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Thread: Alien Invasion

  1. #1
    Markvetnz's Avatar
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    Alien Invasion

    Alien Invasion

    Sorry - just a dirty old blowfly.

    And a side on view.

    Alien Invasion

  2. #2
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Stupendous stuff, Mark. That's all really! Just stupendous.

    ...just a dirty old blowfly.
    Don't discount the possibility that this could represent the ultimate in beauty in the blowfly world.

  3. #3
    jeeperman's Avatar
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Very cool stuff Mark. Well done.

  4. #4
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Very good Mark - fantastic detail, I think you've found your niche/style!!!

  5. #5

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    Re: Alien Invasion

    This is stunning. The sharpness and clarity is exceptionnal. Would you call it a 5:1 macro? Did you use a special lens/tube? Did you do "stacked" focus photography?

  6. #6

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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Great work (as usual!) ... but I still think the darn things are ugly

  7. #7
    Markvetnz's Avatar
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Quote Originally Posted by wlou View Post
    This is stunning. The sharpness and clarity is exceptionnal. Would you call it a 5:1 macro? Did you use a special lens/tube? Did you do "stacked" focus photography?
    This was taken with a Canon MP-E65 macro lens and a MP24 EX flash unit. It is a totally manual focus magnification lens. This was a single image. F16 1/100th ISO100. Distance from subject 2.4cm. Magnitication approx 2X. Flash ratio 1:2 to rhs. The depth of field or lack of it makes this lens difficult to deal with. Everything is done manually and hand held. A tripod is ideal but impossible to use with live subjetcs. It takes too long to set up and get in place. The depth of field is in the 1-2mm range. Focus stacking would be an option but because the subjects often move (thereby altering composition) it isn't always practical. I wanted to get some ambient light in the background so we could see the fly's abdomen.

    Thanks for the comments.

  8. #8
    Markvetnz's Avatar
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Thanks Colin. I agree .... Fugly is the word I use. Hollywood doesn't have to look far for inspiration.

  9. #9
    thatguyfromvienna's Avatar
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Yikes!

  10. #10
    Moderator Dave Humphries's Avatar
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Quite the best I have seen for some time Mark.

    Never would have guessed hand held.

    Well done,

  11. #11

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    Re: Alien Invasion

    A great un-constructed shot. Usually ones this clear have been built up with multiple layer. Well done.

  12. #12
    FrankMi's Avatar
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Amazing results for hand-held and a single image! Nobody can tell me that's the camera and not the photographer's skillful technique, Mark. Simply great!

  13. #13

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    Re: Alien Invasion

    It's not at all ugly to me; just a different kind of beauty. Very well done. Keeping the highlights on the eyes from blowing out--so you can see the individual omatidia in that area--is no easy feat, and you managed it perfectly.

  14. #14
    Shadowman's Avatar
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Those are creepy good images!

  15. #15
    WJT's Avatar
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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Incredible detail and sharpness. I imagine the the flash must make the difference. Well done Mark.

  16. #16

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    Re: Alien Invasion

    Excellent shots. Well done. Like them all.

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