1st Camel Q&A session: Macro photography with Brian (LordV)

[aam1234]

Brian is relatively new here, however he is not new to macro photography. By just seeing few of his posts in this forum you would know immediately the talent and expertise he has in this field. Don't take my word for it, have a look at his site or view his postings in this forum to see how beautiful his work is.

Brian was generous enough to allow us to have a Q&A session with him, to help advance our knowledge in macro photography. So feel free to ask him questions in this field and he will gladly answer them for you.

Thank you Brian.

[jfrancho]

Glad to see you here Brian. I'd love to hear and see some the devices you employ to keep your rig steady, while chasing bugs and other critters in the garden. While you're at it, how about some basic light modifiers that work well with 1:1 or better type macros.

[RobAmy]

Thanks Brian

[diana]

hello and thank you brian. your work is amazing. i'm a relative newbie but i am fascinated by macro photography. i'd love to know how you trick the little critters into posing for you and also lens recommendations.

[JDArt]

Originally Posted by aam1234

Sounds a bit boring but it's really more fun than that. Give it a shot.

Okay.

Questions:

1. Do you use ring lights? Why or why not?

2. Which lenses do you rely upon the most? Why?

3. How do you guage the best depth of field setting for a particular shot?

4. What are your best lighting tips for taking compelling outdoor macro shots?

[aam1234]

Here you go.

Now we need to locate Brian. Hope he drops by soon. If he is late then it's my fault, I replied to him late about this session.

[RobAmy]

I will play too

1. Do you use a micro rail
2. Do you prefer tubes over extenders, do you use both in conjunction
3. Do you use twin flash rigs, are they diffused or not

[JDArt]

1. What are your best tips for starting out in macro photography?

2. Who are your favorite macro photographers?

3. What drew you/draws you to macro over other types of photography?

4. Can someone be a good macro photographer with less expensive equipment?

[RobAmy]

1. Whats your favorite subject?
2. Whats is your toughest subject that has eluded you ( mine is a hummingbird moth)

[LordV]

Originally Posted by RobAmy

1. Whats your favorite subject?
2. Whats is your toughest subject that has eluded you ( mine is a hummingbird moth)

Hi Rob.
Difficult to answer the first but for some reason I love wasps especially the small parasitic ones.

#2 A decent shot of a hawker dragonfly in flight or a damsel fly for that matter. Have just about managed some common darter dragonflies.

Brian V.