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Cambridgeshire Drystone Wall Lichens


dkCambridgeshire

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Peterborough Cambs. UK locality has several limestone quarries thus limestone drystone walls are a fairly common sight. Yesterday whilst visiting The Granary shop/restaurant at Willow Brook Farm near Ufford, Peterborough I investigated the car park's drystone wall which provides a good habitat for lichens - and snapped a few specimens. 

 

 

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Leica SL/100mm APO R … f11 / f16, c.1/30 - 1/15 sec, ISO 200 as per following apparatus illustrations.  Magnifications approx 1/3 life size to life size i.e. 0.33 x to 1.0 x magnification. 

 

 

continued …  

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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Apparatus:

 

 

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Leica SL/ 100mm Apo Macro Elmarit R (with & without Elpro extender); Gitzo tripod; Arca ball head and Elicar focusing rail with X-Y movements; handheld Lastolite reflector.  

 

I'm fascinated by lichens; they have form/shape texture and colour but are overlooked by many - maybe partly because they require close examination to be appreciated. I'm no expert so have not as yet attempted to identify the specimens - but plan to study the various species and learn more. 

 

Above specimen pics show some OOF areas where the camera was not sufficiently perpendicular / parallel to the subject; the apparatus was far too 'unbalanced' and 'forward heavy' to maintain optimum camera position - especially when tilted forwards and downwards. The 'regular' Gitzo tripod is not really suitable for this type of photography i.e. without a horizontal extension.

 

Next time I'll add a horizontal column extension with a counterweight at the rear … or use a Benbo Mk 1 with its universal angle centre column which can enable the most awkward camera positions.

 

A smaller reflector would be quite sufficient; next time plan to attach a small home made 10" square 'crumpled silver foil on card' reflector to the tripod via small arm with a universal joint. 

 

Yesterday was cloudy with sunny intervals. Diffuse sunlight or cloud, plus the reflector was OK for the specimen shots - but direct sunlight was not because of resultant too high dynamic range.  Next time a diffuser screen will be tried if too sunny. 

 

Best wishes 

 

dunk

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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With a gimbal head, handling would be much easier as the camera/lens sits in the "lowest point" and is actually balanced in all positions if set up correctly. (and cannot topple as with this ball head.)

Needs some getting used to, but since I tried it, I use it. It is not much bigger than this equipment. Maybe it is a little heavier than a ball- or pan-head, but it is made of fibre, while the ball-head probably isn't. You were on a parking lot, so transport is/was no problem ?!    ;)

 

I have never used a focusing rail. Have to try that, it should probably also fit into the gimbal head. Balance is maybe tricky.

Edited by steppenw0lf
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With a gimbal head, handling would be much easier as the camera/lens sits in the "lowest point" and is actually balanced in all positions if set up correctly. (and cannot topple as with this ball head.)

Needs some getting used to, but since I tried it, I use it. Even if it is heavier than a ball- or pan-head. But you were on a parking lot, so transport is/was no problem ?!

Usually taken for wildlife shots with tele lenses, but this macro equipment is also quite large, so a good candidate for gimbal.  ;)

 

 

Thank you but could not not get close enough or use camera vertically i.e. at angles approaching, or at, 90º, with a gimbal … and a gimbal would add weight and would not permit both X and Y close-up movements . I have Jobu and a Manfrotto gimbals. An additional horizontal column with a counterweight should work fine - I use one for astro observing at the 'zenith' with binoculars i.e. binos at 90º on accessory horizontal column on tripod - with counterweight on the shorter end to prevent tripod toppling over. 

 

dunk

Edited by dkCambridgeshire
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Some more lichen images from last week's experimental session and again taken using the Leica SL/ 100mm Apo Macro Elmarit R combination. 

 

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cont'd … 

 

 

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I have some ideas to improve the lighting e.g. by constructing a co-axial lighting attachment and screwing it onto the front of the lens - with illumination provided by a Novoflex 'Flash Art' strobe.  In theory this would provide 90º co-axial lighting - the 10cm x 8cm Novoflex light panel emitting a non-diverging flash beam to the beam splitter in front of the lens.

 

dunk

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