Post your BUG shots!

nardes wrote in post #19086219
Paper Wasps snoozing on the berries of our Sacred Bamboo Shrub.

Cheers

Dennis

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Amazing. Such nice reds. It looks like abstract art.

nardes wrote in post #19086219
Paper Wasps snoozing on the berries of our Sacred Bamboo Shrub.

Cheers

Dennis

EDIT: Taken with Helicon FB Tube, 50 frames at Step Size=8 with Canon (EOS-R)<>(Mount Adapter EF-EOS R)<>Helicon FB Tube)<>(EF 25mm Tube)<>(EF x1.4 Extender Mk III)<>(180mm F3.5L)...quite a looong imaging train.

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That’s not only an interesting and outstanding photo, it’s also very neat!

Amazing detail.

Wow, insane.

Joining the hover fly posters.

This is heat of the day shooting (28C/86F) and the critter was hyperactive. Fortunately this beetle was more hungry than afraid, and I'm getting better at tracking moving subjects with the camera and had several frames to choose from. If you've ever wondered why I don't focus stack it's images like this one that are one of the reasons why.

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.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2jh2​MG7

nardes wrote in post #19086219
Paper Wasps snoozing on the berries of our Sacred Bamboo Shrub.

Cheers

Dennis

EDIT: Taken with Helicon FB Tube, 50 frames at Step Size=8 with Canon (EOS-R)<>(Mount Adapter EF-EOS R)<>Helicon FB Tube)<>(EF 25mm Tube)<>(EF x1.4 Extender Mk III)<>(180mm F3.5L)...quite a looong imaging train.

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Your paper wasps sleep a lot! I wish ours would. I got stung again the other day.

Pippan wrote in post #19086344
Your paper wasps sleep a lot! I wish ours would. I got stung again the other day.

I think that these Paper Wasps must be a relatively docile species as they really appear to be quite disinterested in me and have never shown any signs of aggression, unlike other wasps that I have encountered. I often breathe several breaths of hot air onto them in the cold mornings, after the photo sessions, to help them warm up and they just wake up and begin their cleaning routine.

Cheers

Dennis

nardes wrote in post #19086355
I think that these Paper Wasps must be a relatively docile species as they really appear to be quite disinterested in me and have never shown any signs of aggression, unlike other wasps that I have encountered. I often breathe several breaths of hot air onto them in the cold mornings, after the photo sessions, to help them warm up and they just wake up and begin their cleaning routine.

Cheers

Dennis

I am curious - are wasps generally more aggressive than bees? I have seen only one or two wasps in my garden in the last few months and on both occasions they seemed rather hostile. I do not get the same vibe from the bees. I would therefore tend to be more cautious when I next get a wasp in my sights.

PSteven wrote in post #19086146
I have set the MT24 flash power to -1/3 and the Exposure compensation to -1.7 to prevent the face of the hoverfly getting blown out. Perhaps when I add more diffusion I will not need so much negative exposure compensation.

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If you mean -1.7 EC in post processing your overall exposure is to high, spot-metering could be the solution if the flash tries to light the complete frame(or manual but I often switch between dark and light places in the garden and forget to adjust so I use TTL). Do you check the meter(in camera), maybe your exposure without flash is already (too) high.

PSteven wrote in post #19086358
I am curious - are wasps generally more aggressive than bees? I have seen only one or two wasps in my garden in the last few months and on both occasions they seemed rather hostile. I do not get the same vibe from the bees. I would therefore tend to be more cautious when I next get a wasp in my sights.

In my experience, I have found that wasps tend to be more aggressive than bees. With these particular Paper Wasps in our back garden, my wife and I walk past them most days and so I am used to their behaviour. Even when I have been clumsy and touched the branch with the flash diffuser, they just took off, circled me a few times, then settled down again so my profile is probably not registered in their threat library.

However, I would not attempt to get as close to any stinging insect in the wild, just as a precaution.

Cheers

Dennis

pcs wrote in post #19086372
If you mean -1.7 EC in post processing your overall exposure is to high, spot-metering could be the solution if the flash tries to light the complete frame(or manual but I often switch between dark and light places in the garden and forget to adjust so I use TTL). Do you check the meter(in camera), maybe your exposure without flash is already (too) high.

The -1.7 EC was on camera with the flash power on -1/3 - note this setting seemed to work quite well for me.

I did find however with only -0.7 exposure compensation on camera the face of the hoverfly was getting blown out areas. See photo below.

I will try the spot metering and also check my meter (in camera) - sometimes I just get carried away in the moment without reviewing the photos and pay the price when I get the whole shoot overexposed

nardes wrote in post #19086391
In my experience, I have found that wasps tend to be more aggressive than bees. With these particular Paper Wasps in our back garden, my wife and I walk past them most days and so I am used to their behaviour. Even when I have been clumsy and touched the branch with the flash diffuser, they just took off, circled me a few times, then settled down again so my profile is probably not registered in their threat library.

However, I would not attempt to get as close to any stinging insect in the wild, just as a precaution.

Cheers

Dennis

Thanks Dennis - that is useful to know. I love photographing hoverflies as they don't sting (as far as I am aware). The bumble bees seem pretty non aggressive tho do occasionally seem to get a bit stressy. The other bees are pretty chilled too apart from the odd time you get a pair of them together turn up and they seem a bit in my face.
Shooting with the 65mm lens requires getting your face a lot closer than with the 100mm and tubes so I have not captured many bee shots with the 65mm yet. I am sure I will get more brave as time goes on.
The 180mm macro would be perfect - I don't need or can't afford any more lenses

PSteven wrote in post #19086396
The -1.7 EC was on camera with the flash power on -1/3 - note this setting seemed to work quite well for me.

I did find however with only -0.7 exposure compensation on camera the face of the hoverfly was getting blown out areas. See photo below.

I will try the spot metering and also check my meter (in camera) - sometimes I just get carried away in the moment without reviewing the photos and pay the price when I get the whole shoot overexposed

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What mode do you use, Tv or Av? (M with auto-iso? realise that with flash the iso is fixed at 400 so EC does not work)

pcs wrote in post #19086398
What mode do you use, Tv or Av? (M with auto-iso? realise that with flash the iso is fixed at 400 so EC does not work)

I generally use AV mode and a fixed ISO with ETTL