The one with the bees
Short post today, as I've got a lot of other stuff going on. But I wanted to get an entry in for @photocircle's macro curation this week. I don't take a lot of macro outside of the jellyfish1, so this is kind of an exception for me, and I generally categorize it with my animal photos.
Every few summers the zoo does an exhibit of animatronics, often dinosaurs, which attracts a lot of kids. In 2014 they decided to do one called Big Bugs!, which were all super-sized insects. But wanting to make it at least a little bit connected to their core mission, they put up a few temporary exhibits of real insects within that area.
One of those exhibits was essentially a wall of bees, a double-sided glass pillar with a beehive inside, and a long tunnel the bees could use to go in and out away from the patrons.
I was fascinated by the photographic possibilities of this, and spent a lot of time playing around with my macro lens and my flash, and this image was the result. The flash here is coming from behind the image, through the glass wall and the beehive, backlighting the bees and turning them into silhouettes. And we know a little bit about how I love silhouettes.
This is one of my most popular photos in small print and card form, as the orange of the hive really stands out and it's not a composition you see every day.
If you're a photographer thinking about whether to start using off-camera flash, here's a good reason for you. This one photo has more than paid for my off-camera flash setup.
1. Inside of the jellyfish it burns too much.
That's a great shot. I love how the macro lens kind of highlights that vibrant yellow/orange colour :)
hey, @tcpolymath.
Very nice. It gives it the color you say, as well a warmth to it. Great combination of things. So, the standalone flash must have been synched to the camera wirelessly or via cable?
Silhouettes can be some of the best images composed, depending on the strength of the subjects themselves. I think it works great with the bees.
Wirelessly. I use Yongnuo flash triggers.
I especially like bees for the silhouette because they're partially-transparent, and it's not purely a block.
Looks like they work with Canon cameras? I've never owned a Canon, so I'm not familiar with anything associated with that brand, plus I haven't bought any equipment for several years. Would love to get back in it and update some things, though.
You're right. The bees do have some transparency working. It's harder to tell at first glance. :)
I could almost smell the hive, nice photo! There us nothing to compare to the smell of a hive when first opened. :)
I picked up an off-cam flash a couple years back and I am so glad I did. The range of possibilities it opens up is amazing and, they aren't very expensive at all for a half decent one. Mine is a Yongnuo from ebay for about 60€ and has done the job for my amateur self. The triggers are about 40€.
I'm also a Yongnuo user, and very happy with them.
Thank you for your contribution to the "pc-macro" tag
Cheers,
@photocircle Team
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!STOP!@tcpolymath it's a lovely entry for photocircle. I hope you will win.
I love your photo technique @tcpolymath the light is very appropriate to interpret your picture.
Regards
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Hello @tcpolymath,
Cheers!
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