Yellow Eggs

I was pruning some overhanging branches on a fruit bush when I spotted a flash of yellow on one green leaf.



On a closer look I could see a group of tiny yellow eggs.



Just the subject for another macro focus stacking session. Here I set up the Canon M5 with 18 - 150mm zoom lens and added the Raynox MSN-202 super macro conversion lens on my home brew automatic stepper unit.



The results - closer views of the eggs of a Large White Butterfly - often called a Cabbage White as cabbage leaves are one of the plants they often lay their eggs on for the caterpillars to consume.





I wrote about my home brew Arduino driven automatic system HERE in 2020. The first of today's macro photos used eleven shots, each with a slightly different focus, stacked using Helicon Focus. The second used 20 shots.

Callistemon Seed Pods

Haven't been on here much recently. Firstly the Hospital has been catching up on Consultant outpatient appointments so I had three visits in ten days. They seem satisfied with my progress and the next appointment should be in about four months time. Secondly I've been making amateur radio contacts around the world on the HF bands as conditions seem to be excellent. So good my low power, simple set up managed to make contact with four Japanese radio hams this morning. Not something I can usually manage.

My Callistemon (bottle brush plant) produced another good display of its unusual red flowers. In the Summer they looked like this:



Once the flowers have faded the seed pods can be seen:



I thought this would make an interesting subject for a focus stacked closer view:



That was a stack of 20 photos taken using my home built automated unit. The following photo was taken some time ago:



Once the photos had been transferred to the laptop they were processed with Helicon Focus which used the sharp, in focus, parts of each photo and combined those bits to buid the final macro photo.

Orange Macro

A second small cactus plant has started to flower. A lovely orange colour.



Just the subject for taking a series of focus stacked macro shots:



Built up from 42 shots at slightly varying focus distances using Helicon Focus software.

Macro Session

I felt just in the right mood to take a few macro shots this morning. First I chose the subject - a small flowering cactus plant:



Found a space to set up my home brew set-up for taking a series of focus stacked photos:



The Canon M5 fitted with Canon 18-150mm zoom lens and added a Raynox DCR-150 macro lens. Each stacked macro photo is made from 40 - 50 individual shots and processed in Helicon Focus software. The results ....









The flower is about 17mm across.