Hello, I am a new poster to the forums who has been a lurker for a long while.

I have been involved in photography for about 40 years (since I was 10 years old) and owned and operated a very small studio in southern WV until this summer when I was diagnosed with cancer and had to have surgery and treatments.

I have always enjoyed macro photography, all the way back to high school when I used a Minolta SR-T 202 with a 50mm lens and screw in close up lenses.

My question is not meant to be disrespectful to any poster on the forum. The quality of the work presented here simply amazes me. I would be very proud to be capable of making the pictures posted here.

My question is this: Why are nearly all the images posted insects pictures? I have no problem with insect pictures and I mean no disrespect to the forum members who enjoy them. It just seems to me that there would be at least a few more still life/abstract macro photos. Maybe jewelery or something like close ups of small mechanical devices and such things. I guess I also am a little surprised that there are not more flower pictures. Are insect photos the current 'in' thing in macro? Again, no disrespect intended to those who post the insect photos. They are wonderful images. I'm just a little surprised that there is not more variety in the images posted.


If anyone would care to take the time to respond to my question I would welcome hearing tjheir opinion.

Tom Kennedy

Hi Tom.

Why shoot insects? They interest me, I enjoy exploring the colour and form, and observing behaviour which often relates to human behaviour. Why post them? They interest others and occasionally I learn something of value in the responses, of value to taking better pix.

Why not shoot flowers and nuts and bolts? Nuts and bolts don't interest me, much. I shoot flowers, for the pleasure of the colour and form - beauty, but nobody has much to say about flowers so I don't post them, usually. And they don't have the same 'expressive' character, to me.

Hey Tom,
First let me say that I hope you've made a full recovery!

I think I have a fascination with insects and for a photo it's tough to find a wider range of subjects, colors, and textures. There's also the challenge of getting close to a creature that normally wouldn't allow it (that one is a big draw for me). Last, but not least, I like to show the creatures of the small world in ways that people don't normally view them.

But there is more to macro than insects, and normally on this forum you see more abstract work in the winter (most of the posters here are from the northern hemisphere). I'll probably re-visit shooting soap bubbles at high magnification when the critters are gone -at 4x the air gaps between the bubbles look like wires...

You are wright Thomas and Yes we can do others pictures:here is the 1/4" screw thread
to fix the APN to a tripod..



And a water drop..

Tom
Again hope you make a good recovery.

As to subjects, I think we all take photos of what interests us most at the time of the year and in this macro forum it does seem to be insects that predominate at the moment but I also do post waterdrop and flower shots fairly frequently.
Interestingly on some other macro forums I use, flower shots tend to be more popular and common than insects, so guess not suprisingly that like minded people tend to be attracted to different forums.
The type of shots posted do vary though especially with seasons.

Brian V.

Thanks to all who took the time to reply to my question. I understand your viewpoints better now.

Once again I was amazed by the samples presented in response to my question. The soap bubble picture especially caught my eye. The air gaps truly do look like wires.

Just before I was diagnosed with cancer this summer I had come across a Tamron 180mm macro demo that was on sale pretty cheap and I bought it. So far it has hardly been touched because so much of my summer has been spent either in the hospital or recovering from being in the hospital. One thing it was used for was shooting 2 pictures for my little girl to use in her kindergarten class. I shot a dandelion that had turned to seed for her. The first shot was done so that the entire flower was visible. The second was done from a good bit closer so that all you could see was where the seeds attached to the head of the flower. I printed the 2 pictures on my Epson 1400 and then stapled them back to back so that Lindsey could hold it up in front of her kindergarten class and show them the close view and let them try to guess what it was and then turn it around and show the view of the entire flower.

Winter is on the way here in WV. Like was mentioned in the responses I am thinking of trying to do some indoor macro pictures if I am able. Thinking about trying some jewelry, health permitting, and maybe try my hand at focus stacking also. Never tried focus stacking and the concept kind of fascinates me. I downloaded a freeware focus stacking program the other day but have not tried it yet. Can't bring myself to spend money for one of the commercial programs. If the cancer wins, and the doctors say it very well might, I need to leave every possible penny that I can to Elizabeth and Lindsey. Spending money for me to play is just not smart right now.

Any way, thanks to all who responded to my post. I honestly agree with pretty much everything that was said. I, myself, have always kind of tended towards insects in my macro work. I was just surprised that in a forum that is most likely spread all across the world there were not a few people who specialized in jewelery, flowers, or abstracts.

My hat is off the members of the forum. Your work is so very good. So much talent in just one forum is kind of amazing. I spend a good bit of time lurking in the forums during the day. It helps long days to pass more quickly. I truly enjoy seeing the work presented on Fred Miranda.

Tom Kennedy

Something else about shooting insects is they don't get unhappy. Have you ever noticed the little creatures often have a bit, or bits, missing? And they just get on with it, as best they can. Amazing that, nature. I suppose the same can be said for a flower. Though no doubt, in my mind, they all register pain or discomfort.

Was thinking about this thread while I was dremeling down some Stofens to mount Puffers on my Nikon SB-R200 flash heads. Can't let Dalantech get TOO far ahead.

Anyway, the urge sometimes strikes me--all of us, apparently--to shoot something other than critters so I took a few shots of the Dremel toolbit on a CD. Double duty, if you will, as I needed to test the new lighting. These are a few that I liked. Hope you enjoy them.

All handheld using a Nikon D300(F16, 1/250, ISO200), Nikkor 105mm w/52.5mm extension (~1.9X), 'Puffered' R1C1 flash.

#1 You can still see white plastic shavings on the bit

I shoot insects and spiders because they're the reason why I started shooting macro in the first place. Still life, and Abstract in particular, doesn't interest me much.

I never thought I would like the bugs either, but I saw a pic in another forum of a fly that was dropped over on its side. It was so comical, like it fell over for the camera.

You have to admit that the one by Mark B of the whitish bug in the purple flower is both expressive and artful.

There are too many bugs here and not enough flowers and other things.
JMO.

I like the hunt
I spend most of my week deskbound typing emails, reports and papers, gah. Insect macro forces me out of my regular space and into lush green nature.
There's a certain thrill to stop in the middle of the pathway and just listen
Heightened senses, mind slowly tuning out the sound of your own heartbeat and breath
Gaze slowly sweeping into flowercups, the eaves of trees
Then catching that slight movement in the corner of your eye

The only non-insect macro I do are the occasional flowers, and well, fabrics
What can I say, the texture and colors; they make great subjects too

as already mentioned, its mans instinct to HUNT, thats part of the fun in shooting bugs.

here is a non bug shot

Wow Phil, that's an awesome shot!