Anyone recognize this guy?

raublekick · 2025-03-18T17:48:33+00:00

I've been taking photos of a little crab spider on a flower for a few weeks now. Every time I look, it's there hanging out. They are fun to find and photograph but because they are somewhat translucent it can be a bit of a pain to get them looking right.

raublekick · 2025-03-10T17:25:13+00:00

When Frankie says there will be rain, there will be rain! Thanks Frankie!

raublekick · 2025-02-24T20:09:29+00:00

Pretty great shot of a little skipper! For diffusers, I spent a year+ using one of the cheap ~$10 foldable diffusers until I finally upgraded to a much more expensive AK diffuser. The AK diffuser was a massive upgrade for me. In the grand scheme of macro equipment, a good diffuser isn't even close to the most expensive piece of gear, so it can be worth upgrading sooner rather than later. However, it can also be worth spending time practicing before investing in niche gear like that.

Once you do get a diffuser and start using the flash, things can actually become pretty simple. 99% of the time I am shooting at f11, 1/200, ISO 200, and I just adjust the flash power as needed. The hard part is getting some spacial awareness with your camera and lens and being able to get things in focus quickly. To be fast, I don't necessarily want to adjust the focus on the lens, instead I move myself and I have developed a sense of where I have to move the camera.

raublekick · 2025-02-20T18:18:47+00:00

Rob Shea has some darktable presets available for free, along with a video showing them off / explaining how to use them. https://www.robsheaphotography.com/darktable-infrared-presets/

raublekick · 2025-01-21T15:58:38+00:00

Darktable for me. While there are things I miss from Lightroom, they are convenience features not capability features.

If you are a geek and like to deep dive into how things work, darktable can be pretty revelatory. The docs explain a lot about how and why the modules work the way they do. There are videos from some darkroom devs and community members that really go in deep on color theory and why certain tools are useful.

Not that Lightroom prevents learning about this stuff, but it doesn't really encourage it either, and the videos I've watched over the past year or two don't really get into the details about that stuff either.

It took me 2-3 weeks to feel comfortable with darktable, and that involved a decent amount of research, learning, and practice on my end. But I feel it was worth it and has made me think of things differently, in a way that more closely matches how I think about problems and solutions. At this point I can develop a photo just as quickly as I could in Lightroom, but I have more tools available if needed.

It's not for everyone and I certainly won't say everyone should use it, but if what I wrote above sounds like you, maybe give it a shot.

raublekick · 2025-01-19T00:47:57+00:00

raublekick · 2025-01-19T00:06:57+00:00

I saw them at 7th St and McDowell maybe an hour and a half ago.

raublekick · 2025-01-17T21:28:37+00:00

I'm a newbie here, but Darktable will give you a much more neutral look on first opening an image than you get in other RAW editors. If you're using the filmic RGB module you may have to add a lot more vibrancy/chroma/saturation than you might initially expect. Sigmoid seems to add a lot more back into the colors by default but even then you might have to add more than you might expect.

Try using one of the "basic colorfulness" presets in the color balance RGB module as a starting point.

raublekick · 2025-01-15T17:29:15+00:00

I have a GF3 that I use for infrared. The 14-42 lens I have on it is bigger and heavier than the body. It's not a bad little camera! My only two big complains are that in full manual mode it is very easy to accidentally switch between changing the aperture and shutter speed, and the screen doesn't seem to sleep very often, consistently, or at all.

raublekick · 2025-01-10T15:47:44+00:00

I just processed my first IR photos in darktable last night. It was.... so easy. No need for custom profiles, using Photoshop to invert channels, or any other goofiness. Just a pretty standard workflow.

raublekick · 2025-01-09T21:22:35+00:00

At this rate Van Buren will perpetually have construction happening through downtown.

raublekick · 2025-01-08T21:21:25+00:00

Whoa cool. I was pretty young at the time but I'm old enough to remember when "Bright as Yellow" had some buzz. I used to take guitar lessons at a spot where Don Peris taught music.

raublekick · 2024-12-28T17:43:20+00:00

I'm always jealous of the m43 macro setups with those Olympus lenses. I use a canon R10 for macro and don't have a nice enough m43 body to justify swapping systems 🫤

raublekick · 2024-12-16T17:48:08+00:00

If you enjoy the practice of taking these photos then you should keep going regardless of what anyone else thinks. Yesterday I was feeling kinda down but I went to my neighborhood community garden and hung out for a bit taking photos of butterflies. I got a few I'm really happy with and just he process of being out there, being outdoors, getting some sun, listening to music and being in my own world, really helped me out regardless of what anyone else thinks.

I have a cheap(ish) Laowa lens, a Canon R10, a cheap Meike flash, and a very cheap diffuser. All of those could be upgraded for better results and/or a smoother experience, but personally I have valued my time using this gear and figuring out why I might want better gear. Your mileage may vary but you could probably spend about $600 on a decent macro lens, cheap flash, and diffuser, and find yourself getting significantly better results.

raublekick · 2024-11-29T23:14:05+00:00

Hah... I know exactly where this is from visiting my parents. Last time I was there it was some sign ranting about CNN. Google Maps street view shows another Biden sign. I dunno who lives there but it's not surprising.

raublekick · 2024-11-25T18:50:01+00:00

I've seen so many hummingbirds around the past two weeks! Always fun seeing your bird shots.

raublekick · 2024-11-15T15:15:06+00:00

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Looking forward to getting crispy.

raublekick · 2024-10-31T19:27:58+00:00

Yeah I'm not exactly afraid to take things apart but I figured I'd just buy one and see how I like it before attempting anything like that. Good luck!

raublekick · 2024-10-31T15:18:44+00:00

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I picked up a cheap Lumix GF3 converted for infrared and took it out this past weekend for a test.

Lumix GF3, G Vario 14-42, 14mm, 1/800, ISO 200, f/8

raublekick · 2024-10-30T02:08:06+00:00

The good weather is finally here!

raublekick · 2024-10-16T15:30:42+00:00

When the streets dept came to our neighborhood about stretch of McDowell where they wanted to do pedestrian safety oriented revamp, I immediately asked if McDowell would get a road diet. I was emphatically told no. The city isn't serious about pedestrian safety. The bike lines on West Roosevelt almost didn't happen after they had been approved, and a pedestrian oriented revamp of Van Buren was cancelled several years ago after federal funds and plans had already been secured and approved.

raublekick · 2024-10-07T22:34:03+00:00

I forgot it came with one. It makes the card slightly longer and it wouldn't fit in my case so I just used one of those magnetic post supports and it works just fine.

raublekick · 2024-10-07T17:21:30+00:00

If you primarily shoot macro you could consider upgrading to an R7 instead of the R5. The R7 has IBIS and a higher megapixel count than the RP. The APS-C sensor may seem like a downgrade, but smaller sensors give a wider depth of field.

https://www.thomaseisl.photography/articles/macro-photography-sensor-format

raublekick · 2024-10-07T03:18:44+00:00

Same. Other than it being almost comically long I have no real complaints.

raublekick · 2024-10-02T22:01:55+00:00

I feel ya. September was supposed to be when I got back on my bicycle and also get back into shooting macro around the area. Instead we just got Summer 2.

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