My macro journey

[clovishound]

Just realized I posted this in my macro thread, meant to put in my 2025 images, as it isn't macro. Oh well.

Here's another I overlooked when decided what to edit. I had a bunch that were very similar, and it was hard to choose the ones to edit.

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[markiver54]

The detail is amazing! Especially the third one and the ears.
As always..great shots. Thank you!

[Ernie]

Always a pleasure. Thanks

[Hatchdog]

Fully agree with all the comments above. Fun subject in your lens.

[clovishound]

I fear I may have a touch of Edward Weston syndrome. Except, of course, it involves dragonflies rather than peppers, and my results fall far short of Mr Weston's.

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[CT_Shooter]

Thanks for the reference. I went looking for it. Beautiful work. His photography was arguably ground breaking, but yours is, too. And, you could have a worse syndrome than Edward Weston, a syndrome you may actually have. I really enjoy seeing the quick and steady progress you've shown, CW. I love both, your process and your art. Like his.

This post is a nice group of photos. My little outdoor space has several different dragonflies that I love watching. Some hang out around the water garden, perching on the tops of grasses over the water; but I especially love watching the larger ones hunting in packs twenty feet from my picture window, soaring and swooping in a feeding frenzy in the late afternoon sunlight. Amazing aerial acrobatics and a regular show in the summertime. Thanks for these. Beautiful creatures.

[markiver54]

Thanks for the reference. I went looking for it. Beautiful work. His photography was arguably ground breaking, but yours is, too. And, you could have a worse syndrome than Edward Weston, a syndrome you may actually have. I really enjoy seeing the quick and steady progress you've shown, CW. I love both, your process and your art. Like his.

This post is a nice group of photos. My little outdoor space has several different dragonflies that I love watching. Some hang out around the water garden, perching on the tops of grasses over the water; but I especially love watching the larger ones hunting in packs twenty feet from my picture window, soaring and swooping in a feeding frenzy in the late afternoon sunlight. Amazing aerial acrobatics and a regular show in the summertime. Thanks for these. Beautiful creatures.

I, certainly could not say it better.

[clovishound]

Once again, I appreciate all the kind comments.

I agree that dragonflies are beautiful creatures, and they make great subjects for photography. Even when they are munching on other insects. Yes, I have one or two of those. My current push is to explore more available light macro images and trying for those really blurry, out of focus backgrounds. I managed both of those with the ones I just posted. One issue (not in the bad sense of the word) I have is that my standards keep getting higher. Unlike in my film days, I am happy with the work I am doing, still, I need to grow and improve, and the only way to do that is to analyze the shortcomings of my current shots, and try and incorporate fixes in future shots. This can sometimes temper my enthusiasm for my work, but is a necessary aspect to improvement.

[markiver54]

I have no doubt that you will reach your personal goals. In my opinion you are already quite the Pro!

[clovishound]

You never know what predators are hiding in your back yard. Look closely next time you're out there. OK, one of these is not a macro.

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[CT_Shooter]

If any of these bugs (and bird) were scaled up to the size of, say, a lion, they would be the catatonic kind of terrifying. Hell! In your lens, they're terrifying enough being their proper size, eating each other alive in the macro world of your backyard. Nice hunting.

[Hatchdog]

Clovis, you have some interesting critters in your yard.

[clovishound]

Clovis, you have some interesting critters in your yard.

I have no doubt that you do also, if you just look close enough. That little white jumping spider on the flower was so small I wouldn't have noticed him if I hadn't been drawn to the flower by a bee, who flew off before I got a chance to shot it. I noticed something very small on the flower and discovered it was a little jumping spider.

[clovishound]

Here's another series of a critter from my back yard. Saw this little guy on a mountain mint plant. Jumping spiders have a unique look with those big puppy dog eyes. BTW those aren't pupils in the middle of his larger central eyes (he has 4 pairs of eyes!). Those are actually reflections of my flash diffuser with the lens in the center looking like a round pupil.

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[markiver54]

Amazing!

[Hatchdog]

Four pairs of eyes, that’s incredible. Great shot you captured.

[clovishound]

I always keep on the lookout for small critters when I'm in the backyard these days. I was showing the pup some interesting fungi that I though she might like to try shooting when this little crab spider caught my eye.

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[clovishound]

Went back outside a little while ago and heard this tiny little high pitched voice saying "HHEEEEELLLLPP MMMEEEEEEEEEEEEE!". Went over and found this. I felt a little like Vincent Price for a moment.

Those of you who saw the 1958 version of "The Fly" will understand.

I did get another shot of the spider working from the other end. I didn't post it because it just looked so wrong.

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[Sir Henry]

Lots of great shots. Makes it hard to pick a favorite.

[CT_Shooter]

I felt a little like Vincent Price for a moment.

Those are amazing images, especially as a follow-up to the first one of this spider just seemingly hanging out. It's all new to me, so I wonder how the unfortunate fly discovered it was prey for the crab spider. There's no sign of a web in the photo. Thanks for these. Vincent would have loved them. They're really cool.