Insect photography: Rapid Wolf Spider

**jimhanus** · 23 December 2009, 11:02 AM

Buckobeck,
Portable lighting was always difficult. I tried different flash setups with a bellows at 1:1 and more but never could get it to look like I wanted it to (see attached). Always wanted to try a ringlight but too expensive. What lighting are you interested in? There were originally done on 35mm Kodachrome at least 15 years ago and now scanned on a Canon 8600F.

**buckobeck** · 24 December 2009, 05:45 AM

Hi Jimhanus,

I have been looking at the ring light flashes with TTL metering technology. They seem to by reasonably priced these days and I have found some as cheap as 110 dollars.

I've also been wondering what would be the best way to achieve even higher magnification, you seem knowledgeable, what do you think?

I know what you mean by the look. Very few of my photos suit me well enough to show and invariably fall prey to the delete button. Sounds like you might be picky also. I like the shots that you've posted here; by the way.

**buckobeck** · 24 December 2009, 05:58 AM

I took over seventy shots in this particular session. This is the only one I kept.

**jimhanus** · 24 December 2009, 09:41 AM

Nice shot, I like the wing detail.
I always went for absolute quality over convenience, so I used a macro lens for 1:2 magnification and a quality bellows with a 50mm or 75mm enlarger lens on it for 1:1 or more. Enlarger lenses are designed as flat field lenses, made to be used with a flat piece of film and projecting onto a flat piece of paper so there's no distortion in the corners or edges.
Ring lights back then were rare and in the $250-300 range. Too rich for me even today.

Jim