Reflections in a Raindrop

[Becki_D]

Darn, this macro stuff is hard...Please post comments, suggestions, etc.
Canon 20D, 100 macro lens, RAW.
Thanks All :)
I wish I knew how to crop in a creative manner...Seems as if I just can't pull it off enough to get the RIGHT composition

[Bald Eagle]

Very, Very impressive. The reflection is awesome. great job. My only suggestion, and it has nothing to do with this photo, is try to find or make a larger raindrop, makes for easier composition, these are great.

[Becki_D]

Thanks for posting Bald Eagle...let me ask you this, when doing your macro shots, do you get as close to your subject as possible with your lens. or do you take the picture at a greater distance and then crop your final image. I'm struggling to understand distance with a macro lens. How close, how much DOF, how much cropping, etc. Hope my questions make sense. My instinct has been to get as close to my subject as the lens will allow, but is this the best way to approach macro photography

[Bald Eagle]

Your questions make perfect sense, the answer lies in composition of the subject and/or background. For example, in the water drop, you want to get as close as possible and then focus into the water drop to get a clear reflection. On a spider, its really up to your eye if you want the whole subject or just a close-up of the face. I use a Tripod religously for the Macro shots and i use a remote shutter release for the least amount of movement possible.

[Leorooster]

Beautiful shots. I think I like both. I think the uncropped one has more to it while the corpped one focuses on the droplet. Great shots!

[Becki_D]

I too use a tripod (learned the hard way) and a remote shutter release.:)
Do you or have you used a focusing rail ( is it necessary)? What about flash, (ring flash, ambient light, or fill flash)? Guess i just need to go out and shoot, shoot, shoot...

[Bald Eagle]

I too use a tripod (learned the hard way) and a remote shutter release.:)
Do you or have you used a focusing rail ( is it necessary)? What about flash, (ring flash, ambient light, or fill flash)? Guess i just need to go out and shoot, shoot, shoot...
Practice is the best learning tool. Right now i have been using natural light and some in-camera flash, my plans are to add a Macro flash unit very soon.

[Learner]

What a cool capture!

[Becki_D]

thanks all for posting. i'm heading to the outer banks of NC next week..hope to have a bunch of decent pictures to post here. :)

[queenbee288]

Becki, Great reflection. I use tripod and remote shutter release RS-60E3. I can really tell the difference with the remote. I tend to get in close for the detail as the more cropping you do the more quality you lose. Don't get me wrong. I usually do some cropping but never at 100%

char