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Bees

... Journal Entry

Well I have started my latest project of photographing bees close up, including the difficult task of capturing them in flight. The latter was always going to be a challenge and a bit of a hit and miss affair as these industrious little creatures move so fast and erratically which adds to the fun. This is going to be a long project with a bit of a steep learning curve! Thus, day one...

So, a chapter of misadventures as Charles Dickens was want to say. Though the light was good with bright but diffused sunshine, the morning was cold so there weren't many bees about, problem number one. Then I hadn't set up the camera correctly and by the time I sorted it out I had missed the best of those that were about in the location I was in, problem number two. Then, in my haste to grab shots of the odd late comer bee that did eventually turn up, I did not pay attention to my exposures and messed them up, problem number three. 

Trying to drive the Procapture and Focus Tracking tech in concert takes practice and timing, especially Procapture. It is pretty amazing technology but it still needs skill to operate it well, especially with these tiny, super fast moving and unpredictable targets. It needs me to practice, practice, practice, problem number four. The image above is the best of a very poor lot of my first serious attempts at bees in flight. Hmmm! Could do better; much, much better.

Slow moving bees crawling about the stamens of their favourite flowers are much more within my capabilities at the moment. BTW did I mention that bees fly by creating mini-hurriicanes with their wings? Amazing creatures your bees.

✧ Jokul Frosti ✧

A space containing the thoughts, experiences, photos and collected curiosities of a walkabout photographer with a snapshot style.