# fly (old red eye)



## Mark Evans (8 Jun 2010)

Summers here and I'm on mini flower mission   i've done this flower before, but I'd thought I'd do it again.


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## Mark Evans (8 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count*

To add, here's a couple more. A little hover fly came to play.


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## James Marshall (8 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

As always your photos are incredible   .
I've said it before, but seriously you should publish a book of such images.

Cheers,
James


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## Mark Evans (8 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*



			
				James Marshall said:
			
		

> As always your photos are incredible  .
> I've said it before, but seriously you should publish a book of such images.



cheers james. I think i will get a few printed up and framed. pretty big too.

I've had A1 prints from my old 5d and they looked out of this world. I've yet to get a print from the mk2, so that's pretty exciting.

Thanks for the compliments my friend.


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## Dan Crawford (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

Awesome Mark, the details is out of this world. I know we talked about the upsides and downsides to the 65 miller but every time you use it it makes me want to buy one!

Let me know if you want anything printing up, i'll sort it for you. A fly's head at 1500mm high in the living room, bet the missus would love that LOL


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## Mark Evans (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

Thanks Dan!   



			
				Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> I know we talked about the upsides and downsides to the 65 miller but every time you use it it makes me want to buy one!



it's an incredible bit of kit mate.

 Inside work does require a ton of light though. outside you'll get away with it a bit more, but don't expect F11 outside, even if you do bump up the iso.

 And then work with shallow DOF, you'll get unwanted 'bokeh'. It's bad enough from f8-11.
F16, the quality does fall away.

we'll see what George makes of it soon.


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## George Farmer (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

Fantastic detail, Mark!  

I took some shots of a fly trapped in a blob of water last weekend with my 100mm macro.  I was going to share them, but in comparison to these they're rather pathetic!


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## John Starkey (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

Hi Mark incredible mate,i did the same as George yesterday with a blue bottle and 100mm macro and its not in the same league as these,great work mate,
regards,
John.


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## Mark Evans (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

Thanks chaps   



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> but in comparison to these they're rather pathetic!



pathetic shot from you mate?...not possible!

John! I'm on a fly hunt instead of flowers. Flys look more gruesome    

here's a house fly. I'm trying to control light to create a shot with 'mood'


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## samc (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

excellent shots.

the eyes on flys are pretty cool. how close can you get though?


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## George Farmer (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

Here's mine.  I hope you don't mind me putting it on here?


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## Mark Evans (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

NIce shot George 

The blue really emphasises the fly. Great exposure actually.



			
				samc said:
			
		

> excellent shots.
> 
> the eyes on flys are pretty cool. how close can you get though?


 
much closer Sam. those shots were about 3 x. I can go to 5 x. with the 5d MK2 even a crop will give the impression that i've actually zoomed in more.

This is with just the modelling lamp @ iso 2000



just to show I don't kill everything I shoot.


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## Graeme Edwards (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

Very cool stuff Mark. 

Fly's look awesome close up. Remember the film ' The Fly ' ?

You can see why film makers look at nature for their beasts. 

I was going to ask how you get the fly to stay put. Perhaps I should ask, how do you have time to set the shot up and capture what you need when they can so obviously shoot of very quick? Its not glue is it?

Cheers.


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## Mark Evans (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*



			
				Graeme Edwards said:
			
		

> Remember the film ' The Fly ' ?



yes mate. I was actually going to call the image 'the fly'   



			
				Graeme Edwards said:
			
		

> Perhaps I should ask, how do you have time to set the shot up and capture what you need when they can so obviously shoot of very quick? Its not glue is it?



Put the little thing in a test tube, in the freezer for 10 minutes to slow him down. Then with a pin head, a bit of candle wax warmed up, stick his ass to it (abdomen) The things stays docile for a while until the light warms him up again. (see the vid to see he's sluggish)

When he's 'pinned' I then place the pin between my algae magnet to hold it tight. Then I can turn it around at will.

After 10 minutes of firing, just knock him off.away he goes. I took tonsers advice on doing this way and works really well.

To think we swat flys all the time, but when doing this I just cant kill them.

I'm out to find some unusual stuff at the weekend.


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## Graeme Edwards (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

Sweet.

Macro photography is a whole new art.... We all love looking at things we cant normally see.

The vid is cool.


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## John Starkey (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*

Hi Mark,i have just been reading up on the macro lens you use,mostly written by pro,s who say its not the easiest lens to use as you have to hunt the subject because of how close you are,judging by your shots i think you have mastered your lens brilliant,

great work mate,

regards,
john.


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## John Starkey (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*



			
				George Farmer said:
			
		

> Here's mine.  I hope you don't mind me putting it on here?



I would very pleased with that george,   ,
regards,
john.


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## Mark Evans (9 Jun 2010)

*Re: pollen count + fly*



			
				john starkey said:
			
		

> i have just been reading up on the macro lens you use,mostly written by pro,s who say its not the easiest lens to use as you have to hunt the subject because of how close you are



very true mate. It was tough early on, but it's become second nature to find the 'subject' 

Many pros have made little tables which move backwards and forwards to help focus the subject. There is actualy and easier work around which i've found.....

To zoom in, you rotate the barrel to either get closer or further away from the subject. So I found then when doing this you can actually use it to focus. Ridiculously simple but works, Rather than moving the whole camera or subject to focus.

There is however, one point through that motion where you do need to move the whole camera.


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## Mark Evans (12 Jun 2010)

here's another fly. I'm finding the smaller flies are better due to DOF issues.

Hopefully you can see that I'm trying to take a different style of shot with these macros...black background etc.


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## sjb123 (12 Jun 2010)

Hi Mark,

Fantastic shots!   Looking at your Macro shots is really giving me the urge to give it go?
 I've got my eye on a Canon 450D, having never owned a DSLR before would this be a good camera to start with?
What lens would i need to start off with to get reasonable results without spending a fortune?
Keep those pictures coming!

Regards Steve,


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