Macro bug photography is just not working for me, so I decided to change course...............

[Kelley (Texas)]

I just spent two days trying to take a macro bug picture, but it just is not working for me. By the time I snap the picture, the bug is either six feet away heading south at a high rate of speed or it runs down a hole or crack in the ground. Also, for those of you that are thinking about learning how to take a macro bug picture, do not under any circumstances mess with a wasp nest. If you ever knock down the nest in hopes of getting a picture of a wasp, you better be wearing tennis shoes and remove all obstacles in your yard that leads to your back door...trust me on this!

After my lastest failed attempt at macro bug photography earlier this morning, I sat down at the kitchen table to ponder what to do next. After much thinking, I have decided to set my sights a little lower until I master how to use this camera and at the same time gain some experience in macro photography...I would embark on some macro flower photography. It was a easy decision to make, especially when I glanced at the patio door and saw the wasp looking in at me...they were really pizzed off at me.

We have two flower pots sitting on the table on our patio that would be perfect for a macro picture. I noticed that they were sorta drooping just a tab so I watered them and waited a few minutes for them to perk up. A year or so ago, I had taken a picture of these same type of flowers, but those flowers were in bad condition and the picture was not very good.

I just took the picture! This picture is so much better than the ones that I took a year or two ago. This picture shows the lively green color of the leaves and the bright red color of the flowers so much better...seems to be in good focus too! The camera was easy to control too...I used the AUTO MODE. Folks, I think I am finally on the road to macro photography...just a matter of time until I will have the experience to try some bug photography again. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

[attachment 97987 MacroFlower7-13-08.jpg]

 

[Wayne in BC]

ummmm.....it gets kinda hot down there huh? Carol wants to know where to get those Texas flowers that perk up a few minutes after watering

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

Once in a while, if you forget to water them and they get droopy or limpy looking, they will perk up after you water them. This will not work on all flowers, some of them will die from lack of water. The best flower to have is a plain jane old Catcus, but they are not very pretty to most folks and they have thorns...in the wild, rattlesnakes will often live among them. If Carol is interested in getting some flowers, tell her that they sell them at the same place where you buy bushes for the house...they usually have a few bargin priced ones like the ones in my macro picture. Most of the neighbors have nice flowers, but mine just do not do very well because I guess I do not know much about them...I must confess that I forget to water them too! I just can not get interested in these city type flowers and how to grow them...the deer would have eaten them within hours at the old home place. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Wayne in BC]

I'm really glad you mentioned those were "bargain priced" flowers Fred I could take expensive ones and make them look bargain priced in no time!

 

[George-CT]

Good pictures of the flowers, just wait for a bugs to land on them. They seem to have found my tomato plants. We get these Japanese beatles here that are doing a number on the flowers this year. Full time job picking them off..... Geo

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

I have noticed lots of bugs under the street light up the street, but the neighborhood cats grab them as soon as one hits the pavement. You and Royal seem to have more bugs up there where you live than we have down here in South Texas...might be because of the heat. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Micheal_R]

Or at least, it does up here. My picture taking skills are sadly lacking Fred. Yours is a much better effort than any I can do.

fair winds

Mikie

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

At the home place, we would kill the nest with some coal oil. I knocked the nest down with the handle to a rake and was hoping that they would settle on the fallen nest, but that was not to be...it pizzed them off and they came after me. This evening, I picked the nest up and put it in the garbage can. I do not know where the wasp went...maybe to a neighbors house. Mike, this city life is really not much fun at times. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Rob/Windsor Ont.]

I, for one, would really love to see a macro shot of some. Whadda ya say ? I kinda chuckled at my youngest one last week. She purchased an inexpensive digital camera and I was trying it out on some coins to see how it would do. She kinda mentioned that I was gonna "wear it out" and suggested that I buy my own. Ya know Fred.....I think I did buy my own two years back and never got to touch it. If only they knew how comical they can be. Her's is 7.1 pixels.....a cheap Sony she picked up for $160.00. It seemed to do a nice job.

 

[Arkie John]

...of some of your prized arrowhead collection and share the results with us? Taking photos in the open shade w/ nothing but natural light and maybe a white card to reflect light back into the shadows will do wonders. Try different colors of paper or material to use as a non-distracting, seamless background in some of your photos. You'll have fun and maybe we'll get to see some beautiful works from warriors of long ago...real treasure.

You are correct. Learn that instrument well. I have a simple camera now and alls I have to do is rotate the ring to the little flower and it is in macro mode. For an older camera, the old Sony does a great job on coins, jewelry and even bugs.

Macro photography is neat no matter what the subject. It requires little in the way of specialized equipment. But it DOES require a better-than-average dose of patience on the part of the photographer.

aj