Further Background Experiments.
Following on from my first experiment with using glitter card as a background for macro shots, I took them out again. This time the venue was High Wood ( nr Bradbury Rings ) to see what the backgrounds would look like with both the bugs that are common there, and also with some of the woodland flowers that can be found in the wood.
As it would have it the first set of shots I took with the glitter card on that visit – featured both a spider and a flower. This small crab spider I found sitting atop a bluebell. It posed nicely to let me try various colours in the background. This time I placed the card a reasonable distance back, so it would not disturb the flower or the spider.
The first shot is two images blended together to create a larger depth of field.
Crab Spider on Bluebell ( 2 shots stacked)
Crab Spider on Bluebell ( Green background )
Crab Spider on Bluebell ( Purple background )
Crab Spider on Bluebell ( Gold background )
Next up was a Red-headed Cardinal beetle – with both the card and without. The first has the card – the highlights are from the flash bouncing off the glitter.
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle ( Green Background )
Red-headed Cardinal Beetle
Next up were some shots of some bugle with the card placed at the back. These I took on my 100mm Canon macro lens at near wide open apertures. The flash was aimed at the card – not the flowers. This created quite a hard effect. I processed the images in Topaz Glow slightly to add to the effect. I think next time I do this type of shot I will use on the top of a flower – as personally find the green at the bottom a bit distracting from the effect.
The next images don’t feature the backgrounds – but are some shots using the natural backgrounds the flowers are found in. Due to not having a tripod and a minor wind – all there shots are flash filled.
Woodland Flowers
The Pink Flower
The final background experiments, were on some bluebells that I shot fairly close to the card. The glitter is more prominent in these, due to the proximity of the card.
Bluebells against Gold Glitter Card
Bluebells against Blue Glitter Card
My last image from the trip is of a Shield Bug on a Bluebell – no card this time.
Shield on the Bells
All images taken on a Canon 5D mark IV, with Canon MT-24ex Twin Flash ( diffused ). Either using Canon MPE-65mm lens ( bugs ) or the Canon 100mm Macro lens ( flowers ).
