Cinnabar Moth Caterpiller

[Jonathan Ashton]

All comments welcome

Camera Model Canon EOS 50D
Tripod
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/15
Av( Aperture Value ) 16.0
Metering Mode Evaluative Metering
ISO Speed 100
Lens EF180mm f/3.5L Macro USM +1.4x
Focal Length 252.0m
AF Mode Manual focusing

[Julie Brown]

Jonathan, I like your composition, the crop, and BG color. That dark line above the caterpillar's head is a bit distracting.

[Julie Kenward]

Jonathan, the first thing I noticed about your camera settings is that you had your aperture at 16 and your shutter speed at 1/15th while your ISO is clear down at 100. It's true that ISO 100 gives you the least amount of noise but, with your camera, you should be able to boost it up to ISO 400 and still barely have any noise to wrestle with. I probably would have dropped the aperture down to f8 or 11, increased the shutter speed comparatively and then tried the same thing at ISO 200 and 400, adjusting the settings as the ISO increased. Remember...even with a tripod and a caterpillar, 1/15th is still a pretty slow ss and you certainly had the room to make sure nothing got knocked around by the wind or the bug.

Also, I think f8 or 11 would have given you a little smoother BG - something we're always trying to attain with macro images - they don't have to be silky smooth every time but you might have eliminated that darker area right above his head with a wider aperture or a slight shift of where the camera was located. I find I get so excited about the insect or flower or whatever that I zone out the BG and am horribly surprised when I get home with the images. I've learned now to take one, check the viewfinder, looking for BG problems or "blinkies" on the histogram and then deciding if I need to reshoot at a different angle, aperture or ss. Do you do this as well? It can really save valuable time in pp if you look at that first image closely for BG distractions. Remember, too, that in macro, everything is bigger in the final frame so anything that is a small or virtually non-existent distraction on the small viewfinder is going to get blown up in the final image. :eek:

That said, you can always try to smooth that dark line out in pp but getting it right in the camera is always the way to try to go.

Did you use flash? You didn't mention it but it looks as if there are flash highlights on the insect. Just wondering...

Thanks for the neat caterpillar image...I love that his/her back feet are off the perch!

[Markus Jais]

Great details and sharpness. I like the diagonal lines. Beautiful soft light.
I would try to darken the pale in the BG behind the animal a little.

Markus

[Jonathan Ashton]

Julie thanks for the advice I will take it on board. You are quite right and I do sometimes try to remember that f16 isn't always required - after all f16 on a macro lens with 1.4TC isn't f16 at all it is nearer f22/32! I started using the tripod in earnest 2008/2009 before that I used a monopod and flash, now I use the flash as little as possible and usually at -1.6EV. I have been doing most of the things you said because the tripod makes me slow down and think a little more. I have been taking the opportunity of carrying a smaller lightweigt tripod and placing a clip on the head - it is rather like a metal clothes peg and I place the subject on a suitable perch and then I can get more control over the background - but as you said I did not have quite enough control this time.
Markus - thanks, I did in fact darken the paler patch but when I tried to darken a bit more it introduced some artefact so that was about as reasonable I could manage with my current Photoshop skill.

Thanks very much I really do appreciate your comments - I can't wait for a decent summer - we must be due for one now surely!

[Vida van der Walt]

Hi Jonathan. I like the detail and great comp of this shot. Good advice by Jules.

[Ken Childs]

...a slight shift of where the camera was located. I find I get so excited about the insect or flower or whatever that I zone out the BG and am horribly surprised when I get home with the images.

This is great advice! I am sooo guilty of this but I'm getting better about it.

I'm probably beginning to sound like a broken record but a good NR plugin can really help smooth out the BG.

[Allen Sparks]

Great pose on this caterpillar...well caught! I noticed the pale patch on the background but other than that it looks fine to me. nice work.

[Christopher Miller]

Nice comp, pose, and color, Jonathan. I don't see anything to add to the advice already given.