Cranefly

I think he'd settled on my camera bag when I took this (he spent a lot of time hanging onto my softboxes too - grr). I placed one softbox very close above and behind, and one on the side slightly further away. I dropped a tiny LED torch inside to give me some light to focus by.

The lens was set to 5x, so with the teleconverter this must have been about 7x magnification.

Canon 30D
ST-E2 remote flash trigger
Two 430EX with two Lumiquest softboxes
MP-E65mm
Canon 1.4x teleconverter
Home-made lens hood
f/16, 1/250 sec

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Comments

MelMic says:

WOW, great shot!

Seen in: Closer and Closer Macro Photography
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Sir Cam says:

extraordinary!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

amanda.melo says:

LOL!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

DEFENDER01 {Going back to the Forest.} says:

Amazing shot.

I saw this great photo in Defender's Macro and Close Up Group
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

StarfireRayne says:

Your Awesome Bug is Invited to Join

Awesome Bugs!
Post 1-Then Comment & Award 5!!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

TJ_fluffy_online© says:

Amazing! I would love to have the eqiptment to get such excentric photo's like this close up!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

mmmee says:

Seeing those mandibles in that magnification, it looks like he could have eaten your camera bag.

Awesome super macro.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

robferblue says:

i think he has a bit of morning dust in his eye.....hahahahah

amazing shot, with basically a standard lens...no bellows or anything?

when you say teleconverter do you mean a magnifier - as in zoom - or the rings that allow you to focus closer? (sorry, not a very technical description, but i am keen to learn...)

plus to get all of that in focus with only f16 is great.

how do you get them to stay still when you are so close?
cheers
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

evantrump says:

Wonderful work! Makes shooting at 5:1 seem easy after using a TC :)

This photo is a magnificent macro and deserves this special award!
Defender's Macro and Close Up Group
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Mundo Poco says:

Excellent job. Amazing detail with huge DOF.

--
Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Patrick Ciebilski says:

Fantastic picture. Congrats! The details are wonderful.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Iza Palubicka says:

wOOW. excellent work !
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

LeaMoser says:

Looks a little bit gross..yet fantastic macro shot!
Beautiful color the eyes have.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Robert Seber says:

robferblue:

The MPE-65mm is a unique lens in that it goes to 5:1 natively. When you twist the magnification dial it extends to about a foot in length - like have bellows built-in.

A teleconverter sits between the lens and the camera. Using one makes the lens behave as if it is a longer focal length with a smaller minimum and maximum aperture.

F/16 is what the camera reports, but I suspect that it is smaller in reality. Perfect focus is essential.

I move very, very slowly towards bugs. Many get spooked, but not all do!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Harald - HK [deleted] says:

wow ... was für details.

This photo is a magnificent macro and deserves this special award!
Defender's Macro and Close Up Group
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

arbil says:

amazing eye detail!

This photo is a magnificent macro and deserves this special award!
Defender's Macro and Close Up Group
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Pillot says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Insects - Esthetics, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.

this is really wonderful !
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Tomatoskin says:

Stunning!!!!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Dalantech says:

Wow -absolutely stunning!!!

I have faved and tagged your picture with BRAVO and this serves as an invitation to The Best: BRAVO.

NaturesFinest
Please add this great photo to Nature’s Finest
Tag your photo with "NaturesFinest"
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

larigan. says:

Amazing but it makes me feel itchy!
NaturesFinest
This is really one of Natures Finest!!>
Commented with SIC
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

B@ni says:

huh..!!!!!
wow..!!!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

I Shutter says:

My he is ugly.. Great capture though!

This is an Awesome Bug!

Creepy Crawler Award!
Awesome Bugs Group!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

doppelbelichtung says:

Amazing details and sharpeness!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Unique_Snowflake says:

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEk!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Patrick Ciebilski says:

I had to come back ..

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

DreamersRealm says:

Unbelievable! The detail is just amazing.

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Kitenutuk says:

brilliant capture

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Kathryn Ashley says:

terrifying

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Michael<>J says:

Wow... that is an amazing shot!! Great job!!

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

anyes☆ says:

fan-tas-tic macro!
glad i don't have to kiss one of those!
seen on Explore!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

lami64 says:

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

fullspectrumphoto says:

Stunning Macro!

This is an Awesome Bug!

Creepy Crawler Award!
From Awesome Bugs Group!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

mplonsky says:

Nice shot of this cranefly's eye.

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

AIA GUY..Rwood says:

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

kamikadse says:

excellent work, really well done. I get a bit jealous about your macro lens ;-)

I pick this photograph to be on the cover of National Geographic
National Geographic: Are You Good Enough?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

robferblue says:

thanks for the info...i'll have to pop down the camera shop for more info...tho here in hk the biggest camera shop is the size of a pocket hankerchief....

thanks for the reply............
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Phili_n [deleted] says:

great macro, scarey creature

I saw this great photo in Defender's Macro and Close Up Group
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

macro_man says:

Looks like alian from mars to me :-)

This is an Awesome Bug!

Creepy Crawler Award!
From Awesome Bugs Group!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Martin Barrett says:

so so difficult to achieve such excellent depth of field at this magnification especially as crane-flies have a long head..superb work
This is an Awesome Bug!

Creepy Crawler Award!
Awesome Bugs Group!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Robert Seber says:

I tried a few shots head-on but they didn't work so well because the nose got too out of focus.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

myrmician says:

pure madness! something to aspire too :O
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

SAMI® says:

Wonder if you had a chance to make two shots with two different focus points and stitch it together (I've seen that somewhere). Not that this doesn't look crazy enough the way it is. Great job.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Robert Seber says:

No - but I have seriously been considering focus stacking. The reason this shot worked fairly well as-is was because the surface of the eye and the surface of the nose were in the same plane.

The reason I've not tried focus stacking is two-fold:

1) The insects move between shots - some of my favourite shots are of moving insects, and that just won't work
2) I like the movement of the camera to be very free-form. I spend a lot of time moving around the shot, looking for the angle I want or simply chasing the insect as it moves. Focus stacking requires the camera to be fairly steady horizontally and vertically, and "drawn" smoothly back and forwards. Good for a camera on a focusing plate, but not for my technique.

I keep meaning to give it a try though and develop a technique that works - the results can be very good indeed. For the time being I'm working on my lighting.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

DQE says:

The image is so very rich in detail - do you think the teleconverter causes any significant loss in detail or overall image sharpness? If not, having a longer focal length is very attractive for the MP-E lens.

Do you have the impression that your flash guns are running at full capacity for such exposures when using teleconverters with the MP-E lens at high magnification?
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Robert Seber says:

The main "enemy" is shallow depth of field, so using the teleconverter helps with this because it allows me to reach a smaller aperture. Since the magnification was maxed out at 7x with this shot the alternative would have been to crop a 5x shot. It's hard to say which would be sharper! When working below 5x (i.e. the shot could be taken with or without the teleconverter) I still think that the teleconverter helps. After all, the diffraction blur is so great that a little additional quality loss will hardly be noticed.

At a guess I'd say that my flashguns were running at half capacity (a long whine is a giveaway). They are usually very, very close to the insect so the fall-off isn't that great. If they aren't powerful enough, I simply up the ISO.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Photophool says:

Wonderful.
--
Seen on your photo stream. (?)
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

claustef says:

Good DOF. Awesome.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Paul_Wheeler says:

Wonderful image. These creatures drive me insane every year when they hatch from my lawn and find their way indoors!

~This Photo is invited for~Beautiful Capture Group~
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

L-T-L says:

Wowee! Tha is exceptional clarity! Way to go!!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Nabeel Al mazied says:

very nice
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

cobalt123 says:

Amazing! What a great image to go into our theme thread today in C&CMP for Macro 1:1 and Extreme Macro. Woohoo, this is a beauty!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

srini_g2003 says:

WOW!! How close this is!! Lovely!!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Daniel E Russell [deleted] says:

A truly exceptional macro shot!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

spilopterus says:

It is very breathtaking. Wonderful shot and amazing detail.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Matthew Fang says:

G~~~~this just to good to say !!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

uvejota [deleted] says:

wow, wow, wow
excellent macro shot
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Cyrus khamak says:

Very, very well done my friend and I am so delighted to see your great macro work, you are producing some very high quality Macro work which are putting you on the list of my very top macro photographers.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Sjoden says:

Simply amazing.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Robert Seber says:

Thanks Cyrus! I certainly picked up a few techniques from you! My biggest breakthrough lately was reading a book on lighting. My macro lighting technique is a mixture of lighting for portrait and lighting for glass (i.e. glossy surfaces).
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

sillypucci says:

Amazing shot.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Mark Watson (kalimistuk) says:

Awesome shot.
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Vicki's Nature says:

incredible!!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

cwulmer says:

Fabulous detail and excellent lighting. Very nice!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Cyrus khamak says:

Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

macropoulos says:

Awesome details, I admire your macro work!
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

LaurelShoemaker says:

awesome photo! the detail is just amazing.......
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

inCote... says:

Wow! you almost have a microscope on your camera.
That's macro
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

drocpsu says:

wow! This is incredible. Great shot!
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Dimas Filho (disconnected until 2010) says:

his macro are a joke!!
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Robert Seber says:

I'll try to take that as a compliment!
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Rareimage Photography says:

Very nice macro!!

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

V. Mason (Catching up) says:

WOW!!!!!!!
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

V. Mason (Catching up) says:

I'm back......

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

arbil says:

great details and clarity.... great work!

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

SAKmd says:

Oh yes, this is definitely MegaShot quality. Well done!! How do those things blink??
******************************************* **************

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
******************************************* **************

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Seen in Mega Shot :: Invited Images Only, Post 1 - MUST Nominate 4 (?)
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

sandropatrizia says:

Perfect macro!

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Robert Seber says:

SAKmd - I don't think that insects have eyelids...
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

guenterleitenbauer says:

Great light work, great focus work, superb DoF

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Peggy Collins says:

That's amazing! The detail on the eye is quite unreal...

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

PeeTNeeT says:

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Jon Boy / harrowvenphotography says:

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

s*ong says:

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Jordan Lye says:

unbelievable, super close, must learn from you a lot

Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Victor Oliveira says:

Great close up! Fave, fave favee!
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

beachwalker2008 says:

--
Seen in Mega Shot :: Invited Images Only, Post 1 - MUST Read Rules (?)
Post 1, Nominate 4 Mega Shots
[?]
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Daniel CR .:. High says:

ha ha this one is SO scary !!

This is an Awesome Bug!

Creepy Crawler Award!
From Awesome Bugs Group!
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

oly--E3 says:

Wow, espectacular macro,
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

BluAlien says:

Awesome Capture! Your bug is invited to Beautiful Bugs!
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

williamcho says:

The eyes are terrific in sharpness. Congrats!

Seen In Beautiful Bugs!
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

Tammy Lynn D says:

Seen In Beautiful Bugs!
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

Pater JPM says:

wow. This looks like something out of a horror movie. The eye detail is what made me stop and look.
pax
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

systolediastole says:

That is really amazing.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called ANIMAL EDEN, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

Nature's Great says:

Somehow "amazing" seems weak. I just don't have the words.
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

langejaap LJ says:

woow, great image. well done
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

sirhowardlee says:

What a great close-up!
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken with a Canon EOS 30D.
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Taken on August 25, 2007
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