2. I took out my new setup last sunday. A canon 180mm, focus rail, tripod, remote shutter release, MT-24EX flash with the flash heads tapped on the ends of Wimberly plamps. I've seen a number of macro guys use this sort of thing here, and I would like to get proficient, but it is very hard to use-- perhaps only best for large, easy to approach subjects. Well, I found a lizard. Too bad it is a bit too boring....
3. I shot this lizard eye through glass at the zoo years ago. Not the best quality due to the constraints, but you can see the capillaries in its eye (if that's what they are).
4. I took this dragon a couple years ago and didn't think much about it, but I decided to post in on Flickr recently as I'm cleaning out my old pics. Well, it got a pretty good reaction on Flickr. Sometimes this happens. There's no accounting for taste, I guess, or maybe I just don't know how to judge macro. Judge for yourself. Overrated?
Beautiful photos. The mangrove spider looks scared. Which focusing rail are you using? I've found using a tripod / focusing rail to be incredibly challenging in capturing small arthropods. Especially with the mt-24ex, you can't approach them without being noticed.
Thanks for the comments. Have a novoflex rail I just bought from B&H. The spider shot is a handheld stack. I've seen pics on Flickr of stacks of some insects in the early morning. I am not sure how useful thd focus rail will be with spiders, but I'm hopeful. I love the full flash with the MP-E but I'm jealous of shooters who can pull off those cool NL stacks.
Great shots, fav for me is the spider too.
NL stacks can be quite a challenge, esp on bugs with long antenna (tree crickets) or breathing (robber flies for example). You have to catch them early mornings sleeping.
