Flower Abstract – 50mm Nikkor Reversed Lens

© 2004 – Michael Brown
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Canon 100mm macro, Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lens in reverse, extension tube
Tripod, macro slider, reflectors, mirror
1/30 sec. @ f2.8
ISO 100

Camelia Stamen Abstract

© 2005 – Michael Brown
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This is a camelia stamen found inside a bud that was a week or two from opening. I slowly peeled away the outer layers, revealing the fresh insides, and all of the abstract possibilities.

I added the Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lens in reverse to the Canon 100mm macro for this shot.

“Using The Dead”

All Images © 2005 – Michael Brown
* Copying/downloading of images is prohibited.
Without a doubt, one of the most overlooked spots while one is out walking about and exploring an area for some macro or up close shots, are the areas of bleached white or tan colored grasses that have long lost their green.
There are many fantastic opportunities to be found in those areas, especially if you can find something sitting all alone and with a touch of green or another color, blending in with all of that bleached out streaks of tan and white.
I found this little flower at at the Congaree Swamp National Park last season, sitting down within a large field of dead grasses.
The wind was blowing, constantly changing the composition of those blades of dead grass surrounding the flower.
Shooting wide open, I simply concentrated on the flower and not caring if any blades of grass appeared in front of the flower. It only added to the overall softness and effect I was after.

Shooting through the dead blades of grass, a constant change of blurred shapes and patterns, and a ever so slight change of perspective with the camera & lens while shooting gave me plenty of joy on that day. It also gave me many more ideas to try out in the future!

So, in the early spring or fall of the year, search out those wide open areas in nature where the majority of the grasses and foliage are dead.
You will often find that death in nature is still giving!

Thanks for looking everyone!

(I will posting these in a larger version in the Essay section over at NatureScapes later today or tonight)

“Macro Art In Nature” – Website

Artwork In Macro, Right At Your Feet.

© 2005 – Michael Brown
* Copying/downloading of images is prohibited.
My “post & run” image for the day! :)

Got to get out of here and do some shooting, so thought before I head out that I would post a quick shot of one of my favorites, and a favorite method that I enjoy using.

Just get the lens practically on the ground in some thick grasses, crawl around looking for compositions, shoot wide open, shoot right through the existing foliage for that soft effect, … and have some fun!

Gotta go, ……. so everyone take care!

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Dandelion Abstract

© 2006 – Michael Brown
* Copying/downloading of images is prohibited.
Was out shooting the other day and looking for something different, something interesting, but also something that I had seen a thousand times before, and to try to create more of a unique view of it than normally seen.
The often overlooked dandelion flower gave it to me on this day.
Simply cram the lens down into the flower, … and shoot!

Canon 100mm macro & Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lens in reverse.

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Rose Stamen – 50mm Reversed Lens

“Rose Stamen”
© 2006 – Michael Brown
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Canon 100mm macro & Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lens in reverse
Tripod, macro slider, reflectors
0.4 sec. @ f32
ISO 200

Out shooting for the next few days or so, so will see everyone when I return.
Thanks again gang,
Mike

“Macro Art In Nature” – Website

How To Get Something From Nothing In Macro Photography!

© 2005 – Michael Brown
* Copying/downloading of images is prohibited.
Getting something from nothing can be very easy, if you simply apply some techniques that I have talked about since the first day of this blog.
Oh now, … there are times where you can work a subject to death with this certain technique and still come away with something to feed that trash can, but it will give you more of a fighting chance to get a few keepers for your files.
So, as I have said many times before, “shoot wide open” to start with!

In this shot, I was crawling around on the ground and in a area where there were a few bare spots in the grass.
I noticed this spent bloom sitting out and away from the other grasses.
My first shot was at a setting I still had from another shot I was attempting, a setting of f8.
There was absolutely nothing about that shot that appealed to me, as the grasses in the background were to much in focus and that spent bloom up front pretty much blended in.
Shooting this at f2.8 allowed me to get that spent bloom with some details and throwing the colorful fall grasses in the background into a softer blur.

As I have said before, that so many times in the world of macro photography I have heard individuals preaching about details, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that and is something that should be learned. But, the other end of macro should be learned also, and is a area of macro photography that I personally prefer.
Try shooting wide open first, “then make your adjustments for more detail” if needed.
This scene here was downright ugly to the eye, until viewed through the lens that was set wide open!
Shooting wide open also allows greater flexibility with faster shutter speeds, a lower ISO setting if you prefer, and you will not need a tripod on many of your shots.
Just make sure (and I feel that this is very important), that if you shoot wide open, determine which is the most important part of your subject that you would like to have in focus (selective focusing), then simply let the rest fall into place.

I will say this, that I honestly feel that shooting wide open “will always” give you a much greater chance to capture something from nothing in the world of macro!
Just try it!

Thanks for looking everyone!

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“Macro Art In Nature” – Website