Nature Outing - Starchaser

after stop the "star chase project" 3 months ago , this week I have few plan to get some stars shots ... and I am ready to go ... just waiting.... 2hours to go

*** above picture miss out a compass :D

last few star job ...





and 2 still motion

Landscape - Confusion sss

you can see most of the lake in MA, US give a good reflection ... and it is not easy to have it here ... so I had stop by few lake/pond... to capture those reflection. These reflections are so clear sometime it can me compare to the actual view .. that's why I have an idea to capture and PP those picture upside down to make this collection ...

1. 1st one while my April 2010 trip... I shoot this ~3-5C in the morning and with no PP of the picture (no rotation)


2. shooted @ Maine while I just finish my shopping :D


3. while I am looking sunrise spot



there are few refllection capture
1. beautiful place but got warning by Police ... hmmmmmm


2. after long day driving and shopping but still stop by for this


3. a cold sunrise


4. bit windy ... and a late sunset

Other - time to do more ...

got many DIY materials and hiking equipment, lighting ... many many more and after time adjusted back to GMT+8 (from EST which is 12 hours different)... time to move on DIY more MACRO diffuser (even I have some new try @US which really good for me , and I will slowly share it here)

but I might slow down on MACRO as I miss lovely sun and stars .. so wil spend few weeks to get back some beautiful sunrise, sunset... star view before I have a real DIY..

1. gaffer tape (black and white)
2. aluminum foil sticker
3. few types of vellum papers

....

New Found - A Orange + Black Sawfly

this is a Sawfly (Tanyphatnidea sp.) | 三節葉蜂.
Sawfly is not a easy model so far , and not much chance for me to get close to this insect. But I was surprise while hundred of them on a single tree while my trip @ Massachusetts, US.

there are not really move a lot especially before 7am (and day get bright ~5am) ... so this is a very easy model for macro ...

I missed out the mating picture, even I saw it on the 1st day but it was without my camera ...




and it is easy to shoot >3:1




some additional info from http://gaga.jes.mlc.edu.tw

(三節葉蜂科)體長11mm，觸角黑色3節，末節最長，端部棍棒狀，頭部黑色，前胸背板橙黃色，翅膀藍黑色，前胸腹面藍黑色，腹面橙黃色，各腳背面藍色具褐色分布，內側褐色。外觀近似中華尖鞘三節葉蜂 Tanyphatnidea sinensis 但本種各腳黑色，分布於低海拔山區，常見於葉面活動，雌蟲產卵管器扁鋸狀，能像鋸子般鋸開葉片組織後產卵於內，又稱鋸蜂，幼蟲食植性，外觀像蛾類但腹足不具鉤盤，腹足多達6-8對。

Other - .. let guess who am I (previous post) .. the head

ok .. I am thinking to share more after I back .. but think it is too long (only arrive MAL coming Mon) . so let share more of the "Tail" shot

here is another close up .. and with it's face , you should know what is the bug ....




I missed out, he trying lick his finger due to my magnification is over .. else will be another good action shot ..

and ok .. this is a Scorpionfly which I recently post my New Found ...(it is a female) and this is a male where the tail will tell ..

for the full body shot , I only share after I back to my workstation (as I need to stack ~5 to 1, where my
current nb is really slow on that)...

Other - ... ... let guess who am I ??? ...

sometime it is fun to share what I found , especially those rare bug ... and last year I share a tail before name ... let guess what is this ???  ... or picture below




and after ~8 months later I found another great tail to share ...



so anyone know who am I ? a real beautiful bug .. one of my favor bug ... and so happy to got few shots (even it is not really awake (could be sleeping.. pretty sure it sleep as it flew off after few shots) :D

another angle to guess

Other - something on my body 2

last 2 weeks ago, I found a damselfly with mites on it's body ... which I feel real sad and pain for the damselfly .. and the mites is big and can easily view by human eye

yesterday , I found a tiny jumping spider (~>5mm long)... trying to figure why it is orange color (and thought it is poisonous due to the color)... but I am wrong after the 1st picture snap








what do you feel while you see this ??? and think without a MACRO len, we may not able to see this as it is too small to be observe ..... so let's MACRO :D



the face mite...


more liewwk Spider series click HERE
more liewwk 2010 US trip series click HERE

New Found - Robberfly ?

Robberfly definite not a new to me, but this one look different where the tail is curve .. and found 2 of them look a like ... it is always good model for macro photographer (it easy to shoot, compound of eye, details of the body .., always get prey ......)


#########################
nsects in the Diptera family Asilidae are commonly called robber flies. The family Asilidae contains about 7,100 described species worldwide.
All robber flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face (mystax), and 3 simple eyes (ocelli) in a characteristic depression between their two large compound eyes. The mystax helps protect the head and face when the fly encounters prey bent on defense. The antennae are short, 3-segmented, sometimes with a bristle-like structure called an arista.
 ######################### from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asilidae

#########################
robber fly - 食虫虻

亦作assassin fly。

双翅目(Diptera)食虫虻科(Asilidae)食肉昆虫的统称，约6,750种，分布全球。长度不等，大者几乎有8公分(3吋)，是所有的蝇中最大的。体多褐色而粗壮，通常多毛，形似大黄蜂。眼面大，两眼之间有一刚毛。足长，能在飞行中捕食，在进食时用足握住食物。

######################### from http://baike.baidu.com/view/266932.htm


 sample while it get something we don't like as prey

New Found - Scorpion Fly

Common Name: Scorpionfly
Scientific Name: Panorpa nuptialis Gerst
Order: Mecoptera 

Description: These unusual insects have four similar long, narrow, membranous yellow wings with dark brown marking banded patterns. The head bears long, thread-like antennae and the mouthparts are at the end of an elongated "snout." The body is up to 1 inch long. Males have abdomens with an elongated end that resembles that of a scorpion.

##############################
ok , I found it again and surprise she is not found mountain (which previously I found them >500m from sea level ...and this is just a garden outside my hotel ... and saw them few times (all female ...) and only able to get close once.

this is one of my favorite insect which look awesome and I always look for it and so far I found it Malaysia (highland), Indonesia (highland), Taiwan (highland) & US (garden outside ...) Ohhhh .. why I call it New Found.. :D as this is an insect I feel I would like to share more to you and this is my 1st female scorpion fly.

this fly is very shy and not easy to get close , for those 1st time see it , prefer to shoot from far get a ID shot before trying to get close ... and it is harmless to human even the tail to scary ....

previously saw

Malaysia (a real record shot as not way to get close)


Indonesia


- this look little different may be it from >2500m from sea level

more 2010 US pictures click here
more fly collection click here

Travel Report - Hampton Beach

Hampton Beach is a village district and beach resort within the town of Hampton, in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, located on the Atlantic Ocean. Hampton Beach is located in Rockingham County, approximately 15 miles (24 km) south of Portsmouth. The community is a popular tourist destination and the busiest beach community in the state. Ocean Boulevard, the main street along the beach, includes a boardwalk, many shops and businesses, several seasonal hotels, and the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom. The Ballroom hosts many national acts throughout the summer months.

 source from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton_Beach,_New_Hampshire

it is not too far from Boston which should <1 hour drive toward north east. here are few things from the beach
- beach is clean
- wave is strong
- sea water is cold (~55-60F)
- plenty of parking along the road but ~USD5 every 3 hours
- it will be pack if weather forecast a good sunny day
- seafood and a Chinese food store call Ocean WOK (something like this) are good

I didn't managed to get the sunrise as the sunrise is too early to get everybody to be there so earlier .. (now sunrise here ~540am) and either the sunset due to the storm coming and we had to leave the beautiful beach earlier ... :(

but I still got some pictures captured to share with all of you ..


1. beautiful beach

 2. lifeguard


3. few bikini shots


4.


5. there ar enot many photographer around but managed to capture few have similar interest while the storm reaching and the sky become dynamics
i. except him who use a DSLR


ii. a PnS


iii. even a phone camera


6. but a bird have different interest


a collection of the 2010 , MA, US trip click here

How I shoot MACRO - New Accessories and Lighting 2010 Jul

After trying Stephen lighting @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/9578475@N02/

i. light tent @ http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-i-shoot-macro-new-start.html
ii. concave + light tent @ http://liewwk-macro.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-i-shoot-macro-new-accessories-and.html

I am happy with the results for few months, and managed to modify the light sources as below
i. concave & V
ii. concave, V & Light tent
iii. UV & Light tent


some result as below
i. concave, V & Light tent




ii. UV & Light tent


(will share more details and results after I back from MAL)

Even I am happy with the result above, but I still need to do something to avoid the light tent which may not suitable for some of the shy/sensitive bugs....so I am starting another version - BVCL version

all are same as "V" (secret V) with concave & Light tent but I add on a bracket to tent to move the light little backward so I can create bigger diffuser (so my ylight source is bigger and softer) until a point I can remove the Light tent.....

here is the picture of the setup, it look huge but light and result will be share later (stay tune)

sorry for the picture quality as using my HTC .. WB and quality all out ..

.... more result of the new lighting will be share ............................................


[updated 13 Jul 2010 after 1st try on the setup on field.... 

- light look great as other combination discuss above
- little bulky (still)
- while MP-E65 change magnification, it create in-convenient where I need to adjust both site for different angle and distance
- better shadow and highlight 


will share result later

Other - something on my body

after years shooting macro, I had saw many mites on insect body and first time I saw a "apple" or "ball" like mites on damselfly (ohh , I have no ID on the damselfly and it should belong to my new found)

again, while I first saw it I thought it carry the egg (I could be right) and eventually think this should be mites on the insect body .. and ohhh the mites is cute :D




and for before this, few shots still in my mind (which I feel pain from the picture) ...

a long-horned beetle


a beetle .. a terrible one


a not too bad one


even a wasp have it


look close to it



sometime , i feel pain while seeing it but again this is nature survive rule ... it happen .......

New Found - Green Metallic Bee

I am currently at US and manage to meet up a US MACRO gang (amazing, photography actually link us up thousands mile away ....) - Peter @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/galadial/ and not only share me a wonderful place - Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary

a place where can easily found birds, bugs .. and it is bright compare.. and I managed to clear one of my wish list ...green bee or Augochlorini ....



this is not a touch one even it keep moving and make us not easy to compose out shot ....

more shot from US trip of 2010 can view through here

News - I am little slow this month ...

I will be little slow in my photography (sharing pictures, info ...) as currently work @ US for weeks ...but again I will still shoot sunrise (man, sunrise ~530am after shoot still have plenty of time before start work ...), sunset (after work & eat ..think the sun still up there sunset @ ~830pm) and look for some bugs for sure :D

ok ... let me share one last weekend while I was driving and the reflection grab my attention and let make another confusion to you here




more for 2010 April & Jul - US trip click here