Tuesday 11 June 2019

Macro shoot Dolgellau April 21 st


Time for a macro shoot,  when we were walking the dogs down along the stream near the campsite,  there were loads of miner bees and a few Beeflys all along the sandy bank along the edge of the field.
Unfortunately I have only brought the 5dsr with the mpe-65 macro lens, which only shoots between x1 and x5 life size magnification.   This means a maximum focal distance of 4 inch at x1 .
So walking along the edge of the field I have found a few subjects on the dry stone wall that is in full sun.      A Cluster fly first.









                                                             Another fly , single frame




Now I have walked to the stream and where the sun is hitting the sandy bank there are Nomada Bees flying all over the place , I have spotted 3 species of Miner bees coming in and out of holes in the sand all along a 20 ft section .    They are all extremely active and it is going to be very difficult to shoot anything!
 After about half an hour I finally shoot this one as it came out of its burrow, 2 frames focus stacked.




         A nice fly portrait , 3 frames focus stacked is the best I have managed, they are just too active





There are a few large black and white miner bees, Andrena Cineraria  , a beautiful quite large species I have only ever seen a handful of times previously.   After waiting ages , at numerous different burrows I have finally managed this image as it popped its head out of the burrow entrance.  this is about 4x life size




                                   And another one, covered in debris , 4 frames focus stacked




                                       This is the best I could manage showing the Bee.




While shooting the Bees I had noticed a few Bee Flys hovering , these are a challenge to shoot with a normal macro lens but with the mpe-65 at its maximum focal distance of 4 inch and with 36 mm filling the frame,  these Beeflys which will only just fit are going to near impossible to shoot in flight!

       But it will be fun trying  ,  anyhow  after an hour or so I managed to get these three images.
all full frame as shot.










                                                Quite a successful macro shoot in all :)

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