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Natures perfect killer and the NEX 7

f/otographer

New member
Tromped across the street today to a little field. I was shooting some mushrooms, dandelions, spiders and trying to shoot some dragonflies when I spied this little beasty so cleverly concealed in the grass. All shots with the wonderful Minolta MD Macro Rokkor-X 50/3.5 which is just a lovely piece of glass.

natures perfect killer


green death hiding


no matter where I put the camera that beady little eye followed me...


gloria insecta


and a few others...

where evil casts its shadow


antenna repairman


mothering the calamity sack


...and so on


I should point out that I was not using the 1:1 tube with the MD, simply using it by itself. It is such a versatile and sharp lens. One of my favorites. Hope you enjoyed these samples from it.
 
T

tigertimb

Guest
Great series of shots and I love the drama of the one with the silhouette (maybe even more so if it was rotated 90degrees)
 

f/otographer

New member
tigertimb, thx for the compliment. And oddly enough, I messed around with rotating the silhouette picture. Good call on that one. :)

s.agar, thank you to sir.

If anyone is interested these were all handheld, no crops, and for the most part straight out of the camera jpegs using the Toy Camera effect or the High Contrast B&W effect. There was minimal processing with a little increased sharpness and saturation.

God I love the NEX 7 with Minolta glass.
 
F

flint-hill

Guest
These are first-rate. Macros with a lot of mood are unusual.
 

f/otographer

New member
Taylor- The Toy Camera effect is one that I find myself using quite a bit on my NEX. It brings out some punchy colors while adding some contrast and vignetting. I really enjoy how it makes photos look. I know some people poo poo the whole idea of in camera effects and do all of their processing in post with Photoshop or some such program. But I feel that in camera effects, especially ones as good as whats in the NEX line, are akin to using different types of film. I like the feeling of being 'locked' into a specific effect just like I am locked into a certain film look when I shoot 35mm. I put Fuji Reala in my cameras because it has a certain look that I like, and I use effects the same way. There is something pure about committing oneself to an effect or film instead of just shooting RAW a knowing you can go back later and do whatever you want. For professional shots for a client, yes, this is what I would do. But for my own art I find this makes me think about my photography in a much more constructive way.

Michiel-Thank you for the compliments. I put those first because I really like them to. :)

flint- Im so glad you mentioned the mood. I really strive for something different in my macro photography then the standard, clinical macro shots you normally see. I think a perfectly composed and exposed photo of a dragonfly on a branch shot with a wide DOF so everything is nice and in view is a great shot, but after you see 10 or 20 or 100 of them they loose their luster and begin to look all the same. I want my shots to be different and engage the viewer in a different way. "Mood" is exactly how I try to do this and I really appreciate you noticing that from these shots. In a way I try to shoot portraits of insects in their environment and bring the viewer down into their world to present them in a very non standard way. Hopefully I am in some way succeeding.
 

CONTAX

New member
The first 3 images has a new perspective that I have not seen. The old Rokkor macro render beautiful images. Keep them coming. Nice works again.
 

jtwloh

New member
The B&W mantis shot really stood out for me, while the rest are also superb. It somehow brings out a mood unlike any other insect shots I have come across.
 

zombii

New member
All are excellent but I agree with jtwloh, the B&W mantis shot is iconic. I also think vertical is the best orientation.
 

f/otographer

New member
philber, jtwloh, zombii- Thank you for the encouraging comments. I must say I am quite proud of the B&W mantis photo. He had scampered up a tree by this time in our photo shoot together and I was fortunately able to capture him with the setting sun in the frame. The stark b&w of the NEX 7's High Contrast Monochrome mode really suited this shot quite well.
 
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