I tried macro in NZ as well

[Kay]

At a loss as to what to buy his dearly beloved for Christmas, I helped out my hubby with an 'oh just get me another lens' so this year I selected macro - thinking it might be fun to try on the bees in NZ (we don't have that sort with the fat fuzzy yellow/black bodies here in Australia)

so here are my first efforts - I have to fully grasp the whole how to focus on what you want correctly with such a thin slice, but it was fun.
next step is to try and do some slices in focus and then stack them.

however I may be hampered, as have just had a heart attack - well slight exaggeration, but I did run screaming from the room and I did have a sudden spike in blood pressure.... after looking at the macro thread here!
I know Seri likes the spiders, but I am a terrible arachnophobe.... the thread titles saved me a bit until Steve's 'messing about in the garden'
That spider really scared me...
so perhaps this might have to be the beginning end of my interest in the macro threads..
anyway back to the pictures...













the last 2 roses were on the 1 rainy day, I picked them and then messed about inside with focus,light from a flash etc.

[rasbury]

They don't look to bad to me.In fact the bees look very good.Will have to check them out on my laptop later as I'm on my IPod,so the image is very small.Were these taken hand held?

[macromeister]

Good start, Kay. Macro is very difficult, I find. It takes some practice, and the light is always a problem. What lens did you get? I got the Canon 100mmL for my birthday, and it is awesome. Birthdays, and Xmas - useful aren't they?

[Kay]

This is with the other canon 100 sans the 'L' as giving the non macro girl one of those to learn on would be a tad embarrassing - but mine was very handy for indoor portraits too - will post one shortly

[Stevewebb]

Nice job Kay.

I like the first bee one but its just a shame about the petal intruding into the frame on the lower RHS. I can imagine these are really tricky though.

The first two rose image are really nice but maybe square crops for them both?

A dedicated macro lens is on my wish list but I fear it may be some time beofre I get around to it.

Oh, sorry about the spider. I remember sometime in the summer we agreed an un official rule that any thread containing spiders must start with "WARNING - THIS THREAD MAY CONTAIN SPIDERS". I will try and stick to that in future

[chrisc]

I find I have the same problem when it comes to focus drop off...arrrggghhhh. Guess when the workguys finish my office/studio, I can have a better go at focus stacking.

[Kay]

that's what I want to try to Chris - though I can see how it will work with a flower - but not with the movement of the creepy crawly stinging critters...

[chrisc]

Not sure what they call it is NZ but here we call it superglue...

[nickjohnson]

Welcome to the small world Kay – you efforts look fine – especially the roses. You might like to try outdoor macro on a day when the sky is completely overcast – but bright. In the UK that often comes with light rain. The sky acts as a giant soft box and can give amazing results.

[jeeperman]

I think you have done a nice job, Kay. Something I have yet to delve into, though it is something I wish do do.

[Kay]

Thanks guys, I am looking forward to trying some more.
It was really pleasant just pottering around by myself in the gardens, so different to sport & portraits... Just shows how one interest can have so many different facets to keep us all happy