Macro workshop

In March I took a day off work and travelled up to Birmingham to attend a macro photography workshop run by Mark Sisson of Natures Images. The workshop was run at The Flash Centre on an industrial estate in Birmingham.

The staff at The Flash Centre had all the lighting and set up arranged so we could get straight into the photography. I was worried that my very limited experience of flash work would count against me. How wrong could I be. A small transmitter was attached to the hot shoe of our cameras which would then trigger the flash. Cameras were set to manual at ISO 200 f/16 1/125. Simple!

An experienced animal handler provided the frogs, toads, insect and spiders. Anybody who knows me well will know that I am petrified of frogs and toads. The smaller frogs were not a problem but the European Common Frogs were exactly what I was worried about. In the morning session they were very jumpy and many times my chair (and I) would go flying backwards. The handler would then have to re-arrange the frogs. They were much more settled down in the afternoon.

The set ups consisted of a clamp with natural looking branches/twigs/leaves, lighting and the animals themselves. Different lighting, backdrops and perches created very differing photos.

With only 5 participants there was no worry of queueing up to use a certain set up. 

I was very pleased with the photos and hope the following speak for themselves.

American green tree frog (above below)

 

  

Brazilian white knee tarantula

Desert locust (above and below)

European common frog (above and below)

Fire bellied toad (above and below)

Gargoyle gecko (above)

Malaysian dead leaf mantis (above and below)

Shiny burrowing scorpion

White's tree frog (above and below)