Macro Photography: Mosquitoes Emerging
Brothers William and Matthew Burrard-Lucas are up and coming wildlife photographers from the UK. Their unique approach to wildlife photography involves working as a team to take imaginative and unusual photographs of wild animals. You can find out more about them on their website, Burrard-Lucas Wildlife Photography. In this guest post they talk about how they captured these incredible images of mosquitoes hatching.
As is the case with most of our macro photos, the inspiration behind this series came from getting outside and actively searching for subjects – you can’t always expect to come up with good ideas whilst sitting around!
We were looking for subjects in our garden in the UK when we noticed some mosquito larvae developing in a pot of stagnant water. We did a bit of research into their development and discovered that it takes about 1-2 weeks (depending on the temperature) for them to develop into the adult form that we all know and love! This was perfect, since it gave us a good amount of time to devise a set up to photograph them as they emerged.
Over the course of about 14 days, we maintained a keen eye on their development. We kept the larvae in a glass of distilled water indoors and covered it with perforated cling film – we didn’t want to suffer their bites during the night! Once the larvae had turned into pupae, we knew they were close to hatching. We soon discovered that when we saw one straighten out, we had about 5 minutes until go-time.
We transferred the mosquito into a special pot of water and made final adjustments to our setup. We were using a Canon EOS 5D with a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens. For the lighting, we had three flash units – a macro ring light and two supplementary speedlite flashes. Additionally, we had two halogen desktop lamps to illuminate the green printed background. Working at such large magnifications meant that we needed plenty of light to keep the ISO low, the aperture small and shutter speed high.
In order to obtain a strong reflection, we had to get an extremely shallow angle with the surface of the water. An aperture of around f/16 provided a sufficient depth of field, however, this meant that we did encounter some softness in our images due to small aperture diffraction. The mosquitoes were only a couple of millimetres long so in order to get the required magnification, we zoomed the lens in to 4x (this means a 1 mm object was projected to a size of 4 mm on the camera sensor).
After a mosquito had fully emerged from its pupal case, it would rest on the surface of the water for a few minutes whilst it pumped fluid into its wings. We took as many photos as we could, but we were limited by the time it took the flashes to recharge to full power. In total the whole process took no more than 5 minutes from start to finish.
It really was an amazing transformation to observe and the project gave us genuine respect for these much-maligned little insects!
Note that no mosquitoes were harmed during the taking of these photographs!
To see more mosquito photographs and many other projects, please checkout our wildlife photography blog, flickr stream or facebook page.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Macro Photography: Mosquitoes Emerging
Interview with Greg Yaitanes: Director who Shot House Episode with a Canon EOS 5D Mk II
A little over a month ago the photography blogosphere was a buzz with the news that the final episode of the TV medical drama House was being shot completely on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera in its movie mode.
The episode has now aired in the US (trailer below) and the director of the episode Greg Yaitanes has answered a lot of questions about it via Twitter. I also stumbled across a great audio interview with Greg today on Philip Bloom’s site. It’s an hour long (so grab a cup of your favorite beverage before hitting play) but it’s an interesting listen.
The reason for using the 5D Mk II? The amazing Depth of Field available with the lenses as well as the ability to shoot in very small spaces.
You can hear the full interview here.
The shooting was done with the 5D Mk II and a combination of lenses (shot largely wide open) including:
- 50mm F1.0 (replaced by the f1.2)
- 85mm F1.2
- 100mm IS Macro F2.8L
- 24-70, 70-200mm IS F2.8L
Here’s the trailer to the episode:
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Interview with Greg Yaitanes: Director who Shot House Episode with a Canon EOS 5D Mk II
Interview with Wild Life Photographer Chris Weston
Today I am excited to introduce you to wildlife photographer Chris Weston who has agreed to answer a few questions about his photography.
How did you first get into photography?
When I was ten years old my dad gave me a Nikkormat 35mm camera, which got me involved in photography. At the same time, I had a fascination with animal behaviour. I started to use my camera to record animal behaviour to help me learn about it, which is where photography and wildlife came together.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
The one thing I learned that transformed my photography most is that photographs are your voice, a way to express yourself. Therefore, before you head out into the field with your camera, it’s essential you have something interesting to say.
What type of camera do you use most?
My main cameras are Nikon D3’s, which I use for all my wildlife field work. Mostly because the exceptional image quality at relatively high ISOs (i.e. 1600) enables me to work in low light conditions, something I often face as a wildlife photographer. I also have a D700, which I use as a back-up and when traveling light, and a D3X, which I use mostly for landscape work.
What is your favorite lens?
I’m a huge fan of wide-angles and short focal length lenses, even for wildlife, and have a fish-eye lens and a 24-70MM zoom. But my favorite all-round workhorse lens is the 70-200MM, which I use more than any other.
Could you share a favorite recent image and tell us a little of the back story behind it
I first visualized this image (pictured above) when I was stargazing one night in Zimbabwe. When I got home, I began to analyze how it could be done. When I returned to Africa a few months later, I set out with this image in mind. It’s a single frame (not a composite) and is a mix of natural light (background) and flash light (foreground). The foreground was in complete darkness. In fact, it was so dark I could barely see my tripod and had to rely on sound to determine when the lions moved. I have to say, standing in the bush in complete darkness, knowing there are lions not more than 30-feet away but being unable to see them, is perhaps one of the craziest things I’ve ever done.
Do you have a tip for beginner to intermediate photographers that will help them improve their photography?
Something I still do to this day is, before I press the shutter I ask myself the question “How would I caption this image?” If the only answer I can conjure is the species name, then I wait for a better shot.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Interview with Wild Life Photographer Chris Weston
Sybrand Cillié – Photographer Interview
Today I’d like to introduce you to South African photographer Sybrand Cillié who has agreed to answer a few questions for us about his photography.
How did you first get into photography?
I’ve always had an interest in photography, but could never afford to really learn the craft shooting film. Just over 5 years ago I blew a whole months salary on a digital (point and shoot) camera and immediately fell in love with photography. A few months later I bought a 20D and from there everything snowballed to where I am today. I’ve now been a full time photographer for about 4 and a half years.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
hmmmm difficult one… I would say ‘learning how to properly bounce on camera flash’. I used direct flash for way too long.
What type of camera do you use most?
My main body at the moment is a Canon 1D mk4 – I love everything about it – the high ISO capabilities; super fast and accurate focus; the high frame rate and it’s built like a tank.
What is your favorite lens?
Another difficult one…. I would say my 17-40mm F4 L – I just love shooting wide. (My most used lens however the 24-70 F2.8 L)
Could you share a favorite recent image and tell us a little of the back story behind it?
Looking at the photo (above) it simply looks like a car going really fast. What makes the image so special for me is that the guy driving is BLIND and going 320km/h (200MPH) – He set a new Guinness World Record for a blind person.
I had the honour to spend a few days with this amazing man and witness this historic event. Read the whole story here.
Do you have a tip for beginner to intermediate photographers that will help them improve their photography?
The best advice I can give you is to learn how to shoot in Manual mode – not just how to get the little light meter in the middle to 0EV but actually learning to read the LCD/histogram on the back of your camera. Yes it’s difficult at first, but once you’ve got it, you are in TOTAL control and I promise you’ll never go back!
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Sybrand Cillié – Photographer Interview
Nicholas Creevy – Photographer Interview
In this week’s photographer interview we’re featuring UK photographer Nicholas Creevy.
Check out Nicholas on Twitter, Flickr and at his Website.
How did you first get into photography?
I first brought my first DSLR around 4-5 years back while I was learning graphic design at college. The main reason for my purchase was to take some stock photos to use in my graphic design work and by fluke I captured a split second image of a relative of mine, a few people said I had a skill for taking general portraits. Even tho I knew this was a fluke I decided to try my skills in the fashion industry so I signed up to a modelling website (ModelMayhem) and set up my first photo shoot with a model, it just went all from there!
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
I really wish I prepared for how competitive the fashion industry is back when I first started that I have come to know now, It is like a school playground where you have the cool kids at one end and the no-so-cool kids at the other end, Along with that one person in the middle!
What type of camera do you use most?
My first camera as a Canon EOS 400D (Xti), but I have since then upgraded to a Canon EOS 5D as I just love full frame!
What is your favorite lens?
I used to really love the 50mm prime lens, but now the 85mm just never comes off my camera!
Could you share a favorite recent image and tell us a little of the back story behind it
The story behind the image above is really the way my style is going, I took this while I was location scouting for a upcoming shoot I had planned at the time. So I would defiantly this is one of my favorite as this is reflecting me now!
Do you have a tip for beginner to intermediate photographers that will help them improve their photography?
Never stop experimenting, always try to push your boundaries every day. I have seen some photographers around whom have had their style handed practically to them from another. Trust me, developing your own style and seeing it’s hard work pay off is worth so much more than having it handed to you.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Nicholas Creevy – Photographer Interview
Interview with Rosie Hardy
Today I’d like to introduce you to the photography of Rosie Hardy. A 19 year old photographer I stumbled across at Flickr (on the recommendation of some of our readers on facebook). You can see her Flickr stream here. Rosie agreed to answer a few questions about her photography – I hope you enjoy this short interview and accompanying image.
How did you first get into photography?
I first got into photography when I was around 16 years old (I’m now 19). I would always flickr through magazines and wonder why pictures I took never looked like they did, I was slightly confused and intrigued by it all. Like any teenager, I wanted to feel pretty, so I started taking random snaps of myself and playing around with them in photoshop and posting them to my old myspace.
After a while, I joined flickr, and I was around 17 when I decided to take up the 365days Project (1 self portrait every day for a year) to really improve my photography and post processing skills. I didn’t start taking it seriously until a few months in, and I saw how passionate about it that I was. I started shooting in new locations, with props and lighting, and then moved onto shooting with models and clients. Self portraits are something which are nice for me to do occasionally, but they really gave me that first initial leg up into the world of photography.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
I wish I’d known how important it is to have patience with yourself and keep going. I think with the internet in all it’s glory it can be easy to get disheartened, especially when you get negative feedback, but what is important to keep in mind is that every amazing photographer was once a horrible photographer who took awful photos. We all start somewhere, I look back on my early work and cringe! And I’m sure next year I’ll look back on the stuff I’ve yet to do and cringe at that, too! Point is, I wish I’d not been put off by all the other talented photographers out there.
You don’t need to worry about what you have to offer if you enjoy what you are doing – I’m still not entirely sure what i want to say with my photography, but I know eventually I want to say something, and I’m happy working with what I enjoy until I figure that out.
What type of camera do you use most?
I use the Canon 5d Mark II right now, but for the first year and 1/2 I used a Canon 400D, so very basic with no other equipment except the kit lens and a tripod.
What is your favourite lens?
I LOVE the 70-200mm 2.8 IS lens, and I’m saving up for an 85mm 1.2 lens. I also reccomend the 50mm 1.4/50mm 1.2 lens, and the 24-70mm 2.8 has served me well.
Could you share a favourite recent image and tell us a little of the back story behind it
This image (above) was done a few weeks ago at Stoke on Trent University studio. My boyfriend and I had recently broken up, and I was powering through the split, but still feeling an overwhelming feeling of sadness at the loss of a friend and a whole part of myself – I had moved over to America to be with him (I am from Manchester, UK) and I had to leave everything behind, including the incredible time I’d had over there.
I found these butterfly stickers in a shop one day, and wanted to portray this concept of all the butterflies you get when you love someone quietly fluttering away from you. It was heart wrenching when it happened. I wasn’t 100% sure I even wanted to let them go.
A while after the shoot, I actually saw that it could have a different meaning – that all the butterflies were coming to me to comfort me and surround me like something of a defence. I start to pick myself up and realize that life goes on and love will come again, and that there will always be butterflies and without trying to sound too soppy and melodramatic, sometimes you have to let them go. Photography is great for me like that, it’s like a little outlet I have to express myself and release any sadness/emotion that I might have.
Do you have a tip for beginner to intermediate photographers that will help them improve their photography?
Practice every day! I would definitely recommend taking up the 365 days project – even though it’s self-portraiture, you learn how to direct yourself and pose yourself (and then you can pose models a lot easier) and you get used to being on both sides of the camera.
Shooting every single day sped up my improvement by miles, and it also was nice to document my year and see how much my style has changed. Also – take every opportunity you get, however dull or small, because it opens up SO many new jobs and opportunities! I’ve had such an amazing 2 years and I wouldn’t give up photography for the world.
Connect with Rosie and see more of her work at her site and on her Flickr account.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
41 Delicious Flower Photographs
Photo : floridapfe
This guest post was submitted by Martin Gommel from the German Blog KWERFELDEIN (flickr).
Photographing flowers can be one of the hardest things to do. I have deep respect for any photographer who manages to do it well.
In these days I am trying different new things and shooting flowers is part of my adventure. To get myself inspired I collected some of the best photographs of flowers that I could find on flickr. I hope that you enjoy these 41 delicious flower photographs as much as I do. Enjoy and get inspired!
Update: don’t forget our recent Wildflower photography tips.
Photo :esther**
Photo : Gary*
Photo: rosemary*
Photo : davebluedevil
Photo : Gary*
Photo : rosemary*
Photo : Mr Geoff
Photo : Steve took it
Photo : rosemary*
Photo : rosemary*
Photo : rosemary*
Photo : lichtmaedel
Photo : Gary*
Photo: rosemary*
Photo : Mr Geoff
Photo : OneEighteen
Photo : konaboy
Photo : kimtojin
Photo : natureloving
Photo : Leviathor
Photo : Daniela_Fran
Photo : floridapfe
Photo : rosemary*
Photo : Sara Heinrichs (awfulsara)
Photo : kimtojin
Photo : Chris (archi3d)
Photo : Mr Geoff
Photo : alonsodr
Photo : straightfinder
Photo : dsevilla
Photo : glueslabs
Photo : Philippe Sainte-Laudy
Photo : yoshiko314
Photo : Sara Heinrichs (awfulsara)
Photo : Sara Heinrichs (awfulsara)
Photo : Steve took it
Photo : rosemary*
Photo : rosemary*
Photo : ~jjjohn~
Photo : floridapfe
Did this post inspire you to do some flower photography? Or do you have interesting photographs of flowers? Let us know and share your flower photographs in our Forum.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
41 Delicious Flower Photographs
A Story of A Photographer Leaving Her Comfort Zone
It was the first time she had done anything like this.
After all, fear of the unknown took her outside her comfort zone. Treading on new territory, pushing the boundaries of her photography, and allowing herself to be stretched would take all the courage she could muster. In her mind, there were a good many others more qualified. In the end, none of that mattered, she would do it anyway.
Tasra Dawson** climbed onto the bus with 33 other photographers. They had met for the Pictage PartnerCon (a photography conference) in New Orleans, taking 4 days to network, learn, and be inspired by massively successful pros in the industry. Tasra herself had spoken, and helped write and produce a film series for the event along with her husband Ron, but the experience she was about to walk into was less familiar and more daunting than standing on that stage before hundreds of people:
Shooting street images of strangers… with their permission.
She would meet her goal while out on a photo walk. It was the first she had ever done. It was to be a time when photographers pile onto a bus, travel across the city, and take pictures of various things, places, and people.
The fact that this photo walk was in New Orleans was surreal for her. When Hurricane Hurricain Katrina had hit in 2006, her parents had been on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Being in a place that had been touched by the same destruction near to her parents, made her feel as though she was experiencing family history. She was seeing it all with her own eyes. She would be documenting it with her own eyes too.
Tasra breathed. She had her camera. She had her gear. She had comrades. Together, they could embark on this adventure, and she was excited about what might come her way. The sense of adventure motivated her. She was a capable and successful photographer. The confidence she always instilled in her students and blog readers would have to be placed in herself.
The tour would cover the lower 9th ward – one of the places hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina. The first stop was Flood Street. She had ten minutes. She got off the bus, and didn’t allow herself any thought but one: Take pictures and go wherever it may lead.
She began to shoot. After a few shots, she turned and began taking pictures of what looked like a building just after destruction had passed – not years later. As she photographed, she noticed a man coming toward her. Her heart began to race wondering if he’d tell her to stop or get mad. She looked around for support but found herself alone.
This is it.
She took her courage and started a conversation. “Were you here during Katrina?” She asked him and received a nod in response. “Do you live around here?” His response “Not around here. I live here,” and he motioned to the building she had been photographing. He was there during the rising of the waters. He was there, in the top story of his house, when the water was up to his waist. He just couldn’t bring himself to leave, even in the face of danger; he had to stay.
For Tasra, the moment of truth came at that moment: “Would you mind if I took your picture in front of the house?”
To her relief, he said yes. After a few shots, the man asked if she wanted to go inside – inside his house. Her heart jumped. She was amazed. Amazed that the moment was not nearly as intimidating as she thought. She wondered if there were other moments and opportunities she missed because of her lack of confidence. She knew there were.
She walked into the house with a few other photographers. The first image she saw was the broken roof on the right side of the house. The light was streaming through the vacant opening, creating a beautiful shaft of light. As she took pictures, she asked about the different rooms, and the man shared. She could hardy believe how much she was able to document such a precious story of a man who would have rather died than leave his home. His courage was inspiring.
And she was able to experience this simply because she stepped out of her comfort zone.
The time passed quickly. After 15 minutes, she heard the bus honking for the return. She didn’t want to leave. The time had been unreal. As she walked back through to exit, the man passed through the light shaft – first image she had seen upon arrival. A quick snap captured one of her most precious images; not because of the rising smoke in the light, and the intense contrast of the textures, but because encapsulated in this one image was the entire story of a courageous man.
Tasra walked away with a new sense of confidence. She could be the photographer she had always wanted to be, but never thought she was. A photographer who captured beauty in stories and experiences that other people may not have. As she got back on the bus, she was content. They had only finished their first stop but she felt as though she had her story – the one she came for.
The lesson ushered in a new level for Tasra. She realized that situations may require certain risk, but sometimes the risk is not the end. There are rewards for stepping outside ones comfort zone. And often, those rewards are priceless.
** Tasra Dawson is a nationally acclaimed Senior Portrait photographer from Georgia. Tasra is involved with her husband Ron as a Creative team member for DareDreamer Media, and spends full time work as a photographer, blogger, and artist. Tasra takes part in “Pro: You”, a series of lessons learned on the road of professional photography. Her daily work can be found online at: www.TasraMar.com and www.TeenIdentity.com.
DPS thanks Tasra for the time she invested interviewing for this story.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
A Story of A Photographer Leaving Her Comfort Zone
Two Sides to Every Story: Behind the Scenes of a Photo Shoot
In this post we’re featuring a full set of 59 image from a photo shot by the team at Crudo Visual along with some commentary giving some behind the scenes information on the concept and how it was achieved (below the images). I hope you enjoy this type of post!
– Darren
TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY.
Dissecting the photo shoot “No Originality”.
Rodrigo Rey del Castillo, Producer.
THE PROJECT.
“NO ORIGINALITY” is a project that Crudo Visual ( www.crudovisual.com) did in collaboration with local photographer Alejandro Renteria and fashion designer Azucar. For this particular project we wanted to do something different, more than just showing Azucar’s new collection, we wanted to tell a story. A story that would resemble this new collection, different, colorful, somewhat elegant yet, casual for everyday use.
THE SETUP.
For this particular piece, we used actors instead of models, because we wanted to really be able to express emotions and develop character. The locations we selected were on the outskirts of the city of Miami; we wanted dust, long dirt roads, we wanted to stay away from beautiful skylines, amazing beaches, crazy nightlife and show a different side of Miami. Once again, this project needed to be different from what people are used to seeing when it comes to fashion photography.
THE SHOOT.
One of my main concerns was the safety of the photographer and assistants while doing the driving shots. These shots of the three individuals riding the blue Land Rover, were shot from another moving vehicle in front of it. The lead vehicle was rigged with lights, safety harnesses for the photographer and assistant, and radio communication between both vehicles for cues. In these kinds of setups, safety meetings are required. It only takes minutes, but helps keep everyone safe and injury free.
One important factor that we had to keep in mind was the sun’s position, making sure we got the sun light we needed on every location. We scheduled four setups on the three different locations. Even though some lighting was used, we utilized all the natural light we could.
Alejandro Renteria, photographer.
“The concept behind No Originality began as just an artistic expression of my amusement and acknowledgment of life’s inescapable cliches: machismo, religion, greed, heroism, and love. No matter what it is, it’s all been done before. However, when asked to really inspect the inspiration of it all, I had subconsciously pulled experiences from my own life to come up with the piece. It is only in retrospect that I am able to draw the comparison. Basically, you’ve got a guy who’s trying to find his way in life, and the one thing he knows for sure is that time is running out. Along his journey, he meets a woman who is off limits, and he goes for it in anyway. The situation gets worst, and he finds himself trying to find himself again. So he turns to religion for guidance. Once again, he realizes this is not what he truly wants for himself. He continues on once more and finally finds the hottest mamacita in all the land…. and she needs him. So just like in fairy tales ,they live happily ever after.– no originality!”
I’m always trying to convey a story in each of my photographs, and that was the main focus of this project. My photography background comes from studio work; so, when first approached for this project I sat down and wrote a script with detailed frames so I could recreate them later on set. I knew I was not going to have the same control I am used to in the studio environment. Preparation was the key point to make “No originality” a one day shoot. We had four scenes/setups: “The Walk,” “The Ride,” “The Rooster,” and “The Girl.” Each having subtle different color schemes, allowing them to have unique feelings as well as helping separate each chapter. Being shot in different locations and forcing us to work with consistently moving sun light. For “the Girl” section being almost nonexistent, having to use very low shutter speed and a lot of flash power with CTO to make that golden/orange feeling.
Nikon D300 with Sigma lenses?
Hasselblad 501 with Carl Zeiss
The project was a success and the first one of many collaborations with fashion designer Azucar.
Crudo Visual – www.crudovisual.com.
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
Two Sides to Every Story: Behind the Scenes of a Photo Shoot
3 Minutes with Photographer Joseph Szymanski
The magical aspect of photography is that it so effectively channels an infinite number of perspectives, interests and styles. With this in mind a deeper or second look at a photographers work can often reveal something to a viewer that may be subtle or mysterious. One photographer whose style and subject material builds off of such subtleties and mystery is Joseph Szymanski who specializes in dark moody black and white photography. Take special note of Joseph’s consistency and philosophical approach to learn an often elusive aspect of photography that gets lost in a lot of technical discussions… personal vision.
What gear/software do you use?
I’ve been working exclusively with 35mm Leica rangefinders for some years now. I typically carry two bodies, one with a 50mm and the other with a 35mm lens, along with a 24mm lens in the bag. Just recently I’ve also been working with a twin lens 6×6 Minolta Autocord. My film of choice has always been Kodak Tri-X 400. I’ve always worked primarily in black and white and rarely shoot any color. I occasionally use an orange filter to increase contrast, and from time to time a red filter to darken up the sky. Other than that I’m a bit of a
minimalist, I don’t like bells and whistles.
Describe your photography in 100 words or less.
My work tends to be a bit dark, though I don’t believe it is necessarily dark in nature. A great deal of my images focus specifically on light and shadow, and the shapes of things I find on the street. I often find that content is almost secondary, at least in my own mind, though it is of course often an important element in my photographs. I suppose my work is really about memories, places, and pieces of things along the way. For me, it’s always been the way I chronicle where I’ve been and what I’ve done.
What’s one quick tip that you’d give people getting into street photography to help them improve?
I don’t think there is any one tip that can improve your work. The best thing for someone starting out is to keep shooting, always carry a camera, but remember to take your time. Always be looking at good work, inspiration is a constant process. Remember that well thought out photographs take time and effort, and quality is always more desirable that quantity.
What 3 Photography Sites or Photoblogs do you Recommend?
Magnum Photos is by far the site I visit most. It never fails to deliver, and is one of the greatest archives of photographic history on the net.
Alt.blog is another one of my favorites. I can’t read a word of it, but the imagery is consistently impressive, the photographs speak for themselves.
I also like to keep up with the Center for Fine Art Photography site. They always have interesting shows and exhibitions they’re putting together in a wide variety of styles and mediums.
View more of Joseph Szymanski’s work at http://www.josephszymanski.com
Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.
3 Minutes with Photographer Joseph Szymanski