Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #15 Free Reign

Macro Speed Challenge #15

Free Reign


I'm sure you are all wondering what I mean by Free Reign.

It means you have the ability to take a macro photo of any thing you want. It means you have free reign to explore and pick and choose on what YOU want Me to see.

It means that you must work hard, jump up and down with photos that are so outstanding that I have to work hard to pick a winner.

It means that you must select a subject, whatever it may be, composition, color, lighting, that makes yours the best of the best.

Sounds easy does it not? Rest assured, it wont be as easy as you thought, as you have to think hard about what you are about to post. Is it good enough? Is it up to standard? What is the standard? That is what I'm leaving up to you. So use your minds, and your Macro gear......and produce some stunning photos that will make me want to tear my hair out trying to pick a winner.

And I implore all of you, post the best of your best. I will respect all of them if they are just taken, or in you archive of one you have never posted.

Best of the Best with Free Reign.

Good luck one and all.

Here are the rules..........

Standard Rules apply:
Photo Submissions:

1. Camera - Any Canon DSLR camera
2. Lens - Any lens, or attachment that can give Macro photos (ex. extension tubes, bellows, macro filters, reverse mounted lens and of course a true macro lens.).
3. Time - any on-topic photo taken at any time is eligible, although photos that have won other competitions should NOT be entered.
4. Size - Please see the Image posting rules.
5. Post-Processing - do whatever you like and the host will decide if it works.
6. Posting -
* ONE MACRO PHOTO per photographer in each challenge.
* Photo Name/Title in the message.
* Camera model & lens used in the message.
* Post brief Exif data including ISO, shutter speed and aperture used in the message.
* Notes - anything you feel you need to explain.
7. Commenting - No commenting during challenge. When the posting is closed and a winner has been declared, comments can be made in this thread.
8. Questions - Use PM
9. Have FUN!

One challenge every week, on the following schedule:

* New Topic - After winner is declared.
* Posting Starts - Right after topic is announced.
* Posting Ends - 9:00pm Friday, February 27th, 2009. Winner will be announced shortly thereafter.
* Winner from this competition decides the theme of the next one (and judges it for a winner) after this competition is closed.

Here is a link to our previous Macro DSLR Speed Challenge winners <-- click to see

A Spring Bloom

I didn't have much time to go shoot something new this week, and the deadline's fast approaching. We needed at least one entry!

I don't know if this is one of my best, but it is one of my favorite macros from last year. I can't guarantee 1024 on the long since my hosting site resizes everything I upload, hence I don't use it as often as I'd like.

Camera: Canon 40D
Lens: 100mm macro
Av: f/7.1
Tv: 1/10 second
ISO: 100
Exposure: Manual
Flash: off camera and behind flower

100 2.8
1/250
f/2.8
ISO 100

HTTP response: 403 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

lets try with this one

"Short-lived Crystals"

Rainbow Globes

Rainbow Globes

40D | 125 @F11 | ISO 100 | 50mm 2.5 macro

40D, f/11, 1/250, iso 400

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Entry's are now closed.

Winner to be announced soon.

Wow all. Just wow.

I asked for a hard one to chose and all of you that submitted photos made it really hard. I have to admit, you people did really well this go around.

I commend one and all the for the superb shots that you did submit. This is one hell of a tough judgment of a winner. All of these have "Eye Candy" in Macro in a way. I am very impressed with the submissions. That is what I asked for. Well done One and All.

Flo,, while your lone ant wandering for the basic needs on a plane of nothing really quipped my cue, it is a very interesting shot. Well done. However, it did not win. This is one of the best shots of an ant in its surroundings foraging that I have ever seen. It tells a story and I love it. Excellent use of natural lighting.

lavanut Very interesting composition. However I think you over exposed a bit to expose the stamens. I could have been happier with subdued lighting to expose them. Excellent shot tho.

genodm Excellent colors. If I'm correct that's a Peacock feather. You have captured it well. The colors here left it up in the running.....

Daniel2000 Friggin excellent colors on this. Blood red with ice crystals. Wowser. Too bad you missed the focus on most of them.

tonylong That has to be the sharpest picture here. Even tho I don't know what it is, I think your missing a cotter pin.

Buterbn Them long legged flies are hard to capture ain't they?

John_B Lovely colors, you have well with this one. I'm going to guess a cd was in use with water drop,s but the rainbow colors are popping like I have never seen. I could be wrong here. But very pretty. Excellent stuff here.

frenchfx Nice pastels of water drops on a petel of a Lily? I would love to be corrected on the flower.

monty28428 Excellent capture of the oils on a soap bubble. What more can be said.

This has to be far and away one of the best Macro challenges that I have seen. You all responded with Great fortitude. This is an outstanding job by all of you.

So with out further ado...........

3rd ...monty28428 Way cool colors in soap oils.

2nd.... Daniel2000 I love the red and white tho you missed the focus on the main snowflake ice Crystal, if you had focus, you would have won.


The winner is.........

John_B The colors in this shot are just outstanding. You sir have won and must continue this comp.

Well done one and all and, I did tear my hair out on this one. I knew you all could pull off some good stuff and you did.

You are all winners this time around.

I look forward to participating in the next competition.

Good game all.

Congrats John!!

Awesome entries everybody.

BASmith,
Wow! I wasn't expecting that and yes you are right it was a CD with water drops.

Of course congrats to all, like usual they are all great photos!

My photo subject is some water sprayed on a CD with an old (cleaned out) glass cleaner bottle. The background color was created by having an led flash light at a certain angle. The rainbow colors on the drops was done by moving another LED flash light at a different angle from left to right during the exposure.

I will have the next Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #16 up in a few

PS.. monty28428 you won that bet!

Great shots everyone! I'm really glad we had a late flurry of entries, and nice entries they were!

John, those drops were really amazing. Nicely done!
Daniel, I loved the snowflakes too. They're actually forecasting some snow for the deep south here tomorrow. Maybe I'll see a few flakes and can snap some shots.

BA, thanks for the feedback on my shot. I wondered if the whites were a little blown. I may play with the PP a tad more for the heck of it.

There were some really fine shots here! I love watching what others do and learning! I'll have to see if I can come close to John's cool trick some time...