Bees...to David (theturk)...for C&C

[IzzieK]

Not as good as anyone but perhaps OK...??

1. There were many of them and busy...I do not know who to choose. It looks the same but really, it must twins or something because they look alike when their noses are down that hummer feeder...



2. and another one...no one want to pose for me...just ignoring me right through out....



What do you think??? can you give me extra point for uploading this for you, David???? David!!!!
Cheers....

[Shadowman]

Nice captures.

[Ziggy]

If you can catch them on a feeder you can catch them on a bloom.

[deetheturk]

Well done my wee pal, you are improving at Macro all the time Bee's are not the easiest to shoot as they are very busy and moving all the time, so you did good here!

I agree with Jim's comments too, time to move on to the blooms and away from the feeder

[Barbara Ponder]

Great set!!!!!

[Stagecoach]

Very good Izzie, you are getting in close but don't upset them

I see your ISO is still up there at 3200 and this is not ideal with macro where you are looking for fine detail. If you have a chance try dropping your speed a bit.

What is it that you put in the feeder that has attracted them as I wonder if its possible to put some of the same on a flower that's close and easy to shoot?

Grahame

[IzzieK]

If you can catch them on a feeder you can catch them on a bloom.

Bloom is a little bit out of the question...these silly buggera, if they are not here in my hummer feeder are in the hostia down where I cannot climb to follow them without rolling down the hill.

Thanks for your input. I appreciate it very much.

[IzzieK]

Nice captures.

Thanks, John...appreciate your response.

[IzzieK]

Well done my wee pal, you are improving at Macro all the time Bee's are not the easiest to shoot as they are very busy and moving all the time, so you did good here!

I agree with Jim's comments too, time to move on to the blooms and away from the feeder

Thanks...if it will be too hot tomorrow will be no go...flowers are little bit tricky...I'll see what I can do when I can...thanks for waking up... -- to read this post. Appreciate very much...

[IzzieK]

Great set!!!!!

Thanks Barbara...I am still not happy with this one. I just did a quick shot when the sun hid behind the clouds...I am still observing my hummers and will want to have a go on that...they didn't seem to be around yesterday...and they never call ...

[IzzieK]

Very good Izzie, you are getting in close but don't upset them

I see your ISO is still up there at 3200 and this is not ideal with macro where you are looking for fine detail. If you have a chance try dropping your speed a bit.

Ahhh now you tell me...I left my ISO to Auto ISO and this is the first time I've set my camera to Auto WB too...I am not used to this...it makes me feel weird not having to fiddle and be confused by WB...

What is it that you put in the feeder that has attracted them as I wonder if its possible to put some of the same on a flower that's close and easy to shoot?

Grahame

It is just the content of those hummingbird sugar water which we buy at the hardware or grocery store...I tried it on my basil flower and I attracted a fat one hovering about the hostias but it did not stay very long...then it rained and washed it all away...I will try again...

Thanks for the tip, advice and feedback. I appreciate it very much...

[bnnrcn]

Aww! Those are nice Isabel, you are getting there

[IzzieK]

Aww! Those are nice Isabel, you are getting there

I certainly hope so...I will keep trying...Thanks for the feedback, Binnur...I appreciate it very much being pushed to the limits ....

[DanK]

Good shots. You are making big strides. You can even see the hairy eyeball in the first.

They are twins, if they are from the same hive. I believe all of the workers from a hive are genetically identical, sterile females.

It's hard with bees (even harder with bumblebees), but try to get them before they put their heads down. They are more interesting when you can see the head.

[Geoff F]

Bees are tricky, Izzie. They rarely stand still long enough for you to focus and often have too much contrast in their colour scheme for good exposure.

So, yes, well done.

[IzzieK]

Thanks Dan...you are one of my inspiration for my macro shots. Your images are just wonderful to look at and study...Geoff, John, Grahame and David the Turkish pretender are also some inspiration conspirators...now Mark (Marlun) is getting into the picture too....and some others...I will give another go at photographing them even if I cannot be at your level yet...I am getting 97% success in my images, so that is good...I am getting very little throwaways...

Thank you for commenting and the feedback. Enjoyed it very much coming from you...

Good shots. You are making big strides. You can even see the hairy eyeball in the first.

They are twins, if they are from the same hive. I believe all of the workers from a hive are genetically identical, sterile females.

It's hard with bees (even harder with bumblebees), but try to get them before they put their heads down. They are more interesting when you can see the head.

[IzzieK]

Bees are tricky, Izzie. They rarely stand still long enough for you to focus and often have too much contrast in their colour scheme for good exposure.

So, yes, well done.

Thanks Geoff...I need to try harder so I can sort of be happy with my shots...I have set my camera to manual ISO today so I can lower it easily and speed is a little bit of a question because when I shot those images, it was a bit windy too and they moved so fast...I started with F16 because it was sunny and gradually lower down either the shutter speed or the aperture...I should have checked my individual highlights too but it was too late..they moved so fast...

Thanks for your comment and feedback...I wish one day I can get to your level and your bug-o-grapher group...appreciate you passing by my post...

[DanK]

Hi Izzie,

My keeper rate for bees is nowhere near 97%. I'd guess somewhere under 10%. Some are obvious discards, others just not quite there. Re speed: unfortunately, I think diffused flash is the answer. It also insures that the parts facing you are well illuminated, regardless of the position of the sun.

Dan

[IzzieK]

On this bees shot, I only took 18 shots. I threw away 2 because in one of them another bee flew in front of my lens while concentrating on my main bee shot, then another one I was trying to photograph flew right at that moment I pressed the shutter button. So that is either 97 or 95% success rate. Out of the 16, I chose only 2 because if I upload 16 and David or the others sees it, they will probably strangle me...On many of my shots recently, if I plan my shoot beforehand, like I did here, my success rate is more than my failure rate. I am bad with portraits -- my success rate is nowhere near 10%? so I am practicing, especially now that we have a model living with us at the moment...I can practice on her...and she is used to the camera...too...one day...I still have to ask her...

Hubby and I went for dinner one night and our lady companion was telling me about her nephew who is a bird photographer whose family they hosted one weekend. She noticed that he pull a lot of shots too. She asked how many he may be able to get out of 200 or so and he said, "About 4"...so I said your nephew is a spray and pray shooter....she laughed.

I think it was Grahame who advised me once some posts ago to "keep your eyes on the prize...before pressing that shutter button..." good advice especially when shooting airshows too...

Hi Izzie,

My keeper rate for bees is nowhere near 97%. I'd guess somewhere under 10%. Some are obvious discards, others just not quite there. Re speed: unfortunately, I think diffused flash is the answer. It also insures that the parts facing you are well illuminated, regardless of the position of the sun.

Dan

[marlunn]

your doing well Izzie, keep at it, these are good - would agree about the flowers - get a chair out and sit by a flower border and shoot from the chair - you can even have a little 'drink' next to it but your keeper rate might fall as the day goes on and the drink goes down - we will have hoverfly in flight shots from you soon