Stuff from Inside a Photographer's Head - tips, recommendations, stories, and lint
/I usually think before speaking.
But not in this video! I am trying something new. The video content that accompanies this article is experimental. I wanted to know if there was a better way for me to interact with you, in a format that might make what I have to offer more accessible to photographers who may prefer their macro content to be less hardcore. I went with something that I hope comes across as more spontaneous and flowing. This idea is risky, as many of my wonderful YouTube viewers appear to be most interested in my long-form, in-depth, single subject video presentations.
For one week I went about my business, carrying a camera bag and fresh batteries everywhere I went. Every time I have an idea pop into my head, something that I thought I should bring to you, I paused what I was doing and recorded my thoughts, there and then. Some of what resulted was pretty good (at least, I thought so), and some of it will never see the light of day. The footage consisted of over one hundred video and sound clips and as many stills. Editing all that into a somewhat flowing narrative took over a week, though some of the excess post production was due to a dying computer and a constantly crashing video editing app.
But I finally got it done and it is ready to watch. I think that there is enough useful content, despite the frantic pace. It was a blast to make and agony to edit, but if this works for you, it is a style I may use on a regular basis, like every time the stuff inside my head needs to be emptied.
In this blog entry I have provided all the links and information that may be useful to anyone wishing to follow up on the content of the video. So, for clarity, I will lay out this material in the order it was presented in the video.
To make sense of what follows, you may want to watch the video first…
The wonderful works of Ferdy Christant
I have had the opportunity to get to know Ferdy a little, over the last few months. He is passionate about his work; a lot of macro photographers are. And like all the greatest artists, his passion is for his subjects first. His photography is how he celebrates that passion and helps the rest of us see nature through his eyes.
Ferdy is the founder of a very exciting and worthwhile “Wildlife Observation Platform” called JungleDragon. It is a superb collection of wildlife images, over 100,000 of them, representing 25 thousand different species. JungleDragon can be accessed by clicking on this link… that easy!
Below is the article that I told you about in the video. When I read it the first time I was blown away by the sheer scope of the piece. He cover so much ground! Whether you are brand new to macro photography, or a seasoned pro in need of a little inspiration, you will find a lot of value in this excellent piece. I am certain that it will prove to be a useful resource for anyone with even the slightest interest in macro photography. Beautifully presented, thoughtfully illustrated, and comprehensive in scope, this article is one that you should not miss.
Thank you Ferdy!
To read the entire article, please follow this link… Ferdy Christant - My Journey into Extreme Macro
Contact Lens Cleaner
This one also comes from Ferdy Christant, who contacted me to ask for my opinion on using contact lens cleaning solution to clean insects. Turns out that it is a very capable cleaner! It is not especially powerful and won’t remove grease, wax, and other heavy contaminants. But for cleaning up a slightly dirty specimen, it is very effective.
It is called Re-Nu and it is only one of the formulations that contains all the stuff we want with none of damaging chemicals we don’t. Be aware that some of the links in this article, including this one, are affiliate links and that, as an Amazon Affiliate, I may make a small commission for qualified purchases made through this link.
Use this the same way you would use a mild soap wash for your specimens, and consider adding a drop of dishwashing liquid if you need more detergent action.
The Waxman U1c UV energy source
If you are into fluorescent imaging, this is something you need to look at. Over the last few months I have been testing UV energy sources, looking for the most powerful, reliable, pure source of UV energy. It also had to be affordable.
The 6 -watt version of the Jaxman U1c meets those requirements. It uses a genuine Nichia UV-LED, which produces UV energy in the 365um wavelength that is most effective for exciting fluorescence in minerals and biologic materials. It also has to dark bandpass filters that block virtually all visible wavelength light, making it ideal for pure fluorescent imaging. And it is powered by a rechargeable, high mAh Lithium cell, to ensure maximum use between charges. You can get it with or without a charger - but I do not recommend the charger that Jaxman provides.
You will be much happier with a dedicated 18650 charger like the one I have been using for years.
And while you are at it, you can further protect your investment by getting a pair of the best high capacity 18650 cells on the market. Don’t believe what you read on the wrapping of a battery. Many sellers will re-wrap cheap knock-off cells and rebrand them as something they are not. These EBL Li-ion cells are the ones I use when I need long battery life but don’t need super-high discharge capacity
A UV light source can be a significant investment. It makes good sense to treat it like you would a good camera. Use the right cells, and follow the manufacturers recommendations for using these powerful cells safely.
The Diaporama
Huge thanks to Renke Bienert for sharing his work with us. Thanks to Renke I have become and instant fan of this very emotive art form. It seems familiar and new at the same the time. We look at great images and we listen to lovely music, but outside of the world of video, we seldom get to enjoy a carefully constructed blend of the two. The images are chosen to complement the music and the music to connect the images, this is not the same experience as looking at your portfolio while listening to the radio!
I encourage you to see more of Renke’s work in this area, and one place to start would be over on his website.
Unfortunately, I am unable to add the three full diaporamas as I promised in the video. It’s a Squarespace thing and I should know it by now. This platform does not allow me to upload video content into my website. I will see if there is a way to get the diaporamas into YouTube and then I will be able to add them here. Until that happens, here is one of his works, in German, from Vimeo that I’m sure you will enjoy!
Renke has also kindly provided a way for interested viewers to contact him directly. To get in touch with the maestro , click here.
If you have already seen the video, you know that this segment did not work out as planned. But please look at the Vimeo video, it is really very well done
XY positioner
In the above image you can see the Opteka M-040 in action. It really is a fantastically handy gadget for accurately moving a specimen on a macro platform like this. Thanks to Andy Oxley for sending me this image. To see more of his setup, check out the Cage Project.
Photo courtesy of Andy Oxley - used with permission of the author
I was pretty tough on AmScope in the video, but it does little for my confidence in their products when they can offer their customers such an inferior piece of gear. The version they sell, which I got for under $20, but now sells for $24, is inferior in every way. It is just a cheaply make knock off. Spend the few extra dollars on the real thing - you will be glad you did. I have only been able to find them at the New York Microscope Company, a very reputable outfit. The item can be found here.
Wide Angle Macro Lenses
After releasing the video on Wide Angle Macro, I received a comment regarding the lenses that I discussed. The viewer thought I should have included recommendations for several other alternative lenses. The lenses that I talked about in the video were limited to those I had first-hand, recent experience using. But the recommendations made by the commenter are undeniably good choices (well… maybe not all of them) but I agree that these are worthy of mentions. Here is the original video…
And here are the selection of lenses that are particularly well suited to wide angle macro photography. Any of them will do a great job of capturing this type of image.
The first is Nikon’s 24mm f/3.5 PC-E tilt/shift work of art. This is the high end way to go. The lens is expensive, but it is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and probably the single best option for this style of shooting. It is also and excellent architectural lens choice. I have seen them for less than this price, but the issue is availability. They do appear on the used market for about what they cost new.
Be glad I didn’t recommences the Nikon 19mm f/4 - an even more impressive lens and a “real bargain” at $3,400!
The viewer recommended the new Tamron wide angle primes for Sony E-mount. When I made this video I had not had a chance to use these lenses, but since then I had an opportunity to look at two of them, the 20mm and the 24mm. They are both superb lenses and well worth the affordable price.
The 20mm is a little trickier to work with, but gives a very dramatic perspective.
The 24mm is a lot more forgiving and would be my go to lens for this kind of imaging - if I owned a Sony camera. Can’t wait to get one for my Fuji!
By the way, I have about a dozen Tamron lenses and I have never had an issue with any of them. These little primes are top notch lenses too.
Next up is the one lens I don’t agree with the viewer on. It is the Laowa 24mm f/14 probe lens. Talk about niche lenses! While I can’t argue that this is a stunning tool for videographers, it is not something I spend much time wishing I owned! There are limited applications for a lens like this, and to be honest, I have used it for wide angle macro work. I used it in the studio when it was first released, and it was a lot of fun, but at the price, I would like a more compelling reason to make the investment.
I have saved the best for last! This lens is one I meant to mention and forgot to in the original video. It is the Opteka 15mm f/4 wide angle macro lens, in this case for Nikon. This is my kind of lens. Manual, cheap, and well suited for the job. It isn’t a Nikkor PC lens, but for the same price, you could buy 33 of these lenses. That’s one for you and one for everyone else on your cellblock - including the guards! For a lens you may only use once in a while, what have you got to lose?!
And if you think it looks kinda like the Laowa 15mm f/4 shift lens, that’s because it is the same lens, without the shift. It apparently costs $300 to add the shifty bits to the Laowa. Just get one.
I think that about covers it… I left anything out, get in touch and I’ll fix it.
I’ll see you again soon, with something entirely different. Be well.