Testing a new (flawed) diffuser setup

[gardenersassistant]

These are rescue shots from a session yesterday where I was testing a new diffuser setup which proved to have a serious flaw which ruined many of the images. I'm hoping an adjustment I made last night will cure the flaw because apart from the flaw the setup seemed to work quite well.

These were captured using a Sony A7sii with two Kenko 2X teleconverters and a Laowa 100mm 2X macro lens, and a Yongnuo twin flash. The raw files were processed with presets in PhotoLab and Lightroom, with image-specific adjustments in Lightroom and output sharpening and noise reduction using a preset in DeNoise AI and a second use of DeNoise AI using a different method, with image-specific masking for some of the images.

There are 1300 pixel high versions of these images in this album at Flickr.

#1

1934 01 2021_07_06 DSC06227_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

#2

1934 03 2021_07_06 DSC06288_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

#3

1934 04 2021_07_06 DSC06295_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

#4

1934 12 2021_07_06 DSC06361_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

#5

1934 13 2021_07_06 DSC06434_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

 

[AlanLichty]

Nothing looks ruined in this collection of images - amazing macro work as always.

 

[gardenersassistant]

Nothing looks ruined in this collection of images -

LOL! You didn't get to see the horrible ones. Never mind, I think I've fixed it now.

amazing macro work as always.

Thanks Alan.

 

[Amy Nelson]

Incredible!!!

 

[Ben Egbert]

Incredible is the right word for this, keep it up, I love your work.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Very nicely done world of the tiny creatures.

 

[JimFox]

Hey Nick, I am glad you could rescue these as they really look great. I will say that I bet your ruined shots would look better then my great shots.

#3 really stands out to me, what a unique shape and look to that insect. I will choose #4 as my second favorite.

I am glad you figured out what's going on with your setup and look forward to your next outing.

 

[Alisa]

OK, I will admit I am not a fan of bugs... but I do love all of the close personal shots of these tiny creatures! Love #4, 5!

 

[Tom Narwid]

These are rescue shots from a session yesterday where I was testing a new diffuser setup which proved to have a serious flaw which ruined many of the images. I'm hoping an adjustment I made last night will cure the flaw because apart from the flaw the setup seemed to work quite well.

These were captured using a Sony A7sii with two Kenko 2X teleconverters and a Laowa 100mm 2X macro lens, and a Yongnuo twin flash. The raw files were processed with presets in PhotoLab and Lightroom, with image-specific adjustments in Lightroom and output sharpening and noise reduction using a preset in DeNoise AI and a second use of DeNoise AI using a different method, with image-specific masking for some of the images.

There are 1300 pixel high versions of these images in this album at Flickr.

#1

1934 01 2021_07_06 DSC06227_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

#2

1934 03 2021_07_06 DSC06288_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

#3

1934 04 2021_07_06 DSC06295_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

#4

1934 12 2021_07_06 DSC06361_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

#5

1934 13 2021_07_06 DSC06434_PLab4 LR 1300h DNAI DNAIc by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

Great stuff....looks like it is working!

 

[gardenersassistant]

Incredible!!!

Incredible is the right word for this, keep it up, I love your work.

Very nicely done world of the tiny creatures.

Hey Nick, I am glad you could rescue these as they really look great. I will say that I bet your ruined shots would look better then my great shots.

#3 really stands out to me, what a unique shape and look to that insect. I will choose #4 as my second favorite.

I am glad you figured out what's going on with your setup and look forward to your next outing.

OK, I will admit I am not a fan of bugs... but I do love all of the close personal shots of these tiny creatures! Love #4, 5!

Great stuff....looks like it is working!

Thank you all for being so positive and encouraging.

In case anyone is interested, the problem I was having with a lot of the captures was veiling glare. Here is an example.


1935 1 Veiling glare with version 1 silk layer added to reflector bowl by gardenersassistant, on Flickr

I'm using a paper-lined bowl like a small umbrella and before that session I had added a layer of silk over the front of the bowl. This was directing some light straight into the lens. I did have an anti-glare hood on the lens, but it wasn't big enough once I had added the silk layer. This is what the setup looked like after I had added a bigger anti-glare hood, which solved that problem but introduced another one, so I've adjusted the setup some more since I took this photo. (btw you can't see it, but the flash heads are facing backwards, into the bowl.)


1936 1 Anti-glare extension added to refelector bowl with silk layer by gardenersassistant, on Flickr