Photo of the Week 2021-08-16

Happy Macro Monday !

'

' Up Close with Harry '

I'm always checking our cottage pollinator patch to see what new additions there are, plants and insects. As far as I have been able to determine, this is a Fall Webworm Moth Caterpillar. The colour apparently varies quite a bit so, as always, I stand to be corrected.

When I first noticed this caterpillar it seemed rather plain, but upon closer examination, there was quite a bit of interesting colour under those black and white hairs and I thought it would make an interesting image if I could get an angle to show them and use the shallow depth of focus on my 150mm macro. As it turns out, I added the 1.4x converter for better positioning of my tripod legs and was able to get this 'up close' perspective.

Before getting set up for the image above, I made a more conventional image to document and assist with identification.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-07-26

 

When I picked up a new camera body a few weeks ago, the 24-105 lens I ordered had not yet arrived, so I had to use the new mirrorless body with DSLR lenses via an adapter which was no biggie since I already had it and was good to go.

 

I chose to try out my Sigma 70mm Macro and Sigma 150mm Macro lenses first and have been enjoying my return to close up, shallow depth of field imagery. It should not then be a surprise that my post this week is again a macro / close up image(s).

 

While readying the BBQ for dinner grilling at the cottage, I noticed an interesting subject on the flower-head of the Curly Dock growing in our pollinator patch.

 

white webster

 

I'm always looking at what is growing and living in the patch and noticed this Goldenrod Crab Spider out at the end of the Curly Dock checking things out. At first it was quite still. I used my 150mm macro to capture this image from quite close, then later as it moved around, I re-positioned for a closer shot, near the minimum focus distance of the lens.

Four-Eyes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was interesting trying to get sharp images, not only because of the very shallow depth of field, but because the breeze was bouncing the plant around a fair bit. The movement actually caused the spider to fall off the plant ... 

hanging by a thread

 

... to be saved by a single thread of silk, hang there for a bit, then climb back up.

 

DJE