The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I was out trying the capture the bees in action. This one was coming in with her tongue out.
Specific Feedback
This was a 4x5 crop because most of the overall background was the same and soft. Since everything was vertical this is why I did that. Comments welcome
Technical Details
R7 ED 100-400 with 1.4x extender. 560mm 1/1000 f/13 ISO 1600 HH. Using Photo AI 2 for noise
Very nice, Dean. I really like your composition and you nailed the bee. That’s an interesting choice of lens and focal length for photographing bees. How close does that combination focus?
Thanks for the feedback, @Dennis_Plank That was a excellent setup for closeups because the focus zoomed all the way out was only around 4 feet. The RF 100-500 is just about the same. It’s a heavy setup
Dean, this is an excellent shot of the bee coming in to land on the flower. Nice details in the bee and the flower up near the bee, with a wonderful oof BG. I have used the 100-400 mm before but not sure if I used an extender, I think I used an extension tube, which helped me focus closer. I like the side lighting too.
Thanks, @Shirley_Freeman I do have extension tubes as well. Most of the time these bees are bouncing around from flower to flower making it hard to get close to them. I prefer not to use the 1.4 but good to have if needed. I so sit very close like inches from them sometimes. That’s where the 100 macro comes in. I was a little concerned about the brighter area to the left but it seems to be ok.
Dean, I hear you. Those bees are fast, and about the time I get a focus on them they are moving again. I do better and getting them leaving the flower than coming to it, which is certainly not my preference. I sold my 100-400mm, and the extender, so I can’t try that anymore.
I think the brighter area on the left is dimmed down nicely and not a bother, at least for me.
The 560mm focal length worked out really well for you.
I use a Sigma 150-600 lens for some of my close up work, the lens is pretty heavy at 4.6 lbs. but the minimum focus at 150mm is just under 23 inches and, right at 84 inches at 600mm. The 23 inch minimum focus distance is the main reason I bought that lens but it does get heavy when HH.
I’m starting to get used to using a ball head on one of my monopods though, I usually leave the ball head free enough to point the camera easily and the monopod carries most of the weight for me, it’s not a bad solution for these tired old arms.
The details in the bee are really good and the composition is spot on in my view.
I really like the colors and the sense of motion is great!
The lighting is unique, it has a nice diffused spotlight look that works well!
Hey Merv. I saw this and thought I’d pass on my solution. Kirk makes a simple right angle rotary head for monopods. That turns it into a bit of a gimbal, but the weight is off center, so I combined it with a Wimberley Sidekick to being the lens back over the center of the monopod and it works very well. You could just use the Sidekick with a ballhead, but the little Kirk head is really lightweight and locks down very firmly.
Merv, I have the Wimberley Sidekick that @Dennis_Plank mentioned, and I really like it. So much lighter than my regular gimbal head. I haven’t tried the Kirk right angle rotary head. Sounds like a good idea.
Cool!
I hadn’t thought of using a sidekick on the ball head and it makes perfect sense.
The sidekick will be much better in terms of weight over a standard gimbal head.
I’ve been using a BH-36L ball head made by K&F Concepts, it only weighs 10 ounces and it’s rated for 35 lbs., it seems to be pretty smooth and sturdy.
I just looked at the weight of the Kirk right angle head (MPA-2 Monopod Head (Rotating) and it looks like the weight is 15.9 ounces but it is rated for 75 lbs.
I only see 2 available from Kirk, 1 rotating and, 1 non-rotating. Am I missing something?
Thank you Dennis and Shirley for the tips and advice! I really appreciate it!
I’ll give it a try, I think it’s obvious that it will be much better than what I’ve been doing.
Dean, I hope you don’t mind that I’ve slightly hi-jacked your thread, maybe what we’ve been discussing would be helpful for you as well!
