Vixen

Really great shot here - love the way the grass his almost giving you a sweeping frame around her

By: paddyman

Passing the Road

Many thanks for the compliments and crits both!

Sherlob I do agree that the light wasn't perfect, I knew at the time that it wasn't the best of light with it mostly dull grey - but I am glad to read that the composition is working decently well. I've had some recommend that a few steps forward might have helped to bring more of the roads curve into view as well.

Niknut - ahh someone knows where things are in Cumbria! And yes I processed this shot with the thought in mind that I didn't want to go overboard with the contrast, however that was done with the screen uncalibrated and after recalibrating the screen tonight I do find that I prefer your more contrast version over the original. Though I think you've also given the levels/curve a little tweak as well; its brought out the colours better in some areas I think (sky and the right side) but its also sapped a bit of the warmth that the light had that I tried to preserve - an interesting challenge to mix/match the two I think might be in order.

By: Overread

Look into my eye

Many thanks for the compliments all
Iceland - yes I have indeed come across his work, I have his flickr in my contacts list and he does do some outstanding macro work - certainly very inspiring stuff!

By: Overread

Hornet

A great many thanks to all - I certainly did not expect this shot to get such applause! Also not sure who gave it, but a great many thanks again for the person who awarded it a "Guest Editors Award"

By: Overread

A sight of the Hills

Gah Sorry for not noticing this sooner Scutter/Ben
Actually whilst I edited this shot I held myself back (deliberately) from oversaturating the results and I've had a few suggest that I boost the contrast a little. I do have to say I like the edit you did in the sky areas for pulling out the stronger blues.
With regard to the background mountain areas I might or might not burn them in a little more, but I think it adds a little depth to have a contrast change between the fore and backgrounds (as I recall the lighting was like that at the time with a subtle difference between the two).

By: Overread

Creepy Crawly

Thanks Banehawi - I think this is around 4-5 times (sadly EXIF does not record magnification unless its hidden in there somewhere). Probably 5 times as I had the aperture quite wide

By: Overread

The Holy Trinity

Thanks for the comments Stuart!

And yes the 70mm macro will work with both of the sigma teleconverters, myself I tend to use the 1.4 more than the 2* simply because it gives a bit of a magnifiation boost, but its overall image quality still remains very high. The 2* I tend to use less often since as you say if I just want the longer working distance for 1:1 stuff I can use the 150mm - and I tended to use the Raynox DCR 250 + the 1.4TC if I wanted to get to 2:1 macro instead of using the 2*TC. Not on an image quality basis but on a speed (slipping the Raynox on takes a matter of moments) and also ease factor - since with a really short working distance you can often end up resting on the ground or leaning on a surface whilst focusing, whilst a longer working distance tends to work better with a tripod (since the further away one is the more handshake affects the shot).

As for when I use the 70mm over the 150mm in butterfly farms/enclosures I tend to prefer it since the long working distance of the 150mm tends to get in the way (large bugs and one can only back so far before running out of path to stand on). Indoors is also another time I tend to reach for a shorter working distance over a longer one.

Even with the 65mm now the 70mm will still keep its place since it can still do 1:2 and all the way to infinity whilst the 65mm starts at 1:1.

You might find these two test results that I did of interest as well:
Sharpness test for the MPE
Comparison 70mm, 150mm and 65mm
though I do think there might be some focusing errors on my part in the last test and I will repeat it at some point with angled shots like in the first - where any focus error on my part won't affect the test results.

By: Overread

Little House Spider

thanks all - and I am starting to rediscover my love of the heal tool - in a whole new way (gah this lens shows up every speck of dust and then some!)

By: Overread

Who?

Many thanks all
Paul - yes both the sigma 1.4 and 2* teleconverters will fit to the 70mm macro - the join is even very smooth with no forcing needed.

By: Overread

1st KINGFISHER

Lovely series of shots and a great chance to capture shots of both subjects - one could not ask for more. The 3rd appears the sharpest kinfisher shot though I prefer the looks of the first shot overall.

Out of interest have you considered (or were able) to use a beanbag when you don't have space/time for the tripod? Even with the OS of the 150-500mm 1/160sec is probably really pushing your handholding at the long end (and whilst ISO 400 would have been usable I well understand the reluctance to rise ISO and lose finer details and have noise in a shot)

By: steve_eb

A reflected drop

Soo sorry for the long reply wait - I was away for a few days!

Many thanks for the comments all - certainly something to think about! The idea of lighting the subject rather than the drop itself didn't occur to me when I shot this, but its something several people have suggested now and I think it might be the right step forward in getting the shot to work with less of a highlight reflection problem on the waterdrop.

Tripod side I would have used a tripod for this - if I had brought it with me on the day - I'm scrabbling around and getting one of thsoe shoulder straps for a tripod soon because at present carrying it along with a regular bag is a pain (I have to hold it rather than the camera which means no shots). I certainly agree that such a shot would work better with a tripod.

Composition wise - yah I gotta agree there as well (its my weakest area at present so somewhere I do really have to work on). If I get another chance hopefully I can work some composition into the reflected subject as well - in this case I was just after a clearer reflection so that is why its bramble and awooden post in the reflection.

By: Overread

Any Port in a Storm

Thanks for the input all!
I really like the input on people not understanding fully what it is your seeing, since its something that I didn't really think of. I guess I have just got a little too used to viewing butterflies this close - though I can fully agree that he is very squashed into that corner. (and sadly with all the water on him he was in a total mess with wings and antenna control).
I like the crop suggestion and was thinking along similar lines, even though I do rather like the burred background areas on the left, but the idea of rotating the image is new, but I can see how his look changes to be one more similar to those more commonly seen.

Many thanks also for the contrast/brightness suggestions - certianly there appears tobe more scope with the shot than I have gone to, though at the moment I am slightly reluctant to really perfect things on this level (mostly as my screen has horrific brightness and contrast changes even if I change the viewing angle a tiny bit ).

By: Overread

The Bold Robin

Many thanks all

By: Overread

In the Hole

Beauty of a shot -- really great catching one of these sneaky devils at the centre - and that he is nibbling is even better

By: aunt sally

Hidden Joy

Many thanks all

By: Overread

White Wing

Many thanks for the input
I suppose a lot of the butterflies in those houses get to (enjoy?) oldage more than their wild counterparts - so I do agree there are more with the tattered wingtips.

I did pester Dalecath, however he is keeping his golden method a tightly kept secret, but the bees in flight thread in the forums has caught my eye - along with some of the linked setups people have used with lasers and the like - its certainly something very specialist to construct - possible with the right tools and gear.

As for the apertures I still feel that a smaller aperture might be better, if only because one can never garantee the angle that the wings will be at when the camera fires, as well as the point that the AF locks onto - if it catches a wing a shallow depth would give a nice wing, but soft body. Though as I found this puts even more pressure on the flash - I think more than one flash would be needed - so that they could fire at a lower power, thus allowing nice rapid firing, whilst still giving the lighting needed (or one of those fancy highspeed flash units on Dalecath's website link)

By: Overread

PLUSH

Beauty of a shot - creative and mysterious as one wonders what is deeper into those petals. Really like this

By: mrjes

Hey love, give us a lick of your lolly!

Hehe lovely and cheeky shot there! I like the compostion of it as well

By: Valerie1

Mothstack

Many thanks all
for those wondering about the process there is a bit more info in this thread here: link

By: Overread

First Flower of the year

Many thanks all

By: Overread

Hiding Place

Great shot - love the lighting getting the bird in full clear details! Also I think your colourcast is gone - at least I cannot see one at all

By: csurry

Young Goldie

I agree with the others a great shot showing a lot of fine details with good strong colours. I agree with doghouse - cropping some of the frame off from the right hand side would help since at the moment its just sitting there as deadspace

By: DannoM

Dustbin Lid.

I love the "looking at you" effect this shot has - a great angle to shoot from and well composed as well. A great shame that your ISO was so high though.
And at least he was only flying round the bin - I have tried chasing the devils as they fly from flower to flower - they have some speed when they want to!

By: scoff

Butterflies

Both are great shots and its really nice to see a feeding butterfly on a flower.

By: crookymonsta

Male Cirl Bunting

Beauty of a shot and great to see the eye details clear and not just a dark blob! Also gratefull for the info that you posted with the shot - helps give it a story!

By: FeatherFriend