Microfy
After working for a while with my old microscope and achieving somewhat extreme magnifications (exceeding 1280X sometimes), I did realize at that point that sometimes, going extreme is not the solution nor does it show the details properly. I did indeed at some point reach a magnification of 2640X but the images were blurred and hard to figure out any details (add to that the shaky set I'm working with). Moreover, I think I do need to learn a bit more about sample preparation for microscopes and how to make thin slices. I hope I can find some suitable procedures over the net; We'll see.
Meanwhile, with the help of my Vello's Macrofier, I've flipped my Voigtländer 20mm and started to work with "extreme macro" and I couldn't find anything better to work with except of my old collection of shells. In fact, I'm thinking now, as I'm typing these lines, of documenting these shells for good.
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| Twirl 6.6x Magnification. |
In the beginning, I thought that having a bigger magnification means a more powerful and more interesting shot. Of course, I was wrong. However, it was up to trial and error still, like in Twirl, which is a shot for the tip of a small seashell that is approximately 1cm long or even less. I shot this one without any flash just a LED desk lamp. Flipping a 20mm lens with Vello Macrofier would achieve, typically and according to calculations, a 3.2x magnification. To achieve a greater magnification, I attached all my extension tubes between the camera and the reversed lens (total: 68mm). According to calculations, this would give out a 6.6x magnification.
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| 6x Shell |
As usual, shooting with such magnification was not (and still not) an easy task. Mainly because of the limitations in the gear and other props available for me (and my eternal torture: a proper table). However, I tried after all. The topmost problem that happened to be here, though, was the light and how to deliver the light properly to the surface of the shell being photographed. On many trials, the flare was the main problem, causing a general reduction in contrast and the center being bright and detail-less. Tried to add a speedlite and changing its direction, and even a continuous light source (LED), no proper solution was found. Images like 6x Shell, which was shot using 68mm of extension tubes and a reversed Voigtländer 20mm, was done in fact using ambient light with 15s exposure at f/20. No focus stacking. To add, the image looks better in a small size as in this blog, but viewing at a larger scale a bit shows some ugly noise and somewhat blurry features (probably some movements occur during the exposure? Not sure). Anyway, in time, I've realized the real problem.
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| The set used to shoot extreme macro after the "little" fix. |
The problem, as it seems, was the white foam on which I was placing my samples. The light reflected off this surface fooled me as to be of help, or so I thought, but once I put a black card on that, the images became clear. There was a slight problem still because the light would not reach a specific part of the shell, but the general view was better, and contrast was enhanced further when processing these final images (after merging the full stack together).
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| Bandaí (Bands) (Left) 3.2x shot made by focus stacking. (Right) The original shell, around 2cm long. |
It can be seen in Bandaí how the light did quite reach the left side of the image (originally the image was horizontal so this dark area was down). This might call for a "real" ring flash but I'm not thinking about this right now. I do have 6 speedlites and it would be a shame if I cannot put these to good use in such stable environment (well, almost stable!) like shooting seashells. The matter that is left is, whether to cover the shell with oil or not. I've painted or covered some shells with oil (well, hair tonic oil actually) but the cotton balls were problematic for this task and some fibers got stuck, and yet it seems oil is not a good contributor. In Bandaí, I've covered the shell with corn syrup (as a substitute to glycerine) and it seems to have yielded some good result, providing some good luster. It's all sticky but it's alright till it dries up! However, sometimes, the shell is so small that I just neglected the idea of dipping it into anything!
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| الملوية (The Twisted) (Left) The final image after focus stacking at 3.2x magnification. (Right) The original shell with a length of 0.8cm (8mm) only hooked to a toothpick. |
Would some syrup make The Twisted more lustrous? Not sure, but I think it would; Yet, with such a small size of 8mm I cannot risk it. My working environment around here is completely unstable and I could easily lose it, and with my eye problems, finding such a small piece of "artifact" would be a novel to read!
Sleeper
At some point while working on all of that macro job, I had a slight idea for a long exposure done indoors. It's not the first time I do such experiment in fact, but long exposures in somewhat dark rooms somehow fascinate me always for its unpredictable shapes and its surreal looks.
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| Laid |
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| An Codlatán (The Sleeper) |
My work with these long exposures were done with 50mm lens (unlike my typical choice of 8mm fisheye lens) and that was for a reason actually. That was to fit my B+W 092 infrared filter on this lens (on a regular camera) and I was really aiming on the head only. Even though I do have a super ND, but I preferred to use this filter (and I would use a filter with higher threshold if I have one to fit this lens) mainly to see the strange strikes of color and/or contrast. The images you see here, Laid and An Codlatán, where not converted to B&W but were processed normally and eventually they reached a level of monochrome (but not completely B&W).
The exposures took about 21 minutes and some seconds, and I literally tried to nap indeed during the exposure. In Laid, though, I was actually checking my tablet, but I was trying to get to that sleeping mode in An Codlatán! The looks were surreal, and ghostly; Specially with Laid, which somehow made my mind spiral and wander into some thoughts, that can be called black or melancholic, yet I think they are legitimate and profound…
It is not a strange idea nor a seldom visitor to my mind. The idea of being dead and what will be happening after my departure is a frequent mind-occupier. This is the image, more or less, which comes to my mind when laid down, people look at me for the last time, before the dust takes what I owe to it. But will there really be anyone willing to give one final gaze? Will there be any visitors in the first place? Will there be mourners? Weepers and keeners? Or maybe cursers and some happy people for where I'm going to end? In essence, nothing of my current life is that different from the scene in this picture; All but a mimic of life, and death. Yet, I cannot grant to myself that my eyelids will be open in every morning that comes. As much as it might be a disturbing image, yet it is the ultimate truth. Nothing is granted; Not even my next breath right after finishing this sentence, and the more I live, and the more loved ones I lose, my belief in the mediocrity of life becomes confirmed day by day…
As I'm writing these words, I'm indeed thinking of doing the same experiment again but using my pinhole, I'm sure the exposure would be drastically long here. The only hassle here is setting up the tripod and the camera near my bed (I can't do this experiment elsewhere around here). I have a plan though, and let's hope it works later. We'll see…
Finale
By the time of typing this text, My shipment had arrived already in Kuwait, and yet I'm not sure as parcels or as EMS (each has a separate center for sorting, welcome to Kuwait). Would I be able to collect my items before Ramadan ends? We'll see.
Meanwhile, I'm trying to get as much as possible done before the vacation is over and being back to the usual routine and exhaustion.
Among the plans: Some ultraviolet, maybe ultraviolet panorama, an infrared panorama (which had been in my head for more than a year), beside the usual work with the microscope and the shells. Working with the shells seems more pleasurable for now, as the rest require some extra work which I'm usually too exhausted to do. One final question remains inside of me and that is: Would I really be able to kill my feelings and the fears inside of me by working myself out to exhaustion? I'm afraid that I don't have the answer for that yet.
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