Kate Byrne
March 2023 - Ladybug
About the Image(s)
I came home a few months ago and saw a lovely little ladybug crawling on my white dining chair. My camera had the micro lens attached so I worked around the ladybug and snapped some shots while she was climbing up the curve of the seat. I really wanted to focus on her face. Love those big blue eyes!
This might have been a good subject for photo stacking, although I have no experience with stacking. I do know the subject has to be still and Miss Blue Eyes definitely was not. She was moving continually. I would appreciate any advice toward increasing the sharpness of this image.
This was handheld, with the micro lens, 1/125 sec, f/8, 105 mm, ISO 100, using my Nikon D3200
This round’s discussion is now closed!
4 comments posted
You had a wonderful moment finding that ladybug on your dining room chair and no time to think about settings or grab a tripod. I am no expert in the field of macro photography but I do know your shutter speed should have been much higher. I'm sure Jim will be able to better advise you. Posted: 03/16/2023 12:08:11
Hi Kate,
What a great find! Your selective focus on the eyes drew my attention to them and I enjoyed admiring the fine details of their patterns.
Please let us know your camera specs. Thanks.
The reflections from what appear to be overhead light are somewhat distracting.
Posted: 03/18/2023 14:54:04
What a great find! Your selective focus on the eyes drew my attention to them and I enjoyed admiring the fine details of their patterns.
Please let us know your camera specs. Thanks.
The reflections from what appear to be overhead light are somewhat distracting.
Posted: 03/18/2023 14:54:04
Doris and Charissa. Thank you for your comments. You are both very correct. I do agree the overhead light a bit of a nuisance, but without it I don't think the minute hairs at the 'nose' would be visible. Posted: 03/19/2023 08:05:33
Kate, good subject matter. I know it is hard to get those little guys to "pose" long enough for a good photo. But there are ways of getting that perfect image. Depth of field is the key issue here. First, I would consider a faster ISO to give yourself a bit more latitude in terms of control. Next, I would stop the lens down to f/16. DOF can be thought of in terms of thirds, sharply focus on the first third. In this case, that triangle at the base of the ladybug's wing is the point of initial focus. By doing so, you extend the range of acceptable focus. More of the subject's body will be brought into focus. By decreasing the aperture, you will reduce the exposure time, that will be a function of your ISO. Using a tripod will also help in steading the camera and giving you a sharper image. Once you master the DOF, those other issues will fall into place. Posted: 03/20/2023 20:37:57