Bug Eyed

I was really amused when I saw this picture of a dragonfly that I'd taken. I did not know that even insects get the dreaded red eye when its picture is taken with the flash! Now I know!



I've been trying some close up and macro photography using a conversion lens, and with the teleconverter lens. I think, between the two, the results are much better with the teleconverter lens on a standard fixed lens for close up photography. I just ordered a used, 50 mm f3.5 manual macro lens and I cannot wait to try it out! Coupled with the 2x teleconverter, who knows what kind of results I will get!

I saw some really impressive close up pictures of the dragonfly with all the fine details clearly visible, and I just cannot wait to try to achieve that kind of pictures!

Never Forget!

Camera Accessories

Look what came in the mail yesterday! That was just one of several arrivals throughout the week! Yes, I have been on a shopping spree! For camera accessories, that is!



This little beauty was in one of the packages that came in the mail yesterday. It is called a super macro conversion lens. This little lens is attached to a telephoto lens (as in above pic) and with it you can do some incredible macro photography. Macro photography without spending big bucks on a macro lens!



This unfortunate, and rather dead, earwig was caught in a spider's web. I brought out my tripod and shot a few pictures of the earwig. Yes, with the Raynox conversion lens attached to my telephoto lens! The filtered evening sun falling on the subject really helped with the overall picture, don't you think so?



This beautiful picture of a little spider that was waiting for its prey under a chair was also shot with the Raynox conversion lens. Amazing what one cheap (comparatively!) lens can do!

Another Dragonfly

I am so pleased with the output of an old manual Pentax 50mm lens that my mother-in-law (picked up from a thrift store) gave me. The Olympus 50mm manual lens that I bought from an online store some time ago was given away to my niece. I thought about getting another one to replace the one I gave away, but now I don't think I need another similar Olympus lens. The Pentax lens performs just as well if not better than the Olympus lens!

Today, I took several pictures of a dragonfly that didn't mind my getting close to it to photograph it with the 50mm Pentax lens.


Initially I thought the bokeh from the Pentax was not as smooth as the Olympus' (based on earlier photos I had taken) but I was wrong. Today I shot a few pictures of the dragonfly with a background that was creamy smooth. I learned that the faster the speed, the smoother the bokeh.

The next time I use the lens, I will use it to take portraits of my kids.