HIF (hoverfly in flight)

[Jerry van Dijk]

I finally pulled off one of these images. I've been trying and failing to get this for quite some time. This hoverfly looked like it was defending a territory (but I don't know whether hoverflies actually do that) and seemed to be mating in flight with several other flies that were passing by. It kept returing to roughly the same place, enabling me to sort of prepare for the shot. I think it hovered in place for about two seconds at a time, in which I had to acquire focus, compose and fire the shutter :eek3:. Although I'm not happy with the image yet (I don't like that the fly is exactly on the division of the two BG colors), but I'm so excited that I finally succeeded that I post it anyway. Next challenge is getting it with better focus on the eyes, more DOF, a better BG and larger in the frame (this is about 25% of the original frame). Quite a wishlist.....
For those interested in the species: I think this is Eristalis tenax.

D7000, 200mm f/4 micro, handheld, manual focus, ISO-800, f/10, 1/640 sec.
ACR/CS6. Darkened LR corner, WB, levels, sharpness, NR on BG, added a little saturation and vibrance.

[Norm Dulak]

This is an exciting project, Jerry. Catching one of these is quite a feat. Your own critique and plans are excellent, and I look forward to seeing your future results. Since your subject returned to a particular area, if it is a place of relatively subdued ambient light, you might try one or more speed lights to freeze those wings. But you have a foot in a very interesting door. Go for it!

[John Robinson]

Well done on this one Jerry. I have seen them displaying here too with up to three individuals rotating around each other. You have a good camera too !!!!
John

[Nancy Bell]

Good job! And good luck with more. I am not familiar with your preferred techniques, but what about using a tripod since the hoverflies seem to return to the same place? This could increase your chances of success in sharpness, etc.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Jerry the image is good, with a little luck add more work I am sure you will get one you are really happy with. The image presented is well exposed and pretty sharp. Does your camera have a function that stops the focus from hunting. I was wondering if you know where the insect is roughly going to be you could prefocus and be ready for when it arrives and then quickly engage AF to get precise focus. Good luck it's a bit like getting dragons in flight an awful lot of work then one day luck is on your side and you get the shot you really wanted.

[Jerry van Dijk]

Thanks for your comments everyone. I think it will be very hard to get this done from a tripod. Although the fly kept returning to roughly the same place, its behaviour is still too erratic for shooting from a tripod. For enough detail, you've got to get the fly large enough in the frame. Combined with the shallow DOF, it is outside the viewfinder before you know it.
Jon, the 200 micro doesn't have AF-S, so it's very sluggish on AF and not very accurate in following the subject. That's why I used MF for this one.

[Mitch Haimov]

Congrats, Jerry! Nice detail in your subject. That BG transition is unfortunate, but this is a success. Good luck making more in-flight images you like better.

[Randy Stout]

Jerry:

Makes taking pictures of humming birds seem like a piece of cake!

Here I was feeling that doing butterflies in flight would be tough, and you have to show this one.

Seriously, congrats on your progress. I wouldn't want the wings stopped, it really shows the sense of movement as is.

Looking forward to your next success!

Cheers

Randy

[Jerry van Dijk]

Thanks Randy. I actually think that photographing butterflies is more of a challenge than photographing these flies, because they have a much more unpredictable flightpath. I've never succeeded in capturing one, but that might be a nice additional challenge for the coming season!

[Steve Maxson]

A cool (and difficult) shot Jerry - and a good self critique. I wonder if these flies have aerial leks? I'm amazed that you are trying to do this with manual focus! Too bad the longer macro lenses don't have better AF (the Canon 180mm macro also has very sluggish AF). For Canon users: the current 100mm macro has very nice AF - though it may not have the reach you would want for this type of fly image. Keep working on this Jerry and I hope to see more of these flight images.

[Vida van der Walt]

Very well done on getting this guy in flight! Love the wing blur and comp as well.

[Jerry van Dijk]

Thanks Vida, and nice to see you back at the forum! I've been away on a trip, hence my slow response.....