Honey Bee

Honey Bee

I noticed these honey bees flying close to the surface of the large pond the other morning.  I just could not believe they were honey bees because of their behavior.  They occasionally landed on the lily-pads and it looked like they might be drinking something from the leaf surface.

Honey Bee

This one had fallen into the water and then climbed out.  I was able to confirm, later, that they were indeed honey bees.  What a peculiar behavior!

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Boll Weevil

Boll Weevil

I found this insect on a milkweed leaf the other day.  We don't grow cotton, to my knowledge, in Ohio.  I wonder what it eats.

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Big Bluestem

Big Bluestem

The grasses are developing nicely at this time of year.  I don't think all the individual plants do this.  It has been my opinion that it is Big Bluestem.  It is a tangle and of an interesting color given the background.

Does anyone know about this?

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Sulphur Shelf

Sulfur Shelf Mushroom

I found this growing out of a log in the creek bed.  As far as I remember I have never seen one before.  It is so colorful!

Sulfur Shelf Mushroom

It has no gills.

Sulfur Shelf Mushroom on Log

Sulfur Shelf Mushroom on Log

I worked this mushroom as a project for several days.  On one of the days I had the idea below but was too tired to execute it so I walked on.  When I returned the next day, something or someone had destroyed the fungus.  I decided to make the image even though the mushroom was broken.

Sulfur Shelf Mushroom on Log

This composition had some inherent difficulties even though it was a cloudy day.  I would have tried to mitigate the strong light reflecting off the smooth surface of it.  A circular polarizer did not seem to do it.

Camera Setup for Sulfur Shelf Mushroom

 I had to suspend my camera from the tripod to get the position I desired.  You can see the broken parts below on the gravel of this one.

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How Do You Do It Followup

Extension Arms for Insect Setup

I recently added longer extension arms to move the flashes closer to the front of the lens.  I bought the stock aluminum bar at the hardware.  The flashes are heavy enough to cause the bars to sag.  I could reinforce them with an angle but I like that they sag down to the level of the lens.  I have not yet decided.

I think that it helps the shadows for the flashes to be out that far.

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How Do You Do That?

I received a comment the other day asking, "How do you do that?"  I received it via e-mail and could not remember the image to which it referred.  Thinking of the question and wanting to answer it I made the image below to show how.

Insect Setup

I use a Sigma 180mm macro lens on a Sigma 2x Teleconverter., a Canon 7D Camera, two Canon 420EX slave flashes mounted on a modified, Manfrotto 330B Macro Flash Bracket (#3278B)

A Manfrotto 3245 monopod, a Manfrotto 3262 ball head, and a remote shutter release.  I find that I do my best work while seated on a "milk carton."  

I set my ISO at auto but it always stays on 400.  I use 1/250 second and f/22.  I use the f/22 partly because the lens is fast and f/16 is not enough to keep my exposure correct.  I aim for "Exposure Compensation" = - 2.5 and "Flash Exposure Compensation" = 0.  I then have the FEC available for momentary light changes.  Some times I lock the ISO to 100 to 200 if the light is too great.  I use the flash to mitigate shadows.  I want it to equal about 2.5 stops.  That is what works for me.

The remote release is to accommodate my sore right arm.  It does not respond well to isometric tension on the shutter button.  The milk carton not only helps me stabilize the equipment but helps my sore back.  I focus manually because the lens will not auto focus mounted on the 2x converter.

A Butterfly Without Wings?

Red-Spotted Purple with Broken Wing

I think that this may reveal something about my sense of humor.  The original had "fly" instead of "butterfly".  Since I didn't get it when "fly" was used I couldn't see why I could not substitute "butterfly".  I read the explanation and still did not chuckle.  I wonder if Lucas and Loudon would laugh.

I thought it would be a use for this shot of the damaged butterfly.  Please help.

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