Ladynird Lunch

[Maggie Smith]

Any comments appreciated!

 

[Cornelia]

Sorry, Maggie, I saw your discussion only now - but I can see you got a macro lens!! Even if I don't like to see a ladybird being wrapped in by a spider, that first photo of yours IS the best of the three and does show two things very clearly: The qualitiy of your lens and how fascinating the micro world is!! For where can you actually see the single threads of a cobweb and how the spider does produce them? Such a captured moment enlarged on the computer screen is like the opening of a new world:-)).

Technically, I think you have already improved since your last ladybird:

- It is good that you took your ISO further down to 200, because in macro you want as less grain as possible to get the most detail in that photo. 

- In general it is said, that a shutter speed that matches the focal lenth of your lens is stil handholdable (30mm lens 1/30s; 200mm lens 1/200s and so on), except for the macro lenses, where it should be quite a bit higher. When I look at your three photos, the first two are sharp (both taken at 1/200s with your 105mm macro) and in the third one the movement or trembling of your hand is visable (photo taken with 1/125). Have a look what shutterspeed you can stil handhold, mabe it's 1/160s maybe 1/200s, and try to not go below.

- You were lucky with the flash in the second photo, that it was not as bright as your last one :-)). Try the following next time, you intend to use the flash: First take a photo without flash (you can do this on A); when you are pleased with the exposure, see what the camera settings have been and use those settings on M (Because you intend to use a flash, you can go below 1/200!). Put your flash on TTL (if it is not already there, camera menu); that way you get a nice fill flash. If the flash is stil too bright for your taste you can put it (the flash!) further down (like on - 2; this is probably also somewhere in the camera menu with the D90). Before you start, also go into the camera menu and check if the flash sync speed is not higher than 1/250 - or you might get some really funny photos :-)).

I hope that helped and that winter does not come too early or you will have to take photos of ice-cristals soon :-))). 

[Maggie Smith]

Thank you Cornelia for your detailed comments - I very much appreciate them. It took me 2 hours and lots of shots to get those few pictures. I think the Ladybird lunch is the best one - amazing what you see!! I have identified the spider a simple garden spider and veiwed several photos on the web - and mine would not be out of place! Thank you again Maggie

[Cornelia]

Are you sure it is a simple garden spider? On the third photo it looks pretty much like a cross spider to me - rather not touch it!! Macro with moving insects - yes I know: You take about a 100 photos and end up keeping five... :-))). Have fun, Cornelia