Insect macro photography

There seemed to be an unusually large number of dragonflies and monarch butterflies down by the lake today.  I got the idea to haul out my underutilized Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 macro lens and see if I could get some nice closeups.

The 60mm is one of the few prime lenses I have.  I got it back in February when Fujifilm had their lens sale going on and I could get a new one for less than a used one typically goes for - a very nice deal.

I did some test shots with the 60mm shortly after I got it, and it's wonderfully sharp.  It was a typical indoor setup, stationary subject, camera on a tripod, using the remote release, basically stacking the odds in favor of a sharp photo.

Fuji XF 60mm f/2.4, 1/125 sec. at f/3.6, ISO 200 SOOC JPG (cropped).

Sadly, it's not the fastest focusing lens in the Fuji lineup.  So it wasn't ideally suited for capturing flying insects.  It doesn't have image stabilization either, so I used a monopod.  Inevitably, though, by the time I got the monopod into position at the right height, leaned in close enough to do a proper macro shot, and either waited for autofocus to zero in or focused manually, either a breeze would sway the subject's perch out of focus or the subject would fly away.

So I switched over to the 55-200mm.  It has image stabilization built in so I was able to dispense with the monopod and get into position more quickly.  Autofocus worked great in the bright sunlight.

The insects must have been feeling cooperative.  They happily ignored me, and I could swear some were even posing.  I was able to fire off over a hundred shots, the great majority of which were in focus.  The quality of the lenses combined with the sensor in the X-E2 captures a really nice level of detail for a compact(ish) camera.

Cooperative butterfly sitting at just the right angle, in the sun.
Fuji XF 55-200, 1/300 sec. at f/5.6, ISO 200 (cropped).

Dragonfly closeup.
Fuji XF 55-200,  1/400 sec. at f 5.6, ISO 200 (cropped).

Rainy Day at the Arboretum

We made a trip to the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum this morning.  It had been raining all morning and the skies were still gray when we headed out.

Walking in, we saw some wild turkeys near the parking lot.  In the last few years these seem to be rebounding in number, or at least in willingness to show up in public places where I don't expect to see them.

My concern about the gray skies turned out to be unfounded.  The light was fine (with a little boost from flash) and the raindrops provided added visual interest.

The Arboretum has a nice mix of plantings and public spaces.  This is the arched entry into the rose gardens.

Not far away is a Japanese garden and the hosta garden.  Pleasant trails and places to rest throughout.

This summer there's a special Nature in Glass exhibition that showcases the glass sculptures of Craig Mitchell Smith.

And since the tour started with wildlife, I'll end with wildlife.  This chipmunk was good enough to pose on a rock.

Heavy rain, flooded lake

The June rain has been so heavy the lakes are unusually high.  We've lived here for twenty years and never seen Lotus Lake this high - the dock is actually under water.

That didn't deter some of the local fishermen, though.  We were walking Scout and when I saw this scene, I ran back home (literally) and got the camera.  Honest, this is not a staged shot.

Southdale YMCA Benefit

I covered an event at the Minnesota Valley Country Club tonight for the Southdale YMCA.  A beautiful spring night and a fun event.  Some highlights below.

A table ready for guests

"Arty" table shot

A few of the many volunteers

George Moye & Friends Band

Guests enjoying themselves

Speeches

Auction

Dakota Jazz Club

The Southdale YMCA held a fundraiser at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis tonight.  I'd never been to the Dakota before, which is a shame because it's a beautiful place.

The musical guests were first rate.  The band included Paul Peterson (vocals and bass), Patty Peterson (vocals), Nicholas David (vocals), Larry Braggs (vocals), Eric Leeds (saxophone), Cory Wong (guitar), Kevin Gastonguay (keyboards), and Jay Corkran (drums and vocals).  A bunch of these musicians have played with Prince, Miles Davis, and Tower of Power.  Nicholas David was also a finalist on The Voice.

Some of the best shots of the night...

Kevin Gastonguay, Eric Leeds, Paul Peterson, Jay Corkran, Cory Wong.

Patty Peterson joins the band.

Larry Braggs.

High energy vocals.

Nicholas David.

Dakota Jazz Club.