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Anne Bellenger
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http://www.pbase.com/anneb74/image/84454484
Here's a macro I took using a Canon 400D and Canon 100mm macro lens. I'm in FL and started shooting macro in the early 60's with a Nikon F and 55mm Nikkor lens. I use Canon 1DMkIIN, 400D, 10D, and a Nikon 300D with Tamron 90mm macro lens. I collect cameras! Haven't done much macro lately as I've been playing with IR. With gas $4 a gallon here, I can't drive to my usual birding spots (I'm usually a bird photographer). So thought I'd return to macro for a while. In looking at other macro sites, I find it interesting that some use closeups as macro. How about some words about true macro and closeups? Might be interesting.

May 27, 2008 at 04:05 PM
GClark72
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I am a noob and a lurker. Just got my Xti with a sigma 50mm macro. Trying to learn how to use it. Played with film SLRs during the early nineties. Since then I have had only ps cameras. I'm not really into bugs but maybe I will be after a while. Then I would need to get a longer macro.

Greg

May 29, 2008 at 06:18 PM
CivilMom
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Hi Tom (and all!), I'm a new lurker. We bought an xti last year, and I'm enjoying it by my lens (very nice lens) cannot get in close enough about half of time... I finally realized it's not the lens' fault, it's just the wrong one. We're headed to Yellowstone later this summer and I'm trying to cram lots of good information into my brain before we go. I think I've decided on a Macro lens, and I'm toying with the idea of a new camera. DH needs one too... he can have the XTi . Anyway, I'm glad you guys are here learning and chatting, it helps me learn.

Anne, your pics make me miss Florida! We're all natives, and just about to celebrate a year of being transplanted to OH.

Jun 05, 2008 at 10:27 PM
CivilMom
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Bentzen wrote:

EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro



That's the lens I'm looking at, have you been happy with it? Is it a good learning lens?

Jun 05, 2008 at 10:29 PM
Ariithka
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Been lurking here for a week or so, I come from www.overclockers.com.au , which has a very good photography sub forum.

I am in Melbourne, Australia, and have been into photography in a serious manner since September 2007.

I love macro (always working on different lighting technique), architectural street/urban and abstract scenes, as well as animals.

CivilMom wrote:
Bentzen wrote:

EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro



That's the lens I'm looking at, have you been happy with it? Is it a good learning lens?



My first Macro lens, and I even use it as a walk about. It is a terrific lens, but you need to watch the focus range switch or it gets stuck when focusing.



Jun 06, 2008 at 05:59 AM
ericthebikeman
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I'm a 29 year old biology student who is majoring in microbiology, hopefully I'll be a doctor specializing in infectious disease. I took a photography class for the art requirement since I couldn't draw. My photography professor liked my work and thought it would be a great hobby. I've been shooting with an older Canon P&S digital and recently upgraded to a Canon 40D.

I was pointed to the FM reviews by another forum member when I was trying to get info on possible camera and lens purchases. I spend a lot of time with a microscope looking at details, I'm taking a camera outside to do the same thing only on a larger scale. The photography here is fantastic and I hope learn a few tricks.

Jun 11, 2008 at 04:38 PM
tmark
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Tom Hicks wrote:
Do you just like looking at the talent here?
Yes

Are you wanting to get into Macro but don't have the funds or time ?
Yes. After seeing some macro shots I bought a macro lens and just the other day a close-up lens as well, but with my 2 young kids I can't find any time to shoot anything except them.
Do you feel intimidated by the work that is posted here and don't feel you are good enough to post any of your work at this time .
Yes. In matters like this I am not very thick-skinned. I have really just picked up photography as a hobby, but just don't have the time to work at it and get better. So I make up for it by buying stuff.



Jun 11, 2008 at 04:47 PM
Miles42
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Went to a butterfly exhibit today and discovered I couldn't get close enough to focus using my 70-200 f/4 so I am doing some study on macro lens and equipment. seems like an nteresting study and this is the place to come


Jun 12, 2008 at 03:52 AM
stopdown
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Hi Tom: I joined a few years back, then moved to a country where the Internet was barely available so backed off participation. I relocated once again and now have high speed access!

I participate to view the talent and to learn tricks to mimic (hopefully). From there, I hope to develop my own style. I have some funds but don't have all the time I want to devote to the hobby.

Yesterday I purchased an older version of Phtshop. With that, I hope to contribute to FM.com. I've got thick skin when criticism is objective.

Jun 17, 2008 at 02:56 AM
ninecount
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First of all... Thank you for this sticky post! What a great idea!

I'm only a lurker in the macro forum because, quite frankly, you guys are very intimidating... the pics are so strong, I'm hesitant to post here. I'm a Sports guy, so the tripod, ring flash, and macro world is difficult for me to adjust to. I do like to try different things to help improve my photography, so I signed up for a 'close-up photography' course at my local Botanical Gardens. So far it's been fun.

Take it easy on the 'new' guy, here's a couple pics from a class field trip.

This image is copyrighted by the owner [/IMG]

This image is copyrighted by the owner [/IMG]

This image is copyrighted by the owner [/IMG]

This image is copyrighted by the owner [/IMG]



Jun 19, 2008 at 07:09 PM
Wuud52
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I am 43 years old and have always loved photography. It took the digital age coming for me to really get into it though. I mostly shoot nature and sports, but I love macro. I love the "whole other world" aspect of structures and detail that most people may never see.

I have used the main site for reviews on both telephoto and macro equipment. I have the canon 100mm macro and I have ordered the Kenko 1.4 teleconverter. I do have a favorite macro shot that I will post, along with a spider that I captured not too long ago. I have a lot to learn, especially with flash and macro. I usually try to find a way to do natural light. I have also tried my hand at water drops, I may post one of those also.

Thanks for the invite to contribute.

Jun 19, 2008 at 10:28 PM
excelguru
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Well, I'm SORT OF a newbie in the macro world. I posted a few pics in separate threads this week (thanks to this thread's encouragement). As I mentioned in one of those threads, I was once the owner of a Canon 180mm f/3.5L Macro lens which, in someone elses hands, could yield exceptional results. In my hands, however, it just became fustrating.

I was accustomed to the outdoor portraiture world. A world where f/2.8 was the norm. A world where available light was the norm. Okay, maybe some fill flash. I was accustomed to what I THOUGHT were shallow DOFs. Man, was I in for a lesson. So I'm trying to take photos of these stupid beetles and ants only to have them crawl out of my 0.000002mm depth of field (or so it seemed).

It didn't help that the 180 was a heavy mother and didn't have IS (at that price, it should). My heartbeat and caffienne addiction caused enough body movement to shift my DOF all over the freaking place and I didn't feel like carrying a tripod and strobe everywhere I went. Remember, I was accustomed to available light photography. I learned there was no such thing in the f/22 world. At least not at ISO 100.

So I sold the lens. But I recently found myself admiring the works of the Macro Masters on this forum and other sites. This time I decided to take a slower (less expensive) approach and purchased a 77mm 500D close-up lens to mount to my 70-200. Works fine for my purposes so far. I'll either become accustomed to the patience of this craft and buy a dedicated Macro lens or I'll get frustrated again and regress to "admirer" status. I'm hoping for the former because I really would like to produce macros that are on par with others I've seen here.

And I like buying more toys. I mean lenses.

Jun 26, 2008 at 03:17 AM
Benedictine
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Hi, Started a new topic in relation but not same as this, see Lighting & Macro

Andrew-Bede

Jun 26, 2008 at 06:48 PM
JDClements
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Hi, I'm Dan and I joined FM on May 31, so I'm not much of a lurker! I haven't started posting any pictures yet (other than the Weekly Assignment forum), but I do like looking through this macro forum (my daughter and I are currently searching through the pics looking for the bug disguised in its own poo).

I have a Rebel XTi and the Canon 100mm macro with the Canon ring flash. Still trying to figure out how to use it effectively and also trying to figure out how a 46 year old guy with failing eyesight can manually focus a lens with the wrong glasses on my face.

My walk-around lens is currently the Sigma 17-70, which also does Macro, and I am experimenting with a Hoodman angle finder as well.

I live in Barrie, Ontario.

Jun 27, 2008 at 12:10 AM
Tom Hicks
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Welcome JD, I have the same affliction , eye's getting bad. you'll get through it .

Jun 27, 2008 at 12:25 AM
byron romero
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Hi. I'm 32 and i don't know how to take macro shots eventhough i have a Canon 100mm macro lens. Yesterday I tried shooting ants in front of our house here in NY and I was sweating alot. I got 100 shots with no keepers. Tried automatic.....still nothing. Any suggestion or site to start learning some techniques. WOW the pics that you guys post here are AWESOME!!!! I want to learn how to take very CLEAR shots also........AMAZING!

Jun 27, 2008 at 05:09 PM
photosmile
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Hi everyone,
I have been lurking this site for the last 2 years but had never posted any pictures before. I guess the reasons are : I have 2 little girls and no time to go out to shoot and it's very intimating posting my mediocre works in front of all the people who I consider pro. I will rather some courage and post my works some day.
Doug

Jun 27, 2008 at 07:59 PM
Mike Scott
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Byron,

What are you struggling with? Light, focus, composition?

What's your current set-up?

Mike

Jul 02, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Mike Scott
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Doug,

The great thing about macro is you don't have to travel further then your own backyard. Keep your rig set-up and grab it any time you have a spare couple minutes.

I have 2 young boys, so I know how you feel. Involve the young ones and it will keep you from feeling bad about it. They can help find subjects, ID bugs, etc.

Post away. The feed-back you get will accelerate your learning curve 10X.

Mike

Jul 02, 2008 at 03:16 PM
byron romero
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Hi Mike.

I am having trouble with focusing while the bugs are moving. They looked good on camera however OOF when i upload it to the computer. I have a 30D and a Canon 100mm Macro. Its really nice when I take portraits but I tried it with bugs and its just hard.....

Thanks

Jul 07, 2008 at 04:55 PM
Crystalography
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hi,

my name's crystal, hence the username, haha, and i'm from the bay area. I heard about this forum through many sources, im glad i finally joined, some of the work here is pretty amazing.
I'm an amateur photographer, right now, im shooting with a canon 40d 17-85mm lens, got it as graduation gift. pretty sweet huh?
yeah, i think for now im just going to shoot around with the settings on the camera, and later im going to invest into a macro lens.
Hopefully I learn lots form this site, and becoming more active and posting pictures once im confident enough.

Jul 08, 2008 at 07:02 AM
Mike Scott
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Byron,

The keeper rate when shooting macro is quite low compared to other forms of photography. The focusing is so critical and the DOF so thin. You often swear you nailed the focus when you press the shutter to only later realize that it's not as sharp as you thought. I often take 20 - 30 shots of a single insect in the hopes of getting one that's a "keeper". One really good shot per week will give you 52 in a year (about 30 for those that take off the cold months). That's not too bad.

Hopefully knowing that you're not alone will prevent you from getting discouraged The reason that macro is so rewarding is that it is very difficult. Many people give-up.

There are a couple recent threads in the first couple pages of this forum that have some useful information for people just getting started. Check those out, then ask a lot of questions.

Mike

Jul 08, 2008 at 12:19 PM
photofox
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Longtime lurker (3 years) and figured it was time to say hello. Was quite active posting on various forums several years ago and recenty became active again after picking up a new camera and having a bit more free time. I know at least one person will recognize me from other photo forums/sites, looking forward to meeting and learning from everyone else.

Jul 11, 2008 at 09:28 AM
kiwifamily
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OK, I post in sports and lurk in Macro, so, I just posted in Macro

Good strirring thread

Jul 14, 2008 at 05:47 AM
YJ4x4
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Hi all.

I'm new here, around 1 week now since I found this forum and registered.
I usually lurk a while before making any posts, but the work here is SOOO good I believe I will be able to learn much. I'm just starting out in macro, and doing it on a budget. So far I only have a set of screw on lenses and a cheap ring light. I did just purchase, and am eagerly awaiting the delivery of a set of extension tubes.

Jul 14, 2008 at 08:44 AM

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