etc..

Been a while, studying for MSc and busy work schedule is taking its toll. Here are some random ones clicked in spare time, can't really work on any themes, most of it clicked in the backyard.

Wind chime

Stamen of a flower, captured with 6mm using extension tubes.

Clay wind chime.

Just random.

Captured with 4 secs shutter delay and highlighter.

Mash-ups

During my long absence (frm updating this blog), I had been clicking sporadically. Also I had an assignment with North West Asian Arts, my daughter is learning Bharatnatyam there and it was their annual performance last month, I was asked to click pics. Heres the link https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/101998002909325316645/albums/5762140876760213297

Meanwhile, been experimenting with reversing ring and extension tubes. Here are some selected few.

Grass seeds, with reversed 18-55 kit lens.

Japanese maple at our backyard (3.5 F-stop)

Random - 2

Been a while since I got a chance to put up any updates. Had a software certification exam to attend to, which happily, I passed yesterday, so am Microsoft certified now :-)

In the meantime I did my best to keep up with some random snaps as and when possible. 

Here are some select fews.

Just our overgrown basil plant in the kitchen, different perspective.

Tried something new here, a method called light painting (more of a light-mess here though ;-) )

This is achieved with keeping the shutter open for a long period, 30 secs in this case, I am not visible in the picture since the light flares were done in complete darkness, the flash lights up the background only when the shutter opens. The idea is to draw the flares after the flash.

Dahlias, using Macro extension rings.

Our garden strawberries are showing up. Extension rings again.

Dahlias, with all the extension rings attached.

White Dahlias, with all the extension rings attached.

Raw strawberries.

Garden gems (Macro)

Yeah I admit, the initial surge of trying out something new has died down a bit now, all the previous hasty posts were the result of that. 

But I am still in love with it, the enthusiasm dies once the 'newness' is gone I assume. To keep up I will have to try new techniques all the time and also try and improve on existing skills.

Here are a few I captured during the week, all of them using the wide angle + Macro lens I bought from Amazon. Heres the link http://www.amazon.co.uk/58mm-Wide-Angle-Lens-Canon/dp/B003VNF116/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1337787721&sr=1-1

This one is my favorite coz of the painted like texture and color.

Macro Rings ..again.

Experimenting with Macro rings yet (for more info on Macro rings refer to my previous post)

Its very difficult to master the art of Macro/closeup photography for sure, to get a decent enough click you certainly need the know-hows but a little bit of luck too, sometimes you get everything right and yet a little bit of camera shake ruins it all.

Following are some clicks with Macro rings and some with 75-300mm lens.

Little stones, about 30-mm size. My daughter picked up and laid them in a straight line at the window sill. These were taken the day I got my macro rings, with all rings attached.

The Lily stamen, extreme closeup with all the rings on. The focus range was so little it was difficult to get the entire stamen head in focus, the pink petals at the background is almost not recognizable.

Japanese Maple tree leaf, with a single ring on.

My favourite bird in our garden, I have started to notice her since I got the camera. I always find her in range,  most of the time sitting at this fence.

I liked the contrast and the rustic look in the below picture. Its the garden brush, I forgot to keep it back in the shed.

Macro venture (Lilies)

The Macro extension ring is the best way to get Macro shots at a fraction of the cost, a canon EF Macro f2.8 lens on Amazon is 347£ the extension tube 9.99 (including shipping) :-) . Its was a no brainer for me, ofcourse you lose the Autofocus, Aperture control and the likes, but for getting such close shots autofocus hardly makes a difference. 

Here are some shots of Lilies, took this first shot with a 18-55mm kit lens. F-stop 7.1, ISO 800 with 1/30 shutter speed.

The following is with the extension tube on, the tube basically comes between the camera body and the lens which explains the loss of auto functions. The theory goes as the distance between the camera body and the lens increases the more closer you can get to the subject.

All the below ones are f-stop 5.6, ISO 800 and 1/30 SS.

This one is my favourite, its very difficult to see the glittery, purple on the anther with your naked eye, the colourful blur in the background are the petals.

A tripod and a lot of patience is a must for Macro photography. More soon.

Update (no photos)

No photos for today but an inspirational link on street photography, follow below
http://afternoonwalks.wordpress.com/

Btw, got some macro extension tubes so currently playing around with Macro photography, will update some pictures in the weekend, so watch this space.