help setting up studio for preymantis insects..

[macro junkie]

hi guys..I do macro and im in to preymantis insects..i have 3 all ready and im getting another tomorow,,i want to start shooting my mantis in home made studio..im thinking that the light box i made with 2x500watt haergeon lights is to hot..what do u guys think?can i get some flash boxes or somthing.?i got about 500£ to spend,.i want to get pics like this..i want it like this and mayby difrent colours..
THIS ISNT MY PIC!

oh the pic is of a orchid mantis,im odering one tomorow..woooooo

[macro junkie]

mayby i should have this at macro section..mods can u move it please??

[Far2Close]

lol, pretty wicked, almost camouflages into a flower
dunno much about mantis's, are they dangerous? bite humans? poisonous? can you handle em with bare hands?

[Moppie]

500 pounds should let you buy lots of nice lights!

I would be inclined to start simple though, then prehaps work your way up.

I built a very useable box out an old carboard box and some large sheets of tracing paper.
I simply cut large holes in the box, leaving only a simple frame, and filled the holes with the tracing paper sheets.
I could then fire my 550 into the roof or the sides either from on camera, or a small tripod in the light tent.

From this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/Moppie/lighttent.jpg


I got this with just the 550ex fired into the roof of the tent:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/Moppie/A80inlighttent.jpg




I now have a slightly sturdier one built from 20mm electrical conduit, but it still uses sheets of tracing paper on the sides and roof.

This is again, one light, on camera, into the roof of the tent:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/Moppie/FruitSalad2.jpg

Will your MT - 24 work as a master?
You could easily add a second light with a 430ex if it will work as a master, or if it will work as a slave with a 580ex, or used 550ex.

Or, buy 2 cheap manual flash units and trigger one with a PC Sync adaptor on the camera hot shoe, and the other with an optical trigger.

[macro junkie]

lol, pretty wicked, almost camouflages into a flower
dunno much about mantis's, are they dangerous? bite humans? poisonous? can you handle em with bare hands?
yes there fine im alwasy handering them..

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2249/1725322014_f4fca00f03.jpg

[macro junkie]

500 pounds should let you buy lots of nice lights!

I would be inclined to start simple though, then prehaps work your way up.

I built a very useable box out an old carboard box and some large sheets of tracing paper.
I simply cut large holes in the box, leaving only a simple frame, and filled the holes with the tracing paper sheets.
I could then fire my 550 into the roof or the sides either from on camera, or a small tripod in the light tent.

From this:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/Moppie/lighttent.jpg


I got this with just the 550ex fired into the roof of the tent:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/Moppie/A80inlighttent.jpg




I now have a slightly sturdier one built from 20mm electrical conduit, but it still uses sheets of tracing paper on the sides and roof.

This is again, one light, on camera, into the roof of the tent:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/Moppie/FruitSalad2.jpg

Will your MT - 24 work as a master?
You could easily add a second light with a 430ex if it will work as a master, or if it will work as a slave with a 580ex, or used 550ex.

Or, buy 2 cheap manual flash units and trigger one with a PC Sync adaptor on the camera hot shoe, and the other with an optical trigger.


yes..listend buddie i need your help here,,i have my own lighting tent like yours..so u think i would be ok with the mt-24ex using it as the main and the 420ex as anothe flash on a defuser?i have them both just dont have a defuser..any sergestions on 1?

[macro junkie]

oh i forgot to say..nice shot buddie.

[lance v]

Poisnoness ahhaa sorry bu that made me laugh:)

500wat halogen will definately turn them into a nice roast,

i agree with moppie. maybe get a cheap/second hand 420ex if u can and use the MT-24 as a master(i think thats what he said i ddnt really read it that good)

[Moppie]

yes..listend buddie i need your help here,,i have my own lighting tent like yours..so u think i would be ok with the mt-24ex using it as the main and the 420ex as anothe flash on a defuser?i have them both just dont have a defuser..any sergestions on 1?


The light tent itself works as the diffuser.
Basicaly its just a whole lot of white surface for the light to bounce around inside of.

You can start with just one light, bounced into the top, or side of the light tent.
I have a cheap flash that cost me $1, and does just as good a job as the 550ex does, provided I get the exposure right, so you don't need to spend a lot of money on it.