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Monday 19 March 2012

Magnifying Glass Monday

In memory of my childhood, when the only way to see an insect close up was to borrow a book from the library or to look at it through a magnifying glass. Of course there were always horrid children like my brother who preferred to use a magnifying glass to fry ants, but I found that distasteful, which probably accounts for my being unable to kill anything much bigger than an aphid. If such a thing as macro lenses existed back then we were blissfully unaware as most of our photos were pretty dreadful, usually taken with a Kodak Instamatic or similar. It makes me laugh when all these photo programs available now offering all sorts of special effects give you the option to turn your fabulous digital photos back into something like that. All I can say is why on earth?! Do they not realise how long it takes to clean up a scanned in photo from that era in the first place?!! 

Over the decades technology has changed so much and digital cameras are the norm, so here are a few insect shots I've taken which, although I don't have fancy photographic equipment (a Sony Cybershot compact camera), I am very pleased with, as I get to see far more of the detail of these insects sitting comfortably at my computer!

Cricket on a Sedum plant


A teeny tiny fly (?I think) on a teeny tiny Speedwell flower


Gendarmes in French or Firebugs in English, on the bark of a Lime tree


Hornet on Pieris shrub


Ant on Euphorbia myrsinitis


Swallowtail caterpillar feeding on Dill


Bee on Aubretia

Ladybird on the bark of a Lime tree

8 comments:

  1. Wow, that cricket is amazing... What's tomorrow, I wonder? Telescope Tuesday?!

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  2. I wish, if I could only have the kind of camera and lens to photograph distant birds (mind you I wouldn't have a clue how to use it!)...... and thanks!

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  3. I love the photos. I thought you actually used a dSLR, for a compact camera they look really good.
    I have been meaning to a get macro lens for these type of photos, but the right lens costs too much at the moment. I have a Canon 50d (17-55mm lens).

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  4. Hi Milly,
    Well Captured pics for the challenge
    Best Wishes
    Philip

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  5. Lovely!

    (You wouldn't happen to have a horsefly pic I could use, I suppose?)

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  6. Thanks guys :-)
    Will - er no, thankfully I never see them as they are more interested in my husband than me - and now I know why you are asking as I've read your challenge posting!
    Jenson - unfortunately the compact cameras (well mine at least) fail when it comes to zooming on distant subjects so thinking of upgrading husband's DSLR as he has a telephoto lens but the camera is now outdated. How things change and become obsolete in such a short time. Sigh.

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