![\"Silver](\"http:\/\/www.elharo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/untitled.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
After realizing how much I was hearing this year I had heard last year in St. Louis and forgotten, I decided to write a few things down.<\/p>\n
Simplify. Simplify. Simplify. <\/p>\n
Get low.<\/p>\n
Use a polarizing filter to get rich colors in landscape photography. <\/p>\n
Some ants have stingers, not just fangs.<\/p>\n
Toads have been recategorized. There are no more Bufos left in North America<\/a>!<\/p>\n Butterflies aren’t even a clade. They’re just different families of moths that have evolved along similar lines. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Tamron 11-18mm wide angle zoom<\/a> has good close focus for insect shots, 1:8 maximum magnification, possibly more with extension tubes. There may well be other wide angle zooms that do equally well. Perhaps the 17-40L?<\/p>\n The difference between a wide and long shot, in the picture itself, is perspective and foreshortening. <\/p>\n Try reversing a cheap 28mm lens, possibly with extension tubes, for high magnification on a budget. (Not as easy to use as an MP-65 though.)<\/p>\n Kenko extension tubes are pretty good. Buy a set.<\/p>\n Try using about 50mm of extension on the 100mm macro lens (though this only works for greater than 1:1, and closer than the usual minimum focusing distance). I.e. it actively prevents you from shooting butterflies, dragonflies, and other large, fast insects. This may work better on a full frame camera since the larger sensor can image a larger insect. <\/p>\n Set flash to manual, not TTL\/ETTL when using full flash and manual mode on the camera. Start at 1\/8 power and adjust to taste.<\/p>\n Try moving the flash off camera. In particular get a cheap $30 Cowboy Studio radio receiver. You don’t need the fancy pocket wizard because for macro photography you don’t need to adjust the flash on the remote. <\/p>\n The numbers on flash units are guide numbers. For macro work a 430 EX is plenty. You don’t need the 580 EX II or 600 EX for macro work. <\/p>\n Use Vellum\/Mylar (which you can get at art supply stores) or a cut-up bleach bottle to build simple diffusers.<\/p>\n Not all batteries are created equal. Lithium-Ion batteries cost more but last longer. In particular they last about as long as the same number of regular batteries you could buy for the same price. <\/p>\n Lightroom supports hierarchical processing<\/a>.<\/p>\n For tripod work, consider the large Really Right Stuff BH-55 Ballhead<\/a>. <\/p>\n Get a customs form listing all the serial numbers of your equipment before leaving the country to avoid problems on reentry.<\/p>\n Get a Moose Peterson MP-1 bag<\/a> for use when travelling on regional jets. <\/p>\nLenses<\/h3>\n
Magnification<\/h3>\n
Flash<\/h3>\n
Workflow<\/h3>\n
Support<\/h3>\n
Travel<\/h3>\n