Posts in Category: macro
cones
Drying conifer cones: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, August 2025 — I am taking a course in Mindfulness and Photography, which it turns out is pretty much superficial mindfulness techniques with little or no direct connection to photography…but hay, they tried. The one thing it has reminded me to do is to look more attentively for the images that are there waiting for me to see them. I am good at doing that with birds and wildlife…but I forget sometimes to look down at the ground, or out at the landscape. I have a vague feeling that images like this one are just slightly pretentious…like making a sows ear into a silk purse. Still, I like the image. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 102mm equivalent. My macro mods. F13 for depth of field. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Ghost Flower, the inside view
Occasionally you find a Ghost Flower or Indian Pipe plant with the blossom still pointing up so you can see what is inside. And here it is. The inside view of the Ghost Flower. Who would suspect that all the pigment in the plant is mostly hidden. Even viewed on phone you are seeing the flower at life-size or more. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 106mm equivalent. Program mode with my macro modifications. Program shift to f10 at 1/30th for depth of field. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Jewelweed
Orange Jewelweed: Roger’s Pond Park, Kennebunk, Maine, USA. A native plant here in North America, Jewelweed is invasive all through the UK and Europe…one of those rare plants that crossed the Atlantic going the “wrong” way. It makes a bright show in July and August at the margin of wetlands and in ditches here in Southern Maine. I have been dialing in my macro technique and am quite pleased with these shots for hand held field (near) macro. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 103mm equivalent from about 6 inches. Program mode with my macro modifications. f10. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! bug in the eye
A little worm on the variant Blackeyed Susan in our Kennebunk, Maine yard. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 106mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving macro modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bee in rose
Bumblebee in wild rose: Along the Kennebunk Bridle Path while looking for Egrets, this bee in a lovely wild rose caught my eye. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with insect recognition and my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Pitcher Plant
Pitcher Plant: Coastal Maine Botanical Garden, Boothbay, Maine, USA, May 2024 — Carol and I took advantage of the Maine resident open days this weekend (free tickets) to visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden 2 hours north of us in Boothbay. It was a lovely day, and we have never been there this early in the season. Pitcher Plants are one of my favorite plants, just because they are so bizarre, and they always grow in the tiny and carefully maintained bog at the end of the pool at the Alfond Children’s Garden. Both these shots are in Program mode with in-camera focus stacking, with the OM System OM-1 and M.Zuiko 12-45 f4 Pro zoom at 90mm equivalent and at 72mm equivalent. In the past it has been a challenge to get both the flower stalk and the pitchers themselves in focus at the same time. but hand-held focus stacking makes it easy. I always have mixed feelings about photographing plants in gardens…it is kind of like photographing wildlife in zoos…but I am not going to pass up a chance for a good photo of the Pitcher Plant. 🙂 I might get out to Saco Heath this week, our closest remnant bog, to see if I can find some in the wild.
Maine! Studies in Cinnamon Fern heads
Cinnamon Fern (I think). While out looking for Lady Slipper Orchids in my secret spot here Kennebunk, I could not help but notice all the ferns somewhat past fiddle head stage. I love the ornate look of the coiled fern fonds. The two wider shots here are at 800mm with the M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom on the OM System OM-1Mkii, for about a 1:2 magnification. The tighter shots are with the same set-up but with the 2x digital tele-extender added for a 1:1 magnification. Depending on the device you are viewing the photos on the close-up are probably life size or better. Program mode. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bittersweet
Almost everything about bittersweet is bittersweet. There are two bittersweets…American and Oriental. Most of what we have in Maine is Oriental Bittersweet, a clinging, climbing, invasive plant that smothers its hosts and can even bring down full grown trees. We have a vine in our yard that reaches the very top of a tall pine, and is 8 inches in diameter at eye level. Still the berries are pretty, and are eaten by at least a few birds. OM Systems OMD EM5Mkiii with 12-45mm zoom at 90mm equivalent. Macro scene mode. Processed in Pixelmator Pro.
Maine! Scolia Wasp in Goldenrod
Scolia Wasp: Kennebunk Plains Nature Conservancy, York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — When the Blazing Star blooms on the Kennebunk Plains, it attracts insects of all kinds. This Scolia Wasp happened to be in the Goldenrod, which is also in full bloom on the Plains right now. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th.
Maine: Robber Flies
Robber Flies: Kennebunk Plains Nature Conservancy, York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — There are 54 species of Robber Flies living in Maine, comprising 20 different Genera…and there are over 1000 species world-wide. I have no idea which of the 54 these two are, but I found lots of individuals and many mating pairs when I visited the Kennebunk Plains last week to photograph the Northern Blazing Start bloom. This is a hand held in-camera focus stack from the OM Systems OM-1 and the ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent and about 4 feet. The stack is 8 exposures deep. Being able to do this hand held with an 800mm equivalent lens and from a comfortable working distance is pretty amazing. 🙂 Program mode. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. Nominal exposure ISO 400 @ f6.3 @ 1/1250th.