Moar diffusion!

5 years 3 weeks ago - 5 years 3 weeks ago #633698 by Troponin
I haven’t been able to get outside to test this diffuser out, but managed one shot so far. Low ambient lighting and flash at 1/2 power. It’s not bad, but will be adding a bit more to soften it further and make one or two more asjustments. Been unable to take more than a few shots over the last few months due to nonstop nasty weather this year




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5 years 3 weeks ago #633702 by Nikon Shooter
I don't see that softer diffusion should be a concern to drive
any effort from you but avoiding the luminance flatness as in
this shot — chrominance is not affected so much. By means
of a smaller diffuser, the eyes would have less white reflected
in them and that would bring back more luminance variation
in the shot for less flatness.

Possibly, a less bright BG would be a plus in any approach.
What was the used aperture for this take?

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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5 years 3 weeks ago - 5 years 3 weeks ago #633738 by Troponin

Nikon Shooter wrote: I don't see that softer diffusion should be a concern to drive
any effort from you but avoiding the luminance flatness as in
this shot — chrominance is not affected so much. By means
of a smaller diffuser, the eyes would have less white reflected
in them and that would bring back more luminance variation
in the shot for less flatness.

Possibly, a less bright BG would be a plus in any approach.
What was the used aperture for this take?


Hello NS, and thanks for the comments! 

Let me first start with my settings; 1/160 f/22 ISO 100. For some reason its not attaching or showing the data for the shots. I need to check my export settings to check for that, as well as make sure the last update didn’t change that as well. 

I chose white because it was the best contrasting background I could find. It’s actually a common set up for shooting subjects for idenitifcation. That being said, it’s the first time I have used a white BG, and it wasn’t a complete set up. Eventually I’ll have a white box set up and will try to learn more about how to properly expose for it etc. All of the surfaces I had at my disposal were all stained wood and there isn’t enough contrast. 

On the note of the diffuser. Diffusion in macro photography is fickle. Too small of a diffuser, or too far, and it will create a hot spot and will blow highlights very easily. A lot of insects are highly reflective as well, not just in the eyes. This type of diffuser is common because it’s a nice balance of diffusion and leaves a pleasing reflection. I am using a two stage diffusion set up, so it passes through a large, slightly curved diffuser, then to a second that is cone shaped. The cone is the one that is a bit too far. 

One of the adjustments I have to make is that the diffuser is too far out/down towards the subject. I am going to bring it up slightly, and this should give a little bit more of a natural looking reflection. The end goal is usually this look. Remember too, his subject is only a 3-4mm, where as mine was an inch. Will have to test out some smaller subjects to determine where I need to go from here. 

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/assets.barcroft.tv/8c920784-a8e2-4b13-b958-fffc1cded6c8.jpg

This one was taken at 90mm 1/1 ratio with a directional type of light, but flat instead of cone shaped. I handheld both the flash and the camera for this. Still pleasing, but I like the funny eyeball looking reflections. lol It’s fun playing with directional light and hope to play with it more a bit later this spring. Previous shot was x2 magnification. 




Finally, if you have tips on diffuser designs, I would love some advice, because this has been a big struggle for me. Macro diffusion is def not my strong suit. You lost me a bit on the chrominance and luminance part. Can you explain more?

*Edited about 10 times. Sorry.*


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5 years 3 weeks ago #633787 by garyrhook
Chrominance and luminance generally refer to video systems, and describe a color model that separates color from light. You can google the terms and read up on them. Here's one on noise: www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/image-noise-2.htm

Based on the histogram of the image, you could increase contrast and clarity to sharpen things up. Looks to me like the light in your reference image is less diffuse? The shape of the modifier is critical in controlling how the light falls on that spider? The light is certainly interesting, and clearly a challenge awaits you.

I think white is just fine for documentation, and I like the detail in its little face.


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5 years 3 weeks ago #633795 by Troponin

garyrhook wrote: Chrominance and luminance generally refer to video systems, and describe a color model that separates color from light. You can google the terms and read up on them. Here's one on noise: www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/image-noise-2.htm

Based on the histogram of the image, you could increase contrast and clarity to sharpen things up. Looks to me like the light in your reference image is less diffuse? The shape of the modifier is critical in controlling how the light falls on that spider? The light is certainly interesting, and clearly a challenge awaits you.

I think white is just fine for documentation, and I like the detail in its little face.


Thanks for the link and additional info. I am not great at editing certain conditions yet, and, I do notice my dynamic range does not look “full” sometimes. This image I added contrast, but was getting a heavy yellow as a result. Ill try adjusting the curve a bit, but the way NS showed me doesn’t work for LR, so I need to figure that out. 

I sometimes feel like my images are very flat out of the camera and requires a heavy hand on the, contrast, detail, and/or dehaze, It’s like this on most of my set ups and lighting. 


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5 years 3 weeks ago - 5 years 3 weeks ago #633802 by Troponin
Ok, so I read that article you posted and I took the advice here and attempted another edit based on those. Hopefully I am closer. Before and afters (I think the page is reversing these images for some reason)


Make: SONY
Model: ILCE-7RM3
Lens: FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
ISO: 100
Aperture: f/22.0
Shutter speed: 1/160 sec
Captured: Sun, 3 Mar 2019 15:29pm



Make: SONY
Model: ILCE-7RM3
Lens: FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
ISO: 100
Aperture: f/22.0
Shutter speed: 1/160 sec
Captured: Sun, 3 Mar 2019 15:29pm


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5 years 3 weeks ago #633989 by Eshan Rachit
Yeah! I think this one is much better. 


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5 years 2 weeks ago #634668 by Suni Park
Well, this is a big improvement. I an see clearly the details of the shot. I like the fact that you focused the eyes so well. Good job! 


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5 years 2 weeks ago #635086 by Stephen Graham
I completely agree. This is a good macro shot. I don't like spiders personally but this one is a very good shot. 


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5 years 2 weeks ago #635095 by Nikon Shooter
— Too small of a diffuser, or too far, and it will create a hot spot and will blow highlights very easily.
True but it is not an absolute law; it is one the may applyto some shielded and shiny exosquellet, which spiders arenot concerned with.

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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5 years 2 weeks ago - 5 years 2 weeks ago #635189 by Troponin

Nikon Shooter wrote: — Too small of a diffuser, or too far, and it will create a hot spot and will blow highlights very easily.
True but it is not an absolute law; it is one the may applyto some shielded and shiny exosquellet, which spiders arenot concerned with.


Do you have some examples you can share? I have created a half dozen lighting solutions and every time the results were the same for me.

One other issue I have is that I need something that’s a “catch all”. I photograph pretty much everything, and wanted to know if I could create a diffuser that would be adequate at everything. Even if I exclude round and shiny bugs/insects, I am still finding plenty of other subjects, jumping spiders included, that will blow highlights very easily. Lynx spiders have a shiny body, bold jumpers have some iridescent chelicerae and fine, white hairs that are sensitive, and the list goes on for small details. 

Lastly, even when I am not considering diffusion itself, I had been using a couple diffusers that just couldn’t give me shadows in the right places. For this, I added some direction light, which I’ll add examples too. 

So far, this is my progress for a “catch all” diffuser. Both shot at F22 and magnified x2. I am just sharing my work to share thoughts as well. Any cc is welcome. Even though the bee has obvious reflection (this subject is huge for my diffuser), notice how soft it is. Most other diffusers that are not designed properly seem to have “harsh edges” to the diffuser reflection, which I don’t care for. Even though the reflection is smaller, it’s actually MORE noticeable and unnatural looking. 



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5 years 2 weeks ago #635192 by Troponin
An example of what I am referring too with harshness. This light is diffused, but not enough, and it appears to be farther from the subject as well. There is a good chance this is not a soft tent/cone diffuser, which also make a pretty big difference. 

http://www.fwnp.com/honey-bee-macro.html


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5 years 2 weeks ago - 5 years 2 weeks ago #635195 by Troponin
On more with larger, well diffused light on a difficult subject, larger than a spider and highly reflective. In every shot, the light is as close as I could possibly get it. Today I am finishing up some details on this one. I had to start from scratch again because I was losing too much light out the sides of my DIT hood and was requiring full power on my flash. With the changes, I can shoot at f22 and be on 1/4 power. The final diffusion is also a cone that had to be modified again as well. 




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5 years 2 weeks ago - 5 years 2 weeks ago #635244 by GaryA
Coming in last to the game ... but ... I like the first ... I love what came later.  My immediate response was to darken the background ... which accomplished.  The darkened BG make a night and day difference and really emphasized the head/principal element of the image.  Good job on the initial image and good job on the later post(s).

PS- That is an interesting snail ... I haven't seen that species out here.

There are photographs everywhere. It is the call of photographers to see and capture those images.
www: garyayala.com

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5 years 2 weeks ago #635246 by Troponin
So far, here are the results of my directional lighting. Notice I can use this one with larger subjects because  I am hand holding both the flash and the camera. It’s not easy, but the results are good because I can back the flash up and not use so much curvature in the design...

 Please be aware that I might be coming across as I’m trying to prove myself, but I’m really sharing my experiences in hopes someone can discuss with me alternatives with actual set up’s.  Lighting has always been a bit of a hangup for me, especially because I am not very crafty.  I also don’t see a lot of alternative solutions in the field itself.   Seems most folks either like their directional sunlight or their soft tent diffusion, Which can occur with twin flash or otherwise 


https://www.photographytalk.com/photos/450461
 


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