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Forum: Post Your Photos!
03-14-2013, 02:31 PM
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Wonderful photo. I prefer the B&W myself. Think I would like the color if the color was a little more subtle, not quite as rich.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
05-08-2012, 05:47 PM
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Those are just simply fantastic shots, Rense!! Sorry to sound like everybody else, but what more can one say. I just love them!
Arvin
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Forum: General Talk
04-03-2012, 01:05 PM
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Douglas,
It would be hard to tell you which ones with the number of photos, but most of the close macro work was done with the Lester Dine ring flash, most often unmounted and held off at different angles by hand. At times I would used the point flash diffused (with a paper towel) and others just the ring. When caught unprepared, like the mouse in the hive or the little skunk in the evening, or outside needing a little supplemental light, I'd just use the diffused onboard flash. I like to use natural lighting as much as possible, but sometimes that's just not possible. The stingers in the hand, the drinking bees, the ants, the first bee egg shot, for example were natural lighting. The bee egg shot was a scan of a no crop photo taken with the Program Plus, Super Macro Takumar 50mm, and about 3 extension tubes, time exposed, just before sunset with the light coming in from the right.
Thanks very much for the comment.
Arvin
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Forum: General Talk
04-03-2012, 11:28 AM
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Hi Folks,
Been a member on here awhile. Regularly browsing, but haven't been posting much lately. Just thought I'd share my new website with you. It's basically an online photo album with over 300 photos and several videos of bees and about beekeeping. Except for a very few photos taken with my Samsung Galaxy cell phone, an older 5MP Sony, and a few scans from photos taken with a Pentax Program Plus, all the photos are taken with a K20 using Adaptall 2 35-80mm CF Macro Tamron SP, Super Macro Takumar 50mm w/an extension tube at times, and Lester A. Dine lenses. I've enlarged a several of these to poster size and also put them in a Power Point program for use in our presentations to schools and clubs. People are always asking what kind of camera I used.
acbees apiaries - Home
Thanks for looking. Hope you enjoy it. At least now you'll know what keeps me busy.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
02-17-2012, 11:45 AM
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Excellent photo! Being an old small farm kid from central Illinois I just can't imagine walking up to someone on the street and taking their photo. The only thing I was disappointed in with this shot was that there was only one. I always enjoy your people shots. You would not only have to have the ability to take the good shot, but have the ability to work with the people so they would allow you to do it. Looking forward to your next ones.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
02-17-2012, 11:37 AM
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Really nice honeybee shot, Heinrich!
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-10-2011, 06:04 PM
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Thanks to all you folks. Nice to know after such a long absence I came back with something you enjoyed.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-09-2011, 02:52 PM
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Sorry, kenafein, I forgot to mention anything about that. No, these were handheld.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-09-2011, 01:46 PM
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Don't post much on here any more, but continue to look and continue to enjoy looking at your photos, Heinrich.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-09-2011, 01:42 PM
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Haven't posted here in quite a while, but still look often. Took some time to take some shots of our bees drinking yesterday, so thought I would post a couple. Still have the K20 and still using my old standby Super Macro Takumar 50mm with extension and homemade diffuser. Have a Tamron 90mm and a Lester Dine (which I wouldn't get rid of either), but I still like this little lens.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
10-18-2010, 04:51 PM
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I just liked these shots because they show that honeybees aren't just "stingers with wings" waiting to sting something or somebody. They work flowers in the same way. Outside their hive, it's the big open world, everybody help themselves to the food. Inside their hive, they'll die defending it. They don't react simply based on what those around them are, either human, insect, or whatever. But, threaten their hive, their stores, or their brood and it's a whole different story.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
10-18-2010, 03:12 PM
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Hi,
Been almost a year since I posted anything. Haven't quit shooting, might try to catch up a little. Here's a few taken recently, all cropped some, with my trusty 'ol Takumar and hand held LA Dine flash. Was feeding some old honey back to the bees on some old comb I'd put out in the yard. Our honeybees weren't the only ones to take advantage of it. Bumble bees and wasps are enemies to the honeybee in the hive. It doesn't seem to make a difference who they eat with at the buffet, just don't come into their home uninvited. I think there's a lesson there?
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
09-09-2009, 05:03 PM
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Heinrich, Ash, daacon, dcmsox2004, & JMR,
I sure thank you for all the favorable comments. If you'd like to see a wheel bug in action, here's a link to the one I videoed catching a bee last year. They're certainly not one of my favorite bugs, but they sure are interesting.
Arvin
YouTube - acbees's Channel |
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
09-08-2009, 07:49 PM
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Seem to deal with these predators around our hives every year about this time. All these were taken with the K20, 50mm Super Macro Takumar, extension, and snoot, handheld. They were cropped to some degree.
First two are of bees caught in the web of a garden spider. Notice the stinger sticking out in the first pic. There were about 10 of these wrapped and hanging in the web.
This wheel bug (a type of assassin bug) was on the front of one hive with the bee when I walked up. A bit later another bee buzzed by close enough and made it drop its meal. They inject something that paralyzes the victim, then suck the life out of them. I've been told they hurt something awful if they bite you. Got a video on Youtube of one of these last year catching a bee. Couldn't resist the eye to eye shot.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-17-2009, 04:11 AM
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MO-bran-You're welcome, beekeepers are always willing to talk about bees. I sell comb honey at the farmers market in Springfield on Saturdays and take the observation hive with bees along. Whenever folks asked about CCD (the big problem you always hear about in the media) I tell them it's not really a problem in Illinois or a lot of other places. Our biggest concern is the chemicals used nowadays in our chemically oriented agricultural system. There are an abundance of managed hives and unknown feral hives killed every year by chemicals that you will hear nothing about in the media. To the large farmer it's time and the bottom line$$$. Certainly appreciate your careful use. More and more folks are becoming concerned.
Gus-Thanks. Was hoping it wouldn't be too much. Had the opportunity to enter this one a couple of times, but it's just not a positive kind of picture to view about bees.:)
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-16-2009, 01:55 PM
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MO-bran,
Yes, the bee lives as long as the stinger does not penetrate the skin. The barbs on the stinger catch and it's ripped out of the bee's abdomen. Sometime when they sting they will spin around anchored by the stinger in the skin until it is pulled out. On rare occasion I have seen them work the stinger loose, but very rarely. It is solely because of our elastic type of skin (and those of animals) that the stinger is pulled out of the bee. Bees can sting other bees and other insects without losing their stinger.
When the stinger is ripped out, the insides of the bee will sometimes come out with it. Whether they do or not the loss of the body part causes the bee to die. On occasion I've had them land and repeatedly just barely touch the end of their stinger on my skin, just enough to make it tingle. It's like a warning saying "Don't make me sting you":) as if they know they'll die if they sink it in.
Sorry to hear about your allergy. At the risk of causing you to squirm some more, here's what the stinger looks like in the skin. Maybe it will help desensitize you.:D
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-16-2009, 06:36 AM
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kerrowdown,
Appreciate the favorable comment and thanks for wondering about the venom.
Had seen venom on this part of the stinger before. But, already knowing the stinger is made up of barbed parts working together instead of looking like a hypodermic needle, I still couldn't have explained it without some research. Here's a link to a short article with drawings that explains very well how the venom is pumped from the stinger, especially in "The Action of Stinging" part.
The structure of the Honey Bee's Sting
Thanks for making me look.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-15-2009, 07:52 PM
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Thanks for all the comments.
jct us101-Yea, I've gotten that and others similar to it.:)
Gary-understand the cows.:) The judge thought I squeezed her to make her do this, but I didn't even have to squeeze this one. This little lady was serving her time as a guard bee in the top of the hive and was more than ready to ready to give me the full dose had I given her opportunity.
timbo13 and NaClH20- Thanks. Yes, there is a use for the venom. Some folks use bee sting therapy for ailments such as MS or rheumatoid arthritis. The venom stimulates the adrenal gland causing it to manufacture natural cortisol. Some folks testify to its effectiveness. Most common treatment sites are at acupuncture points. Was stinging a friend last year when I noticed the venom on some of the stingers. Always wanted a shot of this and managed to get one this time.
Ash-I certainly agree about the dirty old hands.
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
08-14-2009, 06:50 PM
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Entered this one for our bee association this year at the state fair. It got first place!
Disclaimer: No bees were injured or killed during filming for this picture.:D
Arvin
K20D, 50mm Super Macro Takumar w/extensions, f/16, 1/180, ISO 200, combination of modified ring flash and homemade snoot. Tripod mounted, cable remote triggered by my teeth.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
07-12-2009, 01:48 PM
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Took the top off of one of our hives to find this wax moth larva living on the inner cover. Took a few shots before I did away with it. If these get started down in the wax comb of a weak hive they can pretty well destroy it. Bee parts in the pics are the result of a spider that is also living on the inner cover.
K20, 50mm Super Macro Takumar, f/16, 1/180, homemade PVC snoot and diffuser. Cropped.
Arvin
Notice the bee antenna and body segments.
Cocoon behind the larva.
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
06-24-2009, 07:07 PM
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Thanks for the comments, folks
Venturi-Clever. Sounds like someone who may have had experience with teenagers.:)
Damn Brit-Think I'll leave the hummers to you.
Hey Elwood-Actually, one of the reasons I like taking pics like these is to let people see they aren't the vicious little insects some think they are.
Cupic-Haven't got them to sit still so I can pat their back, yet.:)
dcmsox2004-Noticed that, too. Tried cropping it to bring that out, but lost the total "bee in the hand" perspective.
Thanks again,
Arvin
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Forum: Post Your Photos!
06-23-2009, 07:53 PM
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Its been quite a while since I posted anything.
Bought this doll bottle last year with the intention of taking pictures and never got around to it. Have been really busy working with and expanding our bees this spring, so simply just took the time a few days ago to snap a few pics. Here's a couple of me "bottle feeding" one of our bees.:D
Arvin
K20, ring flash and snoot, Super Macro Takumar 50mm
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Forum: Pentax Camera and Field Accessories
02-18-2009, 06:45 PM
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I can't give you a recommendation based on my experience with different models over the years, cause I don't have that experience, but I do like to shoot macro. Looked around a few months back for what I thought would be a versatile tripod that would do what I wanted it to do. Settled on a Benbo. Got a used Benbo 1 in great shape on ebay with a Benbo multi angle head. Could see the advantage of a ball head, but am getting by with this head just fine for the time being. The negative about the Benbo is that it is big and heavy. The positive about the Benbo is that it is big and heavy.:) I have not found a position that I couldn't get it in. I read some before I bought it about "creep", but haven't had that problem with mine. Not something that would be easily carried on a long hike, but what it lacks in convenience it makes up for in versatility!
I use it most with the K20D and Lester Dine macro and have used it with a slider. Most of my macros are of my bees in and around their hives and the majority are hand held. Whenever I do need a tripod it's never failed me. Just a comment from someone who has very limited experience with tripods compared to most others on here.
Arvin
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Forum: Lens Clubs
02-15-2009, 04:52 PM
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I focused the lens down to minimum distance, and since the stinger was near my knuckle I was able to get close enough with the 50mm to rest the the K20 on the back of my hand and move it forward and back until it was in focus. Taken in full late afternoon sun, natural light.
Arvin
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Forum: Lens Clubs
02-15-2009, 07:02 AM
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Figured I might as well get some benefit from the sting other than just the venom, so I took some pics.:) Both cropped. Hand held, stinger in one hand, K20D in the other.
Arvin
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