As promised...my first attempts!

[JodyGall]

Here's two more pics from my recent trip down to my mom's! This was my first time attempting pics of 'flittering' things! LOL! Just wanted to share! I just love this first one! I know they are not as crisp and sharp as a they should be, but I think I did pretty good with my dinky kit lens! LOL!


Camera: Nikon D40
Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 46 mm
ISO Speed: 200


Camera: Nikon D40
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 55 mm
ISO Speed: 200

[digirebelva]

Really they are not bad, good use of dof to bring focus to your intended subjects

[skipjack]

Wow. Great shots. One thing i wanna ask. How did you managed to get this macro shots with ur kit lens. Isit the 18-55mm lens or did you add a close-up filter or something?

[burridge]

Thanks for sharing. I'm new so no tech support but I love the pics. I like taking macro shots a lot but my P&S doesn't Take care ~ DB

[JodyGall]

Originally Posted by skipjack

Wow. Great shots. One thing i wanna ask. How did you managed to get this macro shots with ur kit lens. Isit the 18-55mm lens or did you add a close-up filter or something?

Yep, I used the 18-55mm lens that came with my camera. I just got as close as I could to these guys to where my auto focus would still work (about 12-13" or so). I was shooting in manual. I'm pretty sure I opened up the aperture as far as it would go. Then I just paid attention and made sure the camera was focusing on my subject instead of the background (like it tends to do alot! LOL).

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! I know these are nothing compared to some of the awesome macro shots I've seen on here with those mac daddy macro lens!!

[takethislife5150]

I'm really loving the composition of the second photo, but not so much the first one.

[Eberbachl]

I really like the second photo

I'm intrigued - you said your D40 often focuses on the background?

How do you have your AF set up?

For this kind of shot I would have it set to AF-S, with single area rather than dynamic area or closest subject. Then use the multi directional pad on the back of the D40 to select your AF focus point, and your D40 should focus just where you tell it to.

[takethislife5150]

It may have been focusing on the background more, simply due to the camera being moved due to handshake (if you weren't using a tripod) so as the camera moves the focus point may move between the subject and the background. manual focus could alleviate this problem.

[JodyGall]

Thanks guys. Honestly I have no idea what it was on for the auto focus. I usually have it on closest object, but sometimes dinamic area. I hardly ever use the one where you pick the specific area, only cause I mostly photograph toddlers! LOL! That wouldn't work. They move to fast. Haha! But ya, I totally should of done that for these pics. But it was definitely hard getting the pictures I got of the butterflies. They are FAST!