It didn’t take long after getting my 105mm f/2.8 macro lens for it to launch itself up to the top of my list of favorite pieces of photography gear. While I don’t often take super close-up shots like this with it, I do enjoy the freedom to essentially get as close to my subject as I want without wondering whether the lens will be capable of getting it in focus. It’s really more about the freedom it offers than the ability to take macro shots like this one, but every now and then when the opportunity presents itself, I really do appreciate the ability to capture images such as this simple fly on a leaf. Of course the gear is just one component of the equation; there’s also composition, lighting, exposure setting, subject framing choices, and even seeing photographic opportunities in the first place that all come into play in order to get good shots. And those are exactly what led to this picture of a fly sitting on a leaf, just kind of minding its own business while I moved ever-close with my camera until I got the photo you see here.
I took this while on our annual family vacation in Kansas while walking between cabins with my brother Phil, both of us with cameras in hand while we chatted about family, kids, jobs, and the other sorts of pleasant topics that come up on a lazy day like that. He’s also a big fan of macro photography and even likes to take the concept of close-up photos a step further with focus stacking. While I’ve dabbled in that a time or two I really don’t enjoy the time and effort it takes to pull off a really solid stacking operation, and instead prefer to get my photos with a single exposure and just use a smaller aperture if I want a wider depth of field. To each their own though, and for those readers who like combining dozens or even hundreds of shots into a final composition I say go for it! Good for you, and I’m sure you get some cool results. But for me, if I can get what I want with a single click of the shutter and then be on my way, I’m a happy camper.
Anyway, stacking soliloquy aside, I like how this shot turned out and I’m glad I had the chance to get it. I shot it at f/22, 1/250 second, ISO 1000 (cleaned up with Lightroom AI Denoise), and one of my favorite parts of the image is the detail in the fly’s compound eyes. If you click through to the original on Flickr and zoom in you can see hundreds of individual eye components, along with many microscopic hairs bordering the head, which is the kind of detail that’s hard to get using a wider aperture since the depth of field would be so insanely shallow. I also like the angled position of the fly so you’re not seeing it entirely head-on or in profile view. It gives the insect a sense of depth and three-dimensionality that I really like.
I don’t think I’ll take much time to shoot macro photos of flies anytime soon after this one, but this was a cool shot to take and, like Hamilton, I’m glad I didn’t throw it away :)
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