I'm in the mood for ...MACRO!

[Richard Steele]

I'll be taking some new shots for this month's contest...
but I thought I'd share a few of my old ones
just to get the ball rolling.

All of these were taken with my trusty little Nikon 4500.

Juvenile grashopper, approx 1/2 inch high:


Dataport on my Motorola Cellphone:


White spider:


Lichen in bloom on a tar/gravel roof:
(That's a cigarette butt in the backround)


Conch shell:


Wild strawberry, approx 3/8 inch diameter:


Seashell I don't know the name of:


I love macro shots, and I'm really looking foreward
to this month's contest.
Most of you are much better photographers than I,
and I can't wait to see what you enter!

[babylonsister]

1. You just gave me more resolve to learn how to do this! Thanks!

And I think these pics are gorgeous! I think macros are so hot, and I want to learn how to do it!

[Richard Steele]

2. That's so nice of you to say that!

The only reason I bought my little Nikon was so
I could take some good MACRO pics of the jewellery I make.

While I was learning to use it, I discovered that I REALLY enjoy
photography for its own sake.

MACRO is so great because we are all surrounded by 1000
fantastic landscapes every day...
but we just never notice them, because they are so small.

Someone smarter than me once said,
"I spent the summer travelling. I made it halfway across my backyard."

I never TRULY understood that quote
until I bought my little Nikon.

[babylonsister]

3. I'm not a photographer per se, but have always liked taking

pictures. So how truly archaic is this?
This is what I inherited today:

A Canon AE-1 Program camera with a Soliger 70-220 mm lens.
It's a dinosaur, heavy, but might be good for practice.
Any thoughts other than canning it and getting one
more up-to-date? The pos and neg opinions are all welcome.
And what did you start with?
This is my first experience w/something more heavy-duty than a
point and shoot.
Thanks!

My husband has/had this and bestowed it to me, so I'm going to
try to make some magic. For now, I'll be practicing!

But the close-ups have me inspired!

[Richard Steele]

4. Thoughts? Don't 'can' it, USE it! Ride it hard, and put it up wet!

Use it a lot, use it every day!

As Grandpa Steele used to say: "Drive it like you stole it!"

After 5000 pictures or so,
when you can honestly say you KNOW how to use that camera...
you won't need to ask ANYONE'S opinion
about what NEW camera you want to spend some $$$ on!

[babylonsister]

10. Thanks for your pearls of wisdom, and thanks, Grandpa! nt

[mogster]

5. Grand stuff!

I really like this theme now that I see all the photos :bounce:

Pssst: Andy's name is spelled Stephenson :-)

[Richard Steele]

6. I misspelled his name? OOPS, Color my face RED!

At least this embarrassing incident PROVES I was being HONEST
when I said I never really knew him!

Edit: I just changed it. I owe you one.

[mogster]

8. Thank you for keeping that name alive, dicksteele

I appreciate that :-)
Didn't mean to embarrass you, honestly.

[ConsAreLiars]

7. Andy was a Very Good human being.

I deeply appreciate the fact that even a comrade in Norway knows how to spell his last name and that so many on DU are using his image in their sig lines. He made a real difference, and every time we see his image we are reminded of his life and we are reminded of what we might do.

Macros are both very easy and very hard. Getting close to 1:1 magnification opens an immense range of possibilities, but also some serious technical challenges. A lot of what is possible is just not very aesthetically interesting, and thus there are a lot of decisions about framing, focus point, depth of field, and such, in every shot.

[mogster]

9. Well, you know, ConsAreLiars

I was kinda involved in the fundraiser and subsequent hubbub.

I never knew him either (he was to ill to be focusing outwards), but he's grown to be some kind of 'ideal' for me. Poor Andy, I just wished he could have lived on. Hopefully his name and way of doing things does :-)

[Immad2]

11. Great pictures dicksteele ! n/t

[alkaline9]

12. Excellent!

I especially like the wild strawberry. The brilliant red color with the green background makes it for me!

[Blue_In_AK]

13. Great shots...

I'm thoroughly intimidated now. Thanks a lot!

[F.Gordon]

14. Unless you're working on something new......

I agree ... the Wild Strawberry is definitely a vote magnet.
:thumbsup:

But.. bug butt's are always a big hit.

You have this macro thing really fine tuned. Just tell me you didn't hand hold all these shots. I have this "older shakey hand complex" thing that is costing me a fortune in therapy.
:crazy:

[Richard Steele]

15. No, hand held is not a good option for me!

I really have to have the camera well-supported
for this kid of thing. Any shake at all shows up at this kind of magnification.
The mini-tripod is great for the outside shots.