Exuviae - dragon fly

[Elines]

(Long time no post - been doing other stuff )

A fellow camera club member is at the opposite ends of the photographic spectrum to me - shoots only nature/insects/birds and believes using Photoshop isn't 'photography'. But despite that he is still a good bloke .

Anyway ... I meet up with him occasionally and last time he gave me some dragon fly exuviae - the 'cases' that the dragon fly leaves behind when emerging. He did tell me what sort of dragon fly but I forget - it was a big one.

I couldn't find anything useful regarding photographing exuviae from a 'fine art' aspect - as opposed to a 'record' shot - and even then only the actual photos - nothing on methods.

So I'm trying different methods/ideas.

The first was simply placing the exuviae on a light table:



The second was to use a window mask and flash:


I only came across this lighting method recently and if you don't know what it is see:



I actually think that the colour version of the exuviae using the second method is the best (ie I like it the most) so far.

For my next attempt re lighting, I can only think of a 'normal' flash photo - side lit.

NB I have about 6 of these exuviae but so far I am only using one for 'test of method'. (They are quite fragile and need handling carefully.). Eventually I'd like to produce some kind of dark, scary image - perhaps
making them appear big (think 'Quatermass and the pit') eg:



Yes - they knew how to make films in those days

So any suggestions on how I might approach further efforts welcomed.

 

[Keith Haithwaite]

Intersting images Chris, my kind of macros.
At fourteen years old my dad deemed I was old enought to watch the TV series of Quatermass and the Pit when it screened in 1958. It frightened the life out of me and the one image that has never left me was the ground rippling to the sound of scary music and a peek through a hole into the hidden chamber and coming face-to-face with the 'thing'.
I never saw the movie version as I was all grown up and living in Singapore at the time.
Oh dear, I'm not going to sleep well tonight.

 

[Elines]

Glad it’s not just me Keith

I like science fiction in general but these days they seem to go OTT on the special effects and think they will get by with a rubbish story.

You’ll see what I mean if you Google Quatermass and the pit and watch any of the clips - rubbish special effects but gripping story.

The image from the film that I remember (and so does Higher Management) is the ‘swarm’ of Martians





Or maybe we are just getting old

 

[Keith Haithwaite]

I'll have a look at the film clips Chris. thanks. Am I the only one in the forum that listened to 'Journey into Space' on the radio with David Kossoff and others, circa 1953. ?

 

[Bill Martindale]

Am I the only one in the forum that listened to 'Journey into Space' on the radio with David Kossoff and others, circa 1953. ?

No, remember it well.

 

[Elines]

….. Am I the only one in the forum that listened to 'Journey into Space' on the radio with David Kossoff and others, circa 1953. ?

Not often I say this these days but …… a bit before my time

Just listened to a bit and it didn’t ring any bells:



The action takes place in 1971!!! A tad over optimistic

 

[Jay B.]

(Long time no post - been doing other stuff )

A fellow camera club member is at the opposite ends of the photographic spectrum to me - shoots only nature/insects/birds and believes using Photoshop isn't 'photography'. But despite that he is still a good bloke .

Anyway ... I meet up with him occasionally and last time he gave me some dragon fly exuviae - the 'cases' that the dragon fly leaves behind when emerging. He did tell me what sort of dragon fly but I forget - it was a big one.

I couldn't find anything useful regarding photographing exuviae from a 'fine art' aspect - as opposed to a 'record' shot - and even then only the actual photos - nothing on methods.

So I'm trying different methods/ideas.

The first was simply placing the exuviae on a light table:

View attachment 15106

The second was to use a window mask and flash:

View attachment 15108
I only came across this lighting method recently and if you don't know what it is see:



I actually think that the colour version of the exuviae using the second method is the best (ie I like it the most) so far.

For my next attempt re lighting, I can only think of a 'normal' flash photo - side lit.

NB I have about 6 of these exuviae but so far I am only using one for 'test of method'. (They are quite fragile and need handling carefully.). Eventually I'd like to produce some kind of dark, scary image - perhaps
making them appear big (think 'Quatermass and the pit') eg:



Yes - they knew how to make films in those days

So any suggestions on how I might approach further efforts welcomed.

Remembered HR Giger's creatures immediately. Have to look up some cat content for peace of mind now!!!

 

[Elines]

Remembered HR Giger's creatures immediately…….

Never heard the name so looked him up - amazing art work - and he was the creator of the ‘Alien’ creature. Eg:



Whether I’ll get anywhere with this new line of thinking remains to be seen but thanks Jay - just the sort of thing I’m looking for

 

[Helen Summers]

I think the images both work well but I especially like the second. The darker background really makes the subject stand out. Good one.