Photography/Video

Here are a few further attempts to get some crazy close-up macro shots, using the extension tubes. It would be so nice to do this side by side with another person that has used them as well. Processing is a big challenge as well. I'm not going to go overboard doing this all the time, but I want to do so from time to time and hopefully improve this skill set.

Acropora sp.

Birdsnest branches.

Birdsnest ...

Oops, guess this hammer frag got a little too close to the Acanthastrea echinata. All that remains is a stick, the skeletal mass the polyp used to inhabit. The white whispy stuff is what the acan to the right didn't consume.

While the camera was out, I figured I might as well try to get a few fish shots. The 50mm f/1.8 lens is fast, and coupled with a flash I had a feeling I'd get a few nice images for y'all.

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After publishing my article about the extension tubes, I got some immediate feedback and a few suggestions to apply. Gary Parr of ReefThreads offered to take a look at one of my RAW files, the original photo taken of an acan. I emailed him the 12 meg file so he could see what I was working with, and he replied with excellent pointers for me to try next. He also included a cleaned up version of my picture:

The first thing I noticed was that ...

For a long time now, I've followed discussion of extension tubes for macro photography. And a few years ago, I looked up what they cost and quickly dismissed them. However, in the back of my mind, I kept thinking "what if those are really what I need to get these stellar macro shots?"

Probably a year ago, I considered getting them again. I talked to someone that had them, and to someone else that had used some... one person said I could use the cheap plastic tubes (less than $10) ...

Continuing from yesterday's blog, I spent some time trying to capture some polyps on film - so to speak. An SD card, to be precise.

Getting the skin of the acropora to show up has always been a wish of mine.

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