup.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (almost 3x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering with -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI, Denoise AI, and Clarity in that order.
This butterfly was flying from one plant to another, this image captures the moment that it starts to land on the plant, with wings slowing it down.
A snoozing European Wool Carder Bee. I like the abstract look of this 5x shot.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (5x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC, second curtain sync. This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held.
Not sure exactly what this red Beetle is, but I found a mating pair of them on my mother in laws farm -in December! It was 18C (that is almost 65F for the metric impaired ;) ). Way too warm for this time of year.
Family Chrysomelidae (Leaf Beetle).
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F13, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to about 1.5x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT, E-TTL metering, -2/3 FEC. This is a single, cropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI and Clarity in that order.
I chased this semi-active Long Horned Bee as it moved around a flower and when it would pause I'd look for a way to compose it. Just out of the frame, to the left, I'm holding on to that stem with my left hand and I'm resting the lens on that same hand to help keep the scene steady. Having the camera and the subject on the same "platform" gives me a lot of control over the framing and where I want the area of acceptable focus to be. I focused on the leading edge of the bee's mandible and then twisted my wrist to lay the depth over as much of the critter's face as I could. It's harder for me to explain it than to do it, I've built up a lot of muscle memory shooting macro hand held these fifteen years.
Tetralonia malvae, male.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI and Clarity in that order. I used an artificial flower to keep the background from being black.
I watched this Sweat Bee foraging for pollen in a Sunflower and tried to predict where it was going to be and the angle I needed to get as much depth as possible. Then I focused on an anther and waited for her to start stripping out the pollen. She was moving so fast I could only get one shot before I had to set up on another anther. Lots of deleted frames.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (2x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order.
It was early in the morning and this very cooperative Metallic Chafer Beetle allowed me to take over 200 frames, and I used the opportunity to experiment with the position of my flash heads. This session has led me to stop using a Kaiser Adjustable Flash Shoe on the key light. Due to the changes I've made to my light quality the Kaiser was working against me.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order.
Technique: Another early morning shot of a soon to be active critter. With local temps in the low 20s C at dawn they don't stay still very long. I held on to the Lavender stalk that it was on with my left hand, and rested the lens on that same hand to keep the scene steady. This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200 with highlight tone priority) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 3x) + a diffused MT-24EX (both flash heads on the Canon flash mount, E-TTL metering with -1 1/3 FEC).
wasn't able to make a positive identification on the skipper but i'm absolutely sure it was a surprise lily
backyard capture in chesterfield
This European Wool Carder Bee (Anthidium florentinum) was semi-active so I was able to get a shot without its mandibles clamped onto a plant stem. Looks menacing but they are really docile and excellent pollinators.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to almost 4x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, +1/3 FEC, second curtain sync). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held.
Technique: I found this European Wool carder bee snoozing on a Lavender stalk before sunset and woke up early the next morning to photograph it before it warmed up and got active. I placed an artificial flower behind it to keep the background from being black.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (almost 5x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering with -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. To keep the scene steady I held onto the Lavender stalk with my left hand, and then rested the lens on that same hand so that the subject and camera where on the same platform. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI, Denoise AI, and Clarity in that order.
Now that's a look! Did you know that flies can perceive movement six times faster than humans? This allows them to instantly react to danger and avoid predators. Thanks to these unique abilities, flies are some of the quickest insects around
Sometimes when I walk through the garden I get the feeling like I'm being watched. But that's silly- right?
I went looking for something to photograph in less than ideal conditions and managed to get a shot of a Honeybee foraging on a Dandelion.
Tech Specs: Canon 90D (F11, 1/125, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to 1x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT, E-TTL metering, -2/3 FEC. This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Clarity and Sharpen AI in that order. Shutter and ISO set to expose the background.
A male Blue Mason Bee getting ready to start his day. The males sleep in my Mason Bee house, in the cardboard tubes that I bought from Crown Bees, and the females don't seem to mind. I've also noticed this same behavior in the wild, with male Mason Bees sleeping in the cavities that they initially emerged from.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmia_caerulescens
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 1x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering with -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI, Denoise AI, and Clarity in that order.
Macro shot of a fly facing me, letting me inch-up my camera as close as I might hope to get before it takes off.
This male Leaf Cutter Bee (Megachile sp) was only in my Lavender for a few days, so I tried to get a lot of different compositions.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (2x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head, E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. I'm holding on to the Lavender stem with my left hand, and resting the lens on that same hand to keep the scene steady.
Heute habe ich den sonnigen Morgen genutzt und bin wieder auf Liebellenjagd gegangen. Hier das Ergebnis :)
Ist Sie nicht wunderbar .... ?
I went to my sister in law's house to photograph the Bumblebees in her Lavender. She lives in the mountains above Itri, Italy so I got there at 5:30 in the morning hoping I could photograph them before they got active. Unfortunately it was 20C (68F) and they were pretty much hyperactive. I found a few that were having a tough time getting their metabolism going but they didn't give me much time to shoot. Due to the pandemic I wasn't able to go to her place earlier in the year.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order.
I found a male Drone Hoverfly (Eristalis tenax) foraging in a Dandelion that allowed me to shade it so I could use the flash to expose the critter and natural light to expose the background. Drone Hoverflies are frequently mistaken for honeybees.
Tech Specs: Canon 90D (F11, 1/125, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to 1x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT, E-TTL metering, -2/3 FEC. This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Clarity and Sharpen AI in that order. Shutter and ISO set to expose the background.
I put a few drops of Agave Nectar on a zucchini flower to give this honeybee a reason to let me get close. This image works as is, or turned to the left for a portrait.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/100, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (2x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering with -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order. The sharpening built into Denoise AI looked so good I used it to sharpen this photo.