The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I had a few minutes of spare time to head out to the Duck Pond with my old 200mm micro lens. Dragonflies were uncommon due mainly to the Eastern kingbirds that pick them off for a quick meal. Damselflies were common, but require a significant search time as they hide in the tall grass, This Eastern forktail decided to perch out in the open and I used focus peaking to get the best sharpness on the damselfly.
Technical Details
Z9 200mm F4 Micro (1/250 sec at f16, ISO 800 Manual Focusing with Focus Peak on) Levels, Topaz DeNoise AI, Crop for Comp.
Hi Jim,
the dragonfly looks awesome. There are so many fine details the wings are nice and sharp.
All my attempts to work with manual focus failed so far.
Well done!
A fine look at this beautiful damselfly, Jim. That BG really makes him and the perch stand out nicely. He looks sharp from stem to stern. Nicely done. Also, @Jens_Ober when I am shooting manually for macro shots, I rock back and forth ever so slight with my finger on the shutter and click with the subject looks sharp. I have missed shots, but I can delete them. It works better than auto focus for me when it want to grab onto anything but the subject.
Excellent shot. I didn’t realize that the Eastern King birds were bad at catching the DF. I rarely see that bird in our yard. I know many birds eat insects so I shouldn’t be surprised.
Very nice image Jim. The details on the damselfly are really nice throughout which from my experience is quite a challenge. BG sets off the bug and perch very well. Nice frame.
Jim: Great technique and a fantastic capture. I love my 200mm macro. It’s an old Minolta which still works well which is really good since there are no 180-200mm macro options for the Sony E-mount. Exceptionally nice shot. >=))>
Jens: To add to what Shirley said, I will also shoot a burst since a single stab at the shutter button will often lead to missed shots, especially when hand holding. >=))>
thank you @Jens_Ober , @Kris_Smith , @Bill_Fach , @Allen_Sparks , and @Shirley_Freeman for evaluating my photo. @Jens_Ober, you will enjoy macrophotography and practice does make perfection. A tripod will restrict movement and using a hand-held camera enables the photographer to move quickly in position. Practice getting the subject’s head in sharp focus first and then practice getting the insect’s body parallel to the lens. As @Bill_Fach mentioned, a 200mm macro lens is one of his favorite tools for macro work. this focal length allows for greater working distances than shorter focal length lenses. And they can produce some very artistic backgrounds too, Manual focusing is essential for good macro work as autofocus can be difficult to implement due to the shallow DOF. Rocking back and forth is essential and shooting with a burst of shots will improve your odds to get an ideal photo. Also, do not feel that you need to have the subject fill the frame. You can get a few more millimeters of DOF by shooting at less than 1 to 1 magnification and then crop to get the desired composition. Hope this helps…Jim
Completely gorgeous! Wonderful detail, the perfect perch and a wonderful BG!
I’m heading out tomorrow to try the local DF pond again – it’s been too cool here and they are running late this year. But I can’t get close enough to them with a steep bank and will probably be using my 1000mm macro.
