Hoverfly ?

[Roy Churchill]

I am very much a novice when it comes to macro stuff. C & C from the more knowledgeable welcome. Thanks for looking.

7D + 100/2.8
ISO 800
f8
1/125 sec


http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p267/RoyC_photo/fly2.jpg

[Julie Kenward]

Welcome to the macro forum, Roy! Nice angle here. I do think you have a little more detail in the back half of the insect than the front end and we generally prefer the face to be the most in focus area if the entire insect can't be included in the focal plane. That said, it's very minor and a slight tilt forward with the camera would have shifted that to just the right spot.

This does look like it might be a rather large crop (over 50%) - that could account for the noise I'm seeing in the backwing and eye area. Did you run any kinf of noise reduction on the final image? If not, that might help even out the green/red areas a bit.

[Roy Churchill]

Thanks for the critique Julie. I forgot to mention that the image has been rotated 90 degrees which probably accounts for the strange focus point. The image is around a 50% crop and coupled with ISO 800 probably accounts for the noise. I ran some NR on the BG but maybe not enough. It could also do with a slight bit of NR on the fly itself. Thanks again for your comments.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Very nice image Roy, I agree regards thea minor issue regarding focal point, I suspect f11 would have done the trick - look forward to seeing some more. (yes it is a hoverfly)

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Roy,
Welcome to the forum! Did you use flash? Front stamen look a touch bright so toning them down a touch will help. Yeah.....you just missed the focus......and I mean barely! Given your settings......not sure you wanted to push it any more although if you didn't use flash......may have allowed you to go to f11! You have a great position.....so even with the DOF falloff, the wings work......just a touch more focus on the eye and this would have jumped a whole other level.

[Roy Churchill]

Thanks for your comments Jonathan and Roman.

Roman: I did not use flash and was already at ISO 800 and 1/125 so did not want to push it one more stop.

[Ken Childs]

Hi Roy,
The main 2 things that I thought would help this image have already been addressed so I really don't have anything to add other than everything else looks good. I'm looking forward to more of your posts. :)