I seem to have focused on bees lately again which I do enjoy photographing. This was the Canon 90D 100-400 ii at 400, F/20, no flash, ISO 400. I was on a tripod with a Gimbal head, which helped. This plant was too far away and I could not get closer so one thing I see a lot is the sunlight effects on the bee as seen in the abdomen of the bee to the left. Not sure if anything I can do about, maybe post process somewhere. This was a landscape image but cropped as you see it. The left area had open space and the right more of the plant but not flowers. So any comments on that are welcome. The DOF is tight here so I wonder if I should have gone a little wider. Bees do not stick around much so sometimes it seems like a bit of luck even with high speed shutter on.
I have quite a few of these where the bee is sharp so just looking for some ideas with this kind of photograph. I do like this photo because each bee is deep in the flower
A nice look at two bees, both sharp in focus. Not an easy task, Dean, but you accomplished it. Bees are usually moving all around while they work. I think the DOF is really good to have them both sharp. As for the glare off of the bees abdomen, I think if you were to use a CPL filter it would help cut the glare, but of course you loose a couple stops. But in this case, I think you have plenty to work with in ISO, so you could have probably pushed it up a couple of stops, and come away with the same exposure, minus the glare. I don’t always think of doing this in the field, but when I have, I usually like the results. The glare you have here isn’t all that bad though, and you can probably work with it some in post processing. I like that you have both bees’ eyes, and wonderful detail in both. I think the vertical works here, but if you can (I know you mentioned the left and right issues, I would want just a bit more room on both sides, and maybe a touch at the top. Great shot, and I am still waiting for the bees, and you are making me want them even sooner.
Dean, this is a fine shot. Getting both bees sharp is quite an accomplishment. Your dof works very well here. I’m also enjoying seeing what they’re up to. With both bees nectarine at the base of the flower, it looks like they are breaking in to get nectar in a way that the flower wants to avoid, so this tells a good nature story. The bright lines along both abdomen seem like they belong. They’re not so bright as to be a distraction.
Thanks Mark, the glare was easy enough to remove but glad that it is ok to be there. I do try to get a photo with some kind of action like these bees are doing, but they are fast so it helps when there are a lot of them around. Funny how bees scared me when I was little, but after photographing them they don’t bother me anymore.
Dean: I agree with Shirley that a CPL might work but when I shoot action I never use one because I’m looking for SS and would rather put up with the potential glare effects vs boosting the ISO. Getting good detail in both bees is outstanding and I like how you cropped the frame. Nicely done. >=))>
