This post was originally done as a Weekend Wandering post back in 2014 on my old blog. It was also one of my first times using a macro lens, can’t believe it is over 10 years ago, and I’ve had my own macro for that long now. I haven’t done this again since then, maybe it is something I should do, maybe in spring when the flowers start.
Earlier in the week I mentioned that a very good friend of mine, perhaps the best photography buddy I have ever, had lent me her Canon 600D and 60mm Macro lens. I have been playing with it on and off this last week, and today I thought I would give you a macro view of my backyard. Though, some really is my backyard, I also mean in the area I live, so this morning I went out to the park and got some photos of it as well.
As I was getting into the car, I could see that we were going to have a beautiful sunrise and I ummed and ahhed about whether or not I should try and capture it. In the end, I decided that I had the wrong camera, or really, the wrong lens with me, and by the time I got into position, it would be gone. So I decided not to worry about it, but when I got to where I wanted to take photos, I decided to try one with the macro lens, and this was the result.
I think we forget too that a macro can also be used as a normal lens. This is a little spot I recently discovered and it is one I would like to return to. My own little waterfall to experiment on.
I got a bug, at least I think that is what it is. I don’t really know. I took the image and didn’t realise that anything was there until I got it on the computer. I was experimenting with a smaller depth of field.
I also picked a few flowers from the garden and tried photographing them inside. It was so hard doing it outside without a tripod. It good inside, so much better.
I picked some dandelions as well, sprayed them with water and took some photos. Then I thought, what would happen if I put them in the freezer and the water froze on them. Quite a great effect, but I have to warn you, the stalks don’t cope and they go all limp, and fall over. You have to be quick. I love dandelions, the little stalk things are like the illustrations they show you of the neurons in our brains. I wonder if that is why we like that. Just saying.
I am going to leave it there, and just leave the gallery for you to enjoy. Some of the images are a bit fuzzy, sorry. I had to use manual focus, and well, my eye sight isn’t as good as it used to be. Happy clicking this weekend.
You got some great shots here! It looks like a ladybug to me.
Thank you, yeah it is, I just had never seen a yellow before, now they are in my garden everywhere.
The vibrant yellow must be lovely to see! It brightens up the autumn air.
Yes, autumn doesn’t last very long here anymore, so have to love it when you see it.
Enjoy the season!!
Sadly it is basically over, but I love autumn in Melbourne every year, best time.
More thinks to try………agghhgh such a long list!!! Thanks!
So many things. Thanks Geoff.
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Lovely! Never thought of freezing water droplets on dandelions 😀.
Thank you PR, it was good, but the stalk was so soft and soggy.
I’m not surprised you bought your own macro after the success of this outing Leanne 🙂 I love the dandelion with the raindrops in particular – how clever to think of freezing it!
Yeah, I got to borrow a couple and I knew I needed to get my own after that. Yeah freezing it was good, though the stalk was not good, it went very soft. Thanks Sarah.
These are beautiful images. The dandelion experiment is my favorite, but the long exposure is also exceptional.
Thank you Donna, yeah, that experiment was a lot of fun.
What a great set of images, Leanne! Love your local little waterfall hope to see more images from that
Thank you Sue, it doesn’t flow a lot, it depends on the amount of rain, it is very small, and is a channel that runs in the river.
Beautiful shots, Leanne. Great idea for the frozen dandelion, it looks awesome.
Thank you Sofia, it did have challenges, but I liked the final results.
A wonderful variety of macros Leanne. The water drops are so good.
The insect is a lady beetle. I didn’t count the spots to tell you which one it is 😀
Thank you Brian.
Yeah, I have those beetles everywhere in my garden now, they must native to here. Apparently it is an Illeis.
They will eat your aphids
Yep, gotta love that.
Beautiful, beautiful! I love the long exposure, too.
Thank you Egidio.
Great images with your macro. I really liked the dandelions. I once went to the zoo and didn’t realize I still had my macro lens on the camera. It worked fine.
Thank you Anne. It can work fine.
All of the photos are great but I especially love the water droplets on the dandelion puffs and now you’ve got me thinking about that visual relationship to the neuron maps of the human brain.
Thank you Laura. I loved the waterdrops too, i think I tried freezing them to help them, didn’t really work, but still got those. Oh yes, I know exactly what you mean and I can soo that too.
WOW! Great shots.
Thank you.
I think it was on your blog that I read about using a macro as a regular lens. I had just bought one (40 mm) and was amazed that it could be used like that. Such a revelation, but I love the little bits of advice that make such a big impact. The macro lens is a favorite of mine.
I don’t know if it was Lois, but yeah absolutely you can use it like any other lens, mine is a 80mm, so it is bit too much zoom to do that, though I think I’ve used my macro for portraits in the past, long past. Glad I could help Lois, always happy to share advice. Good to hear it is a favourite.