antz

[risk07]

it's a bit of a challenge when i was trying to photograph this one. it keeps on moving up and down a bamboo, not to mention my shaking hands can not hold my camera still for a long period of time


took this shot with a Nikon D50 camera and a Sigma 70-300mm lens w/ macro mode.

[jiminyClickit]

risk07,

Carry honey and a Q-tip with your equipment; a little dab'll do ya'. The waving antenna? Put a drop of whiskey in the honey. Also if you have a strap on your camera, you can run your belt thru the strap, so when you pull up on your camera it'll reduce some movement. Also widen your stance, bring a faster lens, change your aperture, or shoot a dead ant back at the house.

Pretty good shot for the conditions you describe.

[hsroxas]

Risk07, pardon me, but I lol after reading what you had to go through just to get the shot. It is not the I found what you did funny, but more so because I went through the same experience several times in the past trying to get macro shots. I am not very fond of using the tripod, but this is one instance where I really find the tripod helping me a lot.
Of course, with an ant moving that fast, dunno, if the tripod will help.
Next time I will want to shoot ants or an ant, I will follow Jiminy's suggestion of looking for a dead ant instead.

[Through the Veil]

Another option for getting the shot would be to use the D50 sports mode...it might help to freeze the motion a bit more. A drawback to that would be the higher ISO which translates into increased graininess.

Personally, I like the pic you have here. The blur on the antenae is very nice. I think I would try cropping down to where there is much less foreground and mostly just ant.

[jiminyClickit]

risk07,



For what it's worth, this was taken with Fuji S3100, afternoon, snow on ground, fly on window, NIGHT mode, low minus exposure value, Auto w/b, -6 flash value and 4-ply of tissue over flash lens (don't cover sensor). How that would work on your equipment, don't know. Experiment.

(Fly is alive, was moving)