Welcome to the Weekly Close up. I hope your holiday goes well.Lets see those wonderful close ups, be they macro or otherwise.Please list your gear and if you crop. Also post in response to this as I will.

I have a variety of lighting solutions but have always been envious of those with the Oly TF. I do realize that the TF would give me better depth and shadows, the $800 price tag is a bit of a put off.After missing one on the B?S forum for $400, I decided to cobble one together myself.My first attempt was to get a pair of cheap small slaves for $11 off of ebay, They came with brackets and flash mounts but are not adjustable. One thing I will mention is that they are much more powerful than a FL 20 and recycle instantly. Here is the set upand a few test shots at 1-1 with a 35mm on my E 5. (nothing special)The second attemp is using 2 of my FL 50r's and adding two small ballheads I got for $6 each off of ebay. the set upand a few examples at 2-1 with the 35mm and E5By the way, the flowers the bugs are on are about half the size of a dime.It'll take a while to work out how to use them as well as get use to the bulk. My FRF solution is much smaller and is much easier to get into the bushes where I hunt.I think the use of a diffuser on the slaves will allow for adjustments there or one could be added to the FRF setup for shadows.All in all, the $30 I spent on the slaves and ballheads should prove interesting this season.Thanks for looking.

taken this morning on a walk by a pond

Robber Fly with the 50mm ZD + EX25 + MSN-202 Raynox 4X; full mag is just about impossible due to the shade casted by the lens. I bet it would work fine with a better light source; I used the on board flash + diffuser.1.2.3.

I wish I had some here to shoot.Thanks for sharing -- JimB Bug WhispererJoin us in The Weekly Close up every weekend

Lighting that close is a pain as you can tell with all of my home made solutions. I had luck with a tube extender with the 50mm and ex 25 but not sure if even that would give frontal lighting when adding the close up filter.Thanks for sharing -- JimB Bug WhispererJoin us in The Weekly Close up every weekend

Nice Brad, they aren't Damselflies, they are Dragonflies, more specifically male Blue Dasher - Pachydiplax longipennis. -- Oll an gwella, Jim

That is a nice set up indeed!

thanks for the comment and correction. I need to get a good insect identification book. -- Brad Ross

Bar-winged Skimmer - Libellula axilena (female)

I remember some of your captures with that set up; they are amazing! Only thing is not a good set up for outiside macros.I tried some F22 shots at ISO 800 but then again resolution tends to fade at higher ISOs.JiminDenverwrote:Lighting that close is a pain as you can tell with all of my home made solutions. I had luck with a tube extender with the 50mm and ex 25 but not sure if even that would give frontal lighting when adding the close up filter.Thanks for sharing -- JimB Bug WhispererJoin us in The Weekly Close up every weekend

One butterfly, Orange Tipand two Damsels , Azure female and Common Blueall with 35mm macro

That is a great macro shot -- razor sharp, and the colors are outstanding. Very nice work!God Bless, Greg http://www.imagismphotos.com http://www.mccroskery.zenfolio.com http://www.pbase.com/daddyo

This is the usual time I see this bee, just as the sun is going down. These are from various recent days with varying weather. Like other solitary bees they roost where they can get the last of the sun, and the first of it.They usually grip a suitable stem of grass in their jaws and lock on, and though they come and go for a while before actual dark they eventually settle down for the night.Did you know bees dream?

Nice shots!One easy way to distinguish damselflies from dragonflies is that damselflies can fold their wings back along their body when at rest -- dragonflies cannot. Damselflies also have a more slender body than dragonflies.God Bless, Greg http://www.imagismphotos.com http://www.mccroskery.zenfolio.com http://www.pbase.com/daddyo

Nice captures -- very sharp.God Bless, Greg http://www.imagismphotos.com http://www.mccroskery.zenfolio.com http://www.pbase.com/daddyo

These are all great, but the second to last is absolutely excellent in every respect.God Bless, Greg http://www.imagismphotos.com http://www.mccroskery.zenfolio.com http://www.pbase.com/daddyo

Beautiful series, very sharp and with beautiful colors.

After weeks of dryness, I had the pleasure to see the dew back. Still no rain though...1234567