They're Back!

[Andrew McLachlan]

Don't get over to the Macro Forum too much even though my macro lens is my favorite lens. Thought I would post one from the archives as spring finally arrived in my neck of the woods today. The Chorus Frog began singing in the vernal ponds behind my home. Once more of them start to chorus I will head out for some fresh captures with my digital gear.

Nikon F80
Nikon 105 micro lens
Fuji Velvia 50
f16 @ 1/60th sec.
SB25 on home-made bracket
Scanned on Coolscan 5000

Look forward to comments

91458

[Mark T Helm]

I wish it would stop snowing here ,spring is just waiting to burst out. Did you shoot this in the evening that is when they seem to sing there.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Mark, crazy weather we've been having. I heard you guys got nailed with snow earlier in the week, while I live in a snow-belt a few hours north and we got rain...go figure.

I only shoot them at night now. Usually around 10pm or later. I find it is virtually impossible to shoot them during the day. They see you coming from a good distance away and go quiet. At night they seem to be much easier to find, but you have to follow their voices. I'd swear they can throw their voices just to confuse you.

[bhavya joshi]

Yes..it is not difficult to find the frog at night...due of singing sound hear from.. everywhere... little bit confusing also.. but We have keep very passion and quiet to take a shot in his natural habits. I think also..

but , good captured..and Eye are comes out well.. with huge vocal, looking great..
Nice work Andrew...:S3:

[OvidiuCavasdan]

Good capture, sharp where it needs, pleasant colors. Bg a bit busy but thats the natural environment and it not easy to shoot such images. I might be tempted to crop a slice from top.

[Mitch Haimov]

Great detail in the eyes and throat sac (or whatever it's called). I agree with everything said above, so won't repeat, except I wouldn't be tempted to crop from the top--I would definitely do so (and a little from the left). Better yet, of course, would have been to point the camera a little more down and to the right (do overs would be so helpful in photography!:w3). I look forward to seeing the results of your efforts this year.

[Brendan Dozier]

Great image & pose, Andrew. Like the detail in head and throat. Agree about cropping off top, and maybe a bit more dof. Photographing frogs at night actually sounds like a very very cool adventure! Look forward to seeing more of your macro images.

[Ken Childs]

Hey Andrew, nice job of taking the shot at the perfect moment....that throat looks like it's about to pop! I agree the BG looks a bit busy but I know there's not much that can be done about it when your subject lives on the forest floor. I think the biggest thing than can be done to improve this is to crop some from the left, top and right to get the frog's head to a ROT position.

I'm looking forward to more of these frog shots. :S3:

[Declan Troy]

Hey Andrew,
Could you expand a bit on your scanning procedure/settings. This image sure came out nice.
Declan

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Declan,

Thanks for comments on the scan.

I am using a Nikon Coolscan 5000 with Nikon Scan software
I always use Multi-Sampling set at 16X
Enable Digital ICE is on Normal
I also use Digital DEE for shadow/highlight when needed and never exceed 15 for highlights or 30 for shadows.
Resolution is always set to 4000.
For critters I manually focus the scanner on the eye(s)
For landscapes I will take an average of various readings. I was told that the scanners have a range of about 6-7 points. So if my results fall within tha range I take an average. If they don't the film is probably curved/wavy. I will then put the film in a special tensioning mount to keep it flat for a higher quality scan. These tensioning mounts were made by "Wessmounts" "AHX500K". I specially ordered them from Germany and the shipping cost about 5 times more than the mounts. YIKES!

Most of the time I will tweak my scans with NIK Viveza and if needed adjust color casts with NIK's Remove Color Cast Filter.

Hope this helps. Drop me a line if you need more info.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Thanks folks for the comments. I appreciate them very much. If it isn't too cool tonight I am heading out to the ponds - the Chorus Frogs are chorusing quite loudly today.

[Jason Kinsey]

Thanks folks for the comments. I appreciate them very much. If it isn't too cool tonight I am heading out to the ponds - the Chorus Frogs are chorusing quite loudly today.

Beautiful image and good luck tonight!! I've needed to be out there for the last few weeks myself-just haven't made time to do it!!

[kostas nianiopoulos]

handsome guy u got there nicely done !!

[Declan Troy]

Hey Andrew,

Thanks for the specs on scanning. A project that I need to get around to one of these days and your tips should be a great help.

I trust you had fun with the chorus frogs. Frogs up here are still wearing parkas and crampons.

Declan

[Andrew McLachlan]

Thanks Jason and Kostas for the comments, very much appreciated!

Declan, YAW, not much luck last night in the ponds. Got one chorus frog photo then it temp dropped and ice formed on the ponds, but they're singing again so.....

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Andrew. Lots of good suggestions on this one already. You did a good job of capturing the peak of the action. My only additional suggestion would be to consider toning down the flash-generated specular highlights in the background to give the image less of a "flashed" look. :S3: Overall, this is well done - looking forward to more.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Thanks Steve for the comments. I'll try toning down the highlights some. I find the specular flash highlights are troublesome with this type of photography - there's always lots of cloning required.

[Jason Kinsey]

Thanks Steve for the comments. I'll try toning down the highlights some. I find the specular flash highlights are troublesome with this type of photography - there's always lots of cloning required.

One other problem with shooting herps is you are shooting them at night most of the time too....I use diffusers, bounce cards, etc. but STILL almost always have problems with them....But thats part of it!!