Mantis!!

nice pics! I am trying to photograph more than just sports and motorcycle racing now to improve and am finding a new love for photography...

thanks for sharing

-brett

 

Wow, Frank, I think it's going to be hard for you to give Patrick that lens back! These shots are great!

Virginia
aka beaucamera

P.S. Enjoyed your Macro lens series too!

 

Yup I think you will do well with one of those lenses. :twisted:

Martin

 

Oh my gosh Frank! These are fantastic! I swear that mantis is waving or posing in the last photo! Yep, you are definitely macro material! Can't wait to see what you can do with the 180 macro. :shock:

 

Incredible detail, Frank. That's an awesome set of shots.

So will it be the 200/4 or the 70-180?

 

Got a good reason to be impressed. Besides the 85PC, this is another lens on my wish list. But I'm very reluctant at the moment to buy new lenses - it's already hard enough now to make the right choices among my line-up when I plan an outing.
However, the quality of these two optical gems is a sore trial :?
Cheers

 

Holy micro those are nice, did you use a flash to take those? and do you happen to have taken pictures of flowers?

 

Wow, great shots Frank. I like them all, but really like #2 & #3.

 

I like # 3 , Looks like he should be saying "Hmmm let me think"

 

This is an excellent series!

This weekend I will try my new acquired AF Micro 70-180 /4.5-5.6 at the Rotterdam Zoo but if I see this I can only be humble.

Thanks for sharing.

 

Stunning shots Frank. This will make you think about a 200mm micro of your own. Love the way this guy is checking out your lens.

 

Those are sweet shots, Frank....but what Patrick hasn't told you is that you are really using "MY" lens!!! lol ;-)

 

Sweet shots Frank!!!      

 

Good job, Frank. The technique you talk about is simple, the flash is the light source, so you can set the camera to manual, dial in your maximum flash sync shutter speed, choose your aperture and go. That's the old simple way. The complications come when we are trying to balance our flash exposure with some level (or effect) of fill and background lighting.
As for my preferences, I tend to like a fill flash, or something less harsh than full-on front flash light. If I only have the flash, I will use the diffuser, or a small folding softbox attachment. I always shoot in rear-curtain sync. I learned from a very good animal photographer that when the flash goes off at the end of the exposure, the shutter is closed if the subject reacts to the flash. I use a bracket to get the flash up a little higher. That, with the softbox, get me a more natural lighting angle.
The nice thing about digital, I can play with all these variations at my leisure and not have to wait for the film to come back.....how did we ever survive the old days????

 

What a mean looking dude you got here!

Amazing sharpness and the exposure is spot on!

Regards,
Jonathan

 

Nice shots Frank....I am on a trip, so just stopping by every now and then...glad I did !!!