Ant Farming

[malum]

Comments on this please?
Good,? Bad? Ugly?

TIA

http://www.virtuallyinsane.co.uk/odds/nick-ant.jpg


Image description
Artist
Copyright
Exposure time 0.0125 s
F-number f/8
Exposure program Manual
ISO speed ratings 200
Date/time original 13/06/2004 11:18:13
Date/time digitized 13/06/2004 11:18:13
Component config Y
Compressed BPP 2
Shutter speed value 1/79 s
Aperture value 6.000000
Brightness value 6.52
Exposure bias value 0.000000
Max. aperture value 3.000000
Metering mode Pattern
Light source Unknown
Flash Flash did not fire [off]
Focal length 7.8 mm
Colorspace sRGB
Pixel X dimension 2136
Pixel Y dimension 2848
Focal plane X res. 3742.000000
Focal plane Y res. 3742.000000
Sensing method One-chip color area sensor
Scene type Photographed image
Custom Rendered Normal process
Exposure mode Manual exposure
White balance Manual white balance
Scene capture type Standard
Sharpness Soft
Subject distance range Macro
Miscellaneous
Exif version 2.2
FlashPix version (30,31,30,30)
File source DSC
Fujifilm Maker Notes
Quality NORMAL
Sharpness Soft
White balance Auto
Color Normal
Flash mode Off
Flash strength -0.6
Macro On
Focus mode Auto focus
Slow sync Off
Picture mode Manual exposure
Bracketting Off
Blur warning No blur warning
Focus warning Auto focus good
Auto exposure warning Auto exposure good

[RoB_m]

it could be a little more sharp but it's still interesting. are the ants attacking the aphids?

[malum]

they farm them, it's a symbiotic relationship.
Would the lack of sharpness be a product of no tripod and relatively low shutter speed or limitations of the camera (Fuji S7000, 50% of picture cropped out) or a combination of both?

[RoB_m]

i'd try using a faster shutter speed first to keep your mobility. a tripod would make things more complicated when trying to set up for a shot like that. it could also be a limitation of your lens. you might have been too close for it to handle. i'm just thinking of possibilities since i don't know which camera you're using. how close were you to the ants?

one of the things listed under the picture is 'sharpness soft'. i'd turn that off if it's a camera setting.

[karusel]

Perspective is a little odd, but not necessarily a wrong thing, however the ant farming is pretty subtle, as their 'cows' are in a shadow and one can't really see them well. The shot is underexposed. You should have used ISO 400 and 1/90, you'd certainly blow the already blown highlights in the background but that would not matter much.

[stopbath]

A view of the 'farm' is almost profile, a view where we see more of the farm might be nice instead of the side view of it. Also a white card or fill flash could have filled in the darkness...

The aphid farm is really a cool subject.

[malum]

Thanks all

I will give it another go. This one was almost by accident I just grabbed a quick shot when I noticed it. The result was more interesting than I thought it was going to be.