Thread: Macro Shot

Caveat being that the judging of all competitions is purely subjective...

I think that's a really neat photo (technically). I first assumed you had the speed set on something ultra high but then I wondered if you ran the globe at a reduced voltage. In any case, not the typical flowers or spiders macro shot so for subject alone its a goody.

Regards
SWK

I think it's a pretty good photo, but is the depth of field great enough for a competition entry?

Originally Posted by swk

Caveat being that the judging of all competitions is purely subjective...

I think that's a really neat photo (technically). I first assumed you had the speed set on something ultra high but then I wondered if you ran the globe at a reduced voltage. In any case, not the typical flowers or spiders macro shot so for subject alone its a goody.

Regards
SWK

Thanks SWK.
Some of the relevant EXIF data.

Standard Information
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Model: Canon EOS 7D
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Windows)
ImageSize: 4996x3142
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ModifyDate: 2013:06:04 23:06:19
DateTimeOriginal: 2013:06:04 23:22:03
ExposureTime: 1/320"
Aperture: F32.0
MaxAperture: F2.7
CircleOfConfusion: 0.018 mm
HyperfocalDistance: 68.94 m
ExposureProgram: Manual
ExposureBiasValue: 0
MeteringMode: Center-weighted average
Flash: Off, Did not fire
ISO: 100
WhiteBalance: Custom
FocalLength: 200.0 mm
FocalLength35efl: 200.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 331.4 mm)
ColorSpace: sRGB
Saturation: 0
Sharpness: 25

Originally Posted by ian

I think it's a pretty good photo, but is the depth of field great enough for a competition entry?

Thanks ian. Macro shots, because of the closeness of the lens to the subject, generally have shallow depth of field. I had my aperture closed down all the way to f32 to achieve max DoF. The only other way to achieve full DoF is to focus stack.

John, interesting shot but is it "macro"?

Wikipedia, defines macro:

Due to advances in sensor technology, today’s small-sensor digital cameras can rival the macro capabilities of a DSLR with a “true” macro lens, despite having a lower reproduction ratio, making macro photography more widely accessible at a lower cost.^[8][12] In the digital age, a "true" macro photograph can be more practically defined as a photograph with a vertical subject height of 24 mm or less.^[13]


I don't know how your camera club has defined "macro" but your photo might not meet the above definition?

My comment comes with the caveat that I know very little about photography.

I love the photo but would it be possible to get the same shot in portrait rather than landscape? I think you'd show more of the structure and wires inside the globe with a portrait layout which may fill the photo out a bit more.

Originally Posted by Big Shed

John, interesting shot but is it "macro"?

Wikipedia, defines macro:

Due to advances in sensor technology, today’s small-sensor digital cameras can rival the macro capabilities of a DSLR with a “true” macro lens, despite having a lower reproduction ratio, making macro photography more widely accessible at a lower cost.^[8][12] In the digital age, a "true" macro photograph can be more practically defined as a photograph with a vertical subject height of 24 mm or less.^[13]


I don't know how your camera club has defined "macro" but your photo might not meet the above definition?

Thanks for your comment Fred, and including the Wiki definition of macro. As the filament is the subject of my shot and it falls within the "24 mm or less" tolerance I hope I'm safe.
Casey Camera Club Subject Definitions

MACRO Macro photography will mean images taken close up within 50 cm or so from the camera. Ie close-up photography. Classically a macro image is one in which the size of the subject produced either as a print or digital image is greater than life size.

To add extra interest to that shot, why don't you double expose a candle flame in the middle of the filament? It would grab the viewers' (and hopefully the judges') attention.

I once did this type of shot on a 4"x5" camera using a large old globe with a red cellophane over a spot behind, drawing the outlines of the filament on the viewing screen then taking a photo of a candle flame positioned in the filament.

Of course double exposures were very easy with a 4x5 view camera and today you could do all that with your eyes closed in Photoshop and your competition rules may not allow double exposures and/or Photoshop manipulation.

It doesn't look in focus. But a very interesting shot as a concept. Not quite sure what the "subject" is. I like a pic that directs your eye. I know it is technically difficult to have the filament not burn out that bit of the pic but the rest of the pic is too dark. And the club will probably say there is too much black around it. It also bothers me that the wire holding the filament to the right has been cut off.

Hope I'm not too critical. Take a few more? I still think it is a great idea.

Its just fine the way it is.
Make a great desktop wallpaper.

Originally Posted by tea lady

It doesn't look in focus. But a very interesting shot as a concept. Not quite sure what the "subject" is. I like a pic that directs your eye. I know it is technically difficult to have the filament not burn out that bit of the pic but the rest of the pic is too dark. And the club will probably say there is too much black around it. It also bothers me that the wire holding the filament to the right has been cut off.

Hope I'm not too critical. Take a few more? I still think it is a great idea.

I'm pretty much with TL on this one. It's a 'good' shot, but not 'great'. Too much black and not enough 'subject'.

Not sure what I can do about the excess black except to crop closer. The photo was shot at night and I exposed for the filament, the surrounding area was always going to be dark, I didn't want out of focus objects appearing in the background.

I'll add a caveat as well, I'm no photographer! Tried true method, have you performed an image search on google for a macro shot of a light bulb? Some interesting pictures.

Originally Posted by Scott

I'll add a caveat as well, I'm no photographer! Tried true method, have you performed an image search on google for a macro shot of a light bulb? Some interesting pictures.

Thanks Scott, I looked at a lot of images for macro light bulb but I didn't see any with the filament as well defined as the one in my shot. Plenty of special effect shots that look really good though .

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=i...w=1642&bih=974

I don't think the black is an issue, just there's too much of it. I like the contrast of the filament and wires against the solid background. Anything more there would just get too busy and remove your focus from the actual subject.