View allAll Photos Tagged hoverflies
Extreme macro of a lovely little hoverfly. Now that my equipment has come back from repairs, I'm able to stack again which is rather pleasing =).
This is interesting because whilst my stuff was away, I made myself a new gadget that should let me be a bit more varied. Before, the stage that I had was a cheap eBay "lab lifter", and the mounting stage was a Watkins & Doncaster "Insect Examination Stage". Between these it was very difficult to point insects at interesting directions into the camera, so it means I was always pretty limited in terms of the views and angles I could use.
But, whilst my stuff was away, I made two things: a special lifter and a rotation stage thing. Between these it means that I can now make shots from more interesting angles, as it lets me do such things as 3/4 views like this (more below). This is a pleasure because whilst the headon shot is always good for impact, surely not every shot should be a headon shot =).
Technical: BG output onto SmallHD via HDMI matrix used as background; rear curtain sync 2s exposures; 96 photos with no sub stacks, Zerene Stacker Dmap and Pmax combined, finished off with CS4, NoiseNinja & Topaz Detail. Step size of 75µm, polystyrene chip cone diffuser. Resized 50% to reduce noise. Componon 28 f/4 reversed on slightly extended bellows so about 2:1 ish; 3 flashes @1/16 perpendicular @2 &10 o'clock, @1/32 perpendicular @6 o'clock.
UPDATE 2014 - I have put together an extreme macro photography learning site to explain the techniques and equipment used for all my macro photos here in Flickr which is now ready. To point to a few of the links that people who want to learn this stuff might like to have a browse of:
Focus Stacking, Focus Stack Preparation, Shooting A Stack, Stack Processing, Stack Post Processing, Schneider Kreuznach Componon 28 mm f/4, Schneider Kreuznach Componon 35 mm f/4, Schneider Kreuznach Componon 80 mm f/4, Nikon El-Nikkor 50 mm f/2.8N, Reject Enlarger Lenses, JML Optical 21 mm f/3.5, 20 mm Microfilm f/2.8, Anybrand MP-E 65 Macro Lens, Manual, TTL, Rear Curtain Sync, Extreme Macro Backgrounds, Single Colour Background, The Gradient Background, Adjustable Flash Shoe Mounts, Extension Tubes, Eyepiece, Field Monitor, Flash Bracket, Focusing Helicoid, Holding Tools, Lens Adapters, M42 Iris, Macro Tripod, Making A Macro Beanbag, Insect Photography
This was attracted to the fennel growing in my garden. Please can anyone assist with a positive identification.
Today's back garden safari... hoverflies! Very tricky to photograph - they're tiny, they don't stay still for long, don't come close and it's hard to get a focus on them. Going to stick with birds from now on ...
A tiny hoverfly (I think it's a marmalade hoverfly) flitting around my garden in the sunshine this afternoon.
Photo©George Crawford.
Taken with Sony A580, processed in Photosho[ and Topaz.
Added textures are my own
Thank you for your comments
a male syrphid (hoverfly) (Diptera: Syrphidae) resting on a small dried flower
ID: Sphaerophoria sp
Nikon 105mm f2.8 + 27.5 mm extension tube
Some color for a change. Maybe too much color? ...naaaaah.
It's a hoverfly, flower fly and syrphid fly at the same time. Depends who you ask, but it's an insect from the family of syrphidae. More closer I don't know but please tell me if You do!
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Blog:
A hoverfly on cosmos flower in our Staffordshire garden this morning. I'm not very good with hoverflies; but this could be Helophilus pendulus. The black on the hind tibia is restricted to the distal third.
Hoverfly cleaning its ovipositor. Not an usual sight as this particular reproductive organ is not used often except for depositing its eggs in the ground.
They are often seen hovering at flowers feeding on nectar. Their larvae feed on decaying plant materials while some species, the larvae are insectivores and prey on aphids, thrips, and other plant-sucking insects. Therefore, they are deem beneficial to horticulture.
Size : 8mm
@home
A stack of 145 images taken using a stackshot rail and put together with zerene stacker. magnification 1.5x
First venture out with the Olympus 300mm. E-M1/300mm + 1.4x TC.
Press L for a larger and nicer view :-)
We have seen many hoverflies this summer. We've never noticed them before moving to Scotland. We didn't even know their name and had to ask our friend Jaana. They are so pretty, looking like miniature helicopters. It amazes us how they can stay still in the air by quickly rotating their wings.
Sometimes called flower flies or syrphid flies, they are often seen hovering or nectaring at flowers. All hoverflies have a single functional pair of wings (the hindwings are reduced to balancing organs). They are brightly colored, with spots, stripes, and bands of yellow or brown covering their bodies. Due to this coloring, they are often mistaken for wasps or bees; they exhibit Batesian mimicry. Despite this, hoverflies are harmless.
Texture with thanks to Kim Klassen
Thank you all so much for your visits, comments, FAVs and invites. Very much appreciated! ♥
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