Buggy

[windrider86]

Shot this lil guy on my window sill using 35mm macro lens. However I cant seem to get the anntenas in focus along with the eyes. Any suggestions on how to accomplish this task?

[Jamesc359]

I can think of two things to try. One is to try a smaller aperture (larger ƒ number), the second is to move your lens just a bit further back from him. When shooting at low angles to a subject things tend to fall out of a shallow DOF fast. Hope that makes sense.

[windrider86]

hmm that does make sense. I was shooting with the cameras presets so next time I'll try it on my own and see what it does. Thank you

[Jamesc359]

Ah, well in that case I do have a few more suggestions.

I assume you also had it in auto focus? If so it looks like your camera is using a center auto focus. You might try using a manual focus, or pointing your camera where you want it to focus pressing the shutter half way down (or if your camera supports it use AF lock) and then move your camera back to a pleasing composition.

Also make sure that the areas you want to focus on is as far or farther than the minimum focus distance of your lens.

Those might not be useful, but I thought I'd throw them out there just in case.
Your welcome.

[wulf]

If you look on the white surface underneath the insect, you can clearly see the zone of focus and how narrow it is. To increase that you need to get futher away or narrow the aperture. Getting further away will make the bug smaller in the frame (less dramatic) and narrowing the aperture will let less light in, which you have to balance with either improved external lighting, a slower shutter speed or a higher ISO setting (or combination thereof).

And that's the challenge of macro photography in a nutshell!

Wulf

[jiminyClickit]

windrider86,

And a side view will show the length:

[windrider86]

Thanks you guys! I was actully surprised at how this lil guy looked at all. WE have a lot of these bugs this time of year and i didnt even think they had a head!

[mikem12188]

I hate bugs.

[windrider86]

I am actually terrified of them. Crippling actually until I started to do this. I'm getting better