Photographing Flies

[rich5665 0]

Every once in awhile someone asks about the best way to photograph flies. I think a cool little setup that I'm considering for myself. It sure beats the light box I made out of paper.

 

http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/camer...otography/a205/

 

Has any tried this Portable Photo Studio?

[Mr. Vegas 0]

that looks pretty cool! I have seen some on ebay as well but this looks perfect for the size of thing we are taking pictures of

[flytire 0]

i think the studio is a "nice to have" but it really isnt necessary to photograph flies.

[Bryan Wright 0]

Yup I had one of these when I had an ebay business. My old business partner got it after dissolving the company. Anyway there very nice. Super easy to set up. They just pop up and you have a nice box to point the lights at. This set comes with some lights that look very small. The set we had, had much bigger lights that were probably brighter. This is good because it gives you more control. If you want less light you can point the brighter lights a bit differently to get less lidht. The set we had also had some fabric that would velcro in the back of the light box to allow you to change the back ground color of the shot.

 

I have thought about getting another one for this purpose but haven't convinced the bank (read, my wife) to let me get one yet.

[Old Hat 0]

I use one to photograph my flies. Same box. I don't have the kit though. I bought the box off ebay for $16 and use my own lights. Works great.

[Chris Patterson 0]

I need all the help I can get with my photos and I thought this was pretty cool but $50 was a bit much for me. Found the same thing at adorama.com for $30 shipped for free. I figured I couldn't get lights and materials to make my own for this much separately.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

White grocery bags, free. Place over clamp on shop light with 100wt daylight bulbs - clamp on light less than $10, daylight bulbs two or three in a pack for about $7. Actually the grocery bag diffuser isn't all than necessary if you put the lights further away from your subject.

Kirk

[Robert M 0]

I always heard a gallon milk jug made a good defuser but I have never tried it out. Cut out the handle end and bottom of the milk jug, set the fly stand inside lights one on each side one on the top straight down, back with something like Kirk is showing and instant studio.

[Chris Patterson 0]

And here I thought I'd found the cheap solution by finding it $20 cheaper...

When it arrives I'll let you all know if it seems worth the money.

[rich5665 0]

And here I thought I'd found the cheap solution by finding it $20 cheaper...

When it arrives I'll let you all know if it seems worth the money.

Still a good deal. I did find it cheaper on fleabay, but the shipping is the same as the buy it now price.

[Robert M 0]

If you go on line you can find info on making a light box for macro photography out of a cardboard box and some scrap cloth or tracing paper, they work very well until you want to refine your technique. I use a similar setup on occasion to take pics for ebay.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

That lightbox kit looks pretty nice. I like that it is collapsable, easy to store. Thost lights on the little stand are pretty cool to. For $30, that is hard to beat. Be sure to post some of the pics you get using it.

 

Kirk

[P.Dieter 0]

 

 

 

 

a cut up opaque plastic bottle works too, this is an acrylic cylinder sanded opaque. single light source with highlights/contrast added with mirrors on bonsai wire.

 

flies have lots of texture and materials that give spectral highlights the flat lighting produced by "light box" type contraptions severely limit your ability to illustrate these details.

[Chris Patterson 0]

That lightbox kit looks pretty nice. I like that it is collapsable, easy to store. Thost lights on the little stand are pretty cool to. For $30, that is hard to beat. Be sure to post some of the pics you get using it.

 

Kirk

 

Finally got to use this thing... very happy with it. Here's the setup

DSC03633 by ubermuse, on Flickr

 

And here's a few shots from it

DSC03606 by ubermuse, on Flickr

 

DSC03619 by ubermuse, on Flickr

 

Setup is quick, folds down into a carry case and makes even my photos look good I'm sure that as I experiment I'll get even better photos from it.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

Looks good Chris. And you actually displayed the Clouser correctly with the hook point up. My personal preference, especially on specimen shots like these, is to see the fly up close. My eyes have a problem seeing the tiny red fly a little closer by either zooming in with your lens or cropping some of the background out just to help see the fly better.

 

Kirk