New here and looking for input +/-

Hi, I recently acquired myself a MP-E65mm with MT-24EX for my Canon 30D and took it out for a joy ride last week. I manage to come accross a few interesing things but I'm just going to show a couple pictures of an insect. I came accross it just oustide my door step on my way back from the store. I haven't the faintest idea what it's called. I've been into photography for about 5 years and looking for some input. I've got thick skin.

These pictures where taken the past sunday afternoon, eveningish...

Things I have taken into recent consideration are, diffuse my flash system, like I have seen on some threads. I didn't touch up in photoshop cs2 or anything orther then crop and resize to show. Well enough of my rants here, let me know what you think...

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I like the second one better; the first one maybe should've been focused on the eyes more

looking for input +/-

A couple days before that I was able to capture a decent shot of our area's most pesky critter.. the MOSQUITO!! I was holding my camera in 1 hand trying to not shake while taking this shot..

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For me it always boils down to composition. So for the shield bug images you really need to get down on their level and shoot them from the side -IMHO the top down "I'm about to step on it" look just doesn't work. And since you're shooting with the best macro gear on the planet why are you cropping?!

I hate posting an image to someone else's thread, but it's easier to show you than to explain it...

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hey buddie..glad u joined..not sure about the name tho any way u need to start at fstop 16 to shoot insects..have 1 week shooting at fstop 16 to get use to the insecs..alot of my shots are at fstop 16 for bugs shutter speed 200 iso 100...yer u dont need to crop like dalantech said..keep posting buddie..took me about 3 weeks to get shots where i was happy..

thanks for the input, Macro Junkie my mind drew a blank when it came to pick a name :P i will have to go bug hunting and start practicing the f/16 200 @ 100iso . i was shooting in large jpeg , i will start shooting in raw.

Dalentech thank you very much for you input as you're work is a definet reason why i enjoy shooting macro photography. I will diffuse my flash system and give er another go, and try to compose the picture.

That's actually a Plant or Capsid Bug (miridae). Lighting is too harsh in #1, not so bad in #2. Once you have diffused the heads i'm sure things will improve.

rember..in very very light conditions u can use the i think its either s or tv mode///this will set your fstops to what the camara thinks it needs depeneding on light condtions..try it your shots will come out very difrent as your have small fstops...looking forawrd to seeing more of your work buddie.

with the mpe-65 if u can get the lighting right i dont think theres any need to shoot in raw as every pic u take is perfect with this bad ass flash..

macro junkie wrote in post #3933939
with the mpe-65 if u can get the lighting right i dont think theres any need to shoot in raw as every pic u take is perfect with this bad ass flash..

Why you should always shoot RAW.

Dalantech wrote in post #3934272
Why you should always shoot RAW.

i was having trouble saving the raw files so stoped using it..