The Bucket Method

[jiminyClickit]

[All material is protected intellectual property of (jiminyClicket) including: logo design, "Bucket Method," descriptions of use and all photos.]

Feel free to use this description as a starting point for your personal creation of a device or similar method of taking better Macro shots. If you want to refer people to DPS and this thread, that's why it's here. Just respect the time and effort it took to put it together, and do not publish any portion or whole anywhere else.

Hope it works as well for you as it has for others:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/5...3ec75434_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/213/5...eb3a9e8e_o.jpg

Click on layout for enlargement. Questions answered here.

[YoAshnish]

Nice work Jiminy putting this tutorial together! I will definitely have to try it out some time
Thank you for sharing your "Bucket Method" and taking the time to put all this information together

[jiminyClickit]

YoAshnish,

So much to do to describe something so simple! Thanks, Lady, I'll be happy to see results from your experience with yours! And thanks for uncounted comments on photos (will I ever catch up?)

[YoAshnish]

Funny how that is...describing something simple often takes time and many words...you did a wonderful job! I had the hardest time trying to picture in my mind how the bucket worked...now I know!
And the comments on your photos...heck can't help it...I sit here and look and say "oooo" and "ahhhh" to myself...and then have to type away, don't want to keep it all to myself, ya know
Oh, and when I get my bucket together and my bucket masterpieces, I will be sure to post here

[jiminyClickit]

YoAshnish,

Let me know if a snag shows up. I tried to cover most instances of use that might call for a different setup. The wire I described using can be bent at one end into a spiral so that a small stem can be inserted and held firm, and the other end formed like a paper clip to fasten onto side of bucket.

Many thanks for giving it a look!

[YoAshnish]

No problem Jiminy, I'll let you know if I run into any issues

[Saralonde]

Nicely illustrated, Jim. Simple and easy to understand. Good job!

[jiminyClickit]

Saralonde,

Thank you, now to see if it works for others . . .

[clockdoc]

I think you did a super job putting together the instructions on how to build and use your "Bucket Method." Just out of curiosity, have you tried using the "Replace Color" mode in post processing to change the black to some other background color if the subject merits it? A while back I took several shots of flowers and used colored construction paper as the background. The test results were interesting. One drawback was that the thin, translucent iris petals picked up some tint from the colored paper if it was held too close or the colors reflected off the paper. At the time I never thought of just shooting it on a white background and doing a "Replace Color" change. Again, very nice work on your instructional displays. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.

[jiminyClickit]

clockdoc,

Thanks a lot; it's about half of original word count. Yes I tried to color change, and as one might expect, there was confusion next to edges where shadows were nearly black as background. I'm collecting different colors of material to make inserts for bucket (not paper, so that they're washable, stronger and non-reflective). It really leads off into areas that may call for other options, like adding a light at bottom of open cylinder with white cloth insert: still gets Sun with wind protection, but easier to work b/g. A lightbucket sort of thing. Keeps me up at night . . .