funny "tiger" : "pls queue up"

this beetle really funny, where they cannot differentiate male or female until they try and error ... so this happen



and yes ... it is not ghost but have 3rd one ....

... it's always good to look close 5 - Tree trunk spider ...

a spider that good in camouflage and I almost failed to spot it ...



but then ... my intention is get a close shot
- 5dm2 + canon MPE-65@~3-4:1, mt24, handheld
- non crop ...

800mm Landscape !!!

saw this opportunity, after my gang left me behind due to rain.... I just don;t care about the rain and swap my macro len to 400mm and it still too far and decide to add on 2x tc on my 400mm L ... and consider lucky where the boat was stop for fishing......

@Tanjung Bidara, Melaka, Malaysia



View On Black

5dm2 + Canon 400mm F5.6 + SIGMA 2x TC + tripod
# Exposure Time (1 / Shutter Speed) = 1/2000 second ===> 0.0005 second
# Lens F-Number / F-Stop = 11/1 ===> ƒ/11
# ISO Speed Ratings = 250
# Customize WB = 6350 k

PP
- curve increase contrast
- USM 3 layers method
- crop bottom sea portion
- frame & resize


[update]
got few comments on the original post
- too center
- too harsh on the golden ocean
- over sharpen

so I decided to re-do some minor pp
version 2
- un-saturate golden sea
- crop bottom sea portion & left
- no burn shadow on sky



version 3
- crop bottom sea portion & left
- no burn shadow on sky




my previous longest landscape shooted with 400mm prime non crop

300mm MACRO len ???

some of the bugs/insect just too shy or sensitive to be get close and that's the time I am keep thinking of longer macro len with >1:1 magnification (as for now only Canon MPE-65 do that with 65mm ... hmmm )... that's why I have SIGMA 150 F2.8 macro too but then 150mm is just not enough for some case and I am start think of 180mm ... 200mm (minolta & nikon have it)

but then I used to add tele-convertor (1.4x) on my 150mm then I have 210mm :D ... which is really a good reach (ignore the lighting issue for longer reach). Last week, I have another idea to try out my 2x TC which bought and stay in my drybox for age ...and here I got 300mm Macro len with 2:1 magnification ... lOl but then I start worry of the TC soften effect on my picture but then it came out quick acceptable .. and what would you say (on the 1000pix picture quality) ???

both pictures below non crop, curve increase contrast, increase saturation & smart sharpen (at same value)

SIGMA150 + SIGMA 2x TC


SIGMA150 + Kenko 1.4x TC


so .. should I continue use the 2x ??? and I have 300mm macro len now :D

... it's always good to look close 4 - Treehopper ...

this little hopper jump on to my beg while I shooting the lantern bug

this was shooting @5:1 (FF) and uncrop ... which should ~2-3mm in width .... and without get so close don't think you will see this evil face ....

... it's always good to look close 3 - Cuckoo Bee ...

this bee just too active to capture before they rest/sleep ... and good time to get them rest/sleep is evening - morning .. normally will rest on stick .... around the garden

- 5dm2 + canon MPE-65@~3:1, mt24, handheld
- non crop ...



and here is the full view of it


the only active shot of it
- 5dm2 + sigma150 + 1.4tc + monopod


and closest I get is 10:1 but think is not a good close-up

... it's always good to look close 2 - Robberfly ...

another get close of the lovely model for MACRO shooter ... Robberfly ....

Order Diptera / Suborder Brachycera / Infraorder Muscomorpha / Family Asilidae -- robber flies

this fly well known to as a good model for MACRO shooter as it is easy to get close and keep flying back to same location even get disturb ... (90%)



- 5dm2 + canon MPE-65@~3:1, mt24, handheld
- non crop ...

and look at this very standard record shot (side view) for a robberfly



and it also help me get a first prize for a competition
http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-won-1st-prize-from-forest-research.html

or the winning picture


more flies can view from http://www.flickr.com/photos/liewwk/sets/72157605352673898/

... failed to shoot, then draw it ...

just another art-work ... just hope I can draw one

... it's always good to look close 1 - Jumping spider ...

would like to get back "magnification" macro ... to share bugs faces here ....

let start with Jumping spider


- ~3.5-4x, MPE-65, canon 5dm2 , handheld , mt24 twin flash
- 2 stacked 1

- from jungle
- normally hide under leaf
- will jump, but not really shy

few picture with non biggest magnification to show it's face
@1:1


@~2:1 .. think this could be best magnification to show this spider ...

New Found ... Lantern Bug ...

it had been some times I look for this bug and other rare one.... and was lucky got another one last weekend

let guess what is this !!!



this is shot & find of the month for sure



another found from last few months ago



here is some introduction

Lantern bugs all belong under the order called Hemiptera.

There are actually around 80,000 species belonging under the order. Aside from lantern bugs other insect under the Hemiptera order include cicadas, aphids, shield bugs, etc. Insect belonging all have the distinctive characteristic of having a proboscis with a beak (rostrum) that is designed to pierce tissue and suck fluids, usually sap, out. True bugs undergo metamorphosis several times and the nymphs look a lot like the adults.

The Order Hemiptera is further subdivided into the sub-orders Heteroptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Sternorrhyncha, and Coleorrhyncha. The last three sub-orders where once classified under one sub-order, Homoptera, until since they shared the same wing structure and position of their rostrum. Lantern bugs belong under the sub-order Homoptera.

You don;t want to eat this ... (let view it close and big)

Just want to share something that you don;t want to eat for sure ... (which will give you diarrhea problem) and here is the picture in big magnification of the "Fly egg"



capture this while saw someone kill it with "sticky" method .... not sure why, fly will still fly into the sticky materials and get kill ...




they are so cute ... why kill them ???

Bird Series 13 - white-throated kingfisher 白胸翡翠

as usual very sensitive bird not easy to get close .....


########################
The White-throated Kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis) also known as the White-breasted Kingfisher or Smyrna Kingfisher, is a tree kingfisher[2] which is widely distributed in Eurasia from Bulgaria,[3] Turkey, east through South Asia to the Philippines. This kingfisher is a resident over much of its range, and may only move short distances.

The first English is the preferred name, since the geographical name is too restrictive for this widespread bird, while its easternmost race lacks a white breast.

This is a large kingfisher, 28 cm in length. The adult has a bright blue back, wings and tail. Its head, shoulders, flanks and lower belly are chestnut, and the throat and breast are white. The large bill and legs are bright red. The flight of the White-throated Kingfisher is rapid and direct, the short rounded wings whirring. In flight, large white patches are visible on the blue and black wings. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult.

#### from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-throated_Kingfisher ########

few capture of this bird

News - My very 1st CYLINDRICAL PANORAMAS

I was busy to test on my Manfrotto 303SPH, and today finally I have some free hours (we just missed out the sunrise after heavy mist arrived :( )

I will continue explore the SPHERICAL PANORAMA & CYLINDRICAL PANORAMAS and after I master the skill how to make these.... stay turn I will share out how I make this for sure ....

ok ... 1st one using
1. canon 5dm2
2. canon 1740L@40mm F16
3. Velbon tripod
4. Manfrotto 303SPH

shooting with 19 pictures and merge with "Panorama Maker 4" Pro then convert it to quick time movie file by "Pano2QTVR Gui"





for the quicktime movie file click link below

for fast and large format
http://www.liewwkphoto.com/NewProject4.1-large.html

for slow connection
http://www.liewwkphoto.com/NewProject4.1-small.html

Bird Series 12 - Pacific Golden Plover - 金斑鸻

a bird wal around near pond .. not really shy/sensitive can easily get close . and not really active .....

################ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Golden_Plover ############
The Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) is a medium-sized plover.

The 23–26 cm long breeding adult is spotted gold and black on the crown, back and wings. Its face and neck are black with a white border and it has a black breast and a dark rump. The legs are black. In winter, the black is lost and the plover then has a yellowish face and breast, and white underparts.

It is similar to two other golden plovers, Eurasian and American. Pacific Golden Plover is smaller, slimmer and relatively longer-legged than Eurasian Golden Plover, Pluvialis apricaria, which also has white axillary (armpit) feathers. It is more similar to American Golden Plover, Pluvialis dominica, with which it was once considered conspecific (as "Lesser Golden Plover", see Sangster et al., 2002). The Pacific Golden Plover is slimmer than the American species, has a shorter primary projection, and longer legs, and is usually yellower on the back.

The breeding habitat of Pacific Golden Plover is Arctic tundra from northernmost Asia into western Alaska. It nests on the ground in a dry open area.

It is migratory and winters in south Asia and Australasia. A few winter in California and Hawaii, USA. This wader is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.

This bird forages for food on tundra, fields, beaches and tidal flats, usually by sight. It eats insects and crustaceans and some berries.
###############

few pictures for record purpose

Bird Series 11 - Blue-tailed bee-eater 栗喉峰虎

The Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Merops philippinus is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. It breeds in southeastern Asia. It is strongly migratory.

This species is sometimes considered to be conspecific with the Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, M. persicus.
Blue-tailed Bee-eater from behind, showing the blue rump and tail

This species, like other bee-eaters, is a richly-coloured, slender bird. It is predominantly green; its face has a narrow blue patch with a black eye stripe, and a yellow and brown throat; the tail is blue and the beak is black. It can reach a length of 23-26 cm, including the two elongated central tail feathers. Sexes are alike.

This is a bird which breeds in sub-tropical open country, such as farmland, parks or ricefields. It is most often seen near large waterbodies. Like other bee-eaters it predominantly eats insects, especially bees, wasps and hornets, which are caught in the air by sorties from an open perch.This species probably takes bees and dragonflies in roughly equal numbers. The insect that are caught are beaten on the perch to kill and break the exoskeleton. This habit is seen in many other members of the coraciiformes order.

These bee-eaters are gregarious, nesting colonially in sandy banks or open flat areas. They make a relatively long tunnel in which the 5 to 7 spherical white eggs are laid. Both the male and the female take care of the eggs. These birds also feed and roost communally. The call is similar to that of the European Bee-eater.


I am happy they are back and few pictures for 1st week seeing them

My name is Bee-Eater



white cloud behind




so far this is the only bee-eater I have .. hope this year can see more ....