Crazy chaos this week, but still managed a handfull of macro shots.  A ton of moths this week too.  I need to do some catchup on those.  Seems like a lifer at least once a day.  

More Scorpionflies

Just missed the jump on this Tan Jumping Spider taking out a Polymorphic Pondweed Moth

Still practicing stacking, and I think this was a 9 photo stack for a flower

This cicada was cooperative enough to try some photo stacking also.

Still plenty of the "pretty" mosquito.  Had at least 10 individuals one night this past week.

I'm wondering if I shouldn't have gotten black canvas instead of white.  This Pale Beauty landed on a stick on the roof.  With the flash insuring a solid back background every part of this moth pops, but especially the antennae.  

I got a deal on a focusing rail, and a pristine condition 28mm Canon FD lens for reversing on top of the 100mm macro.  Played around a little bit with some dead bugs.  Software is my weakness.  Looking forward to messing with it some more.  

I feel like I am taking more pics now with macro lens then I was taking with the 100-500mm zoom.  Really enjoying this type of photography, and I can barely keep up with all the moths I have been seeing.  Just this week I've had at least 14 lifers out here.  But also have nabbed some of my favorite macro shots.  I'll be working on a custom diffuser for my 3 light MF12 flash setup.  The factory ones are giving me some bad reflection I need to overcome, which is hard to do with the way the MF12 are set up.  Hopefully I can figure something out.  

One of my favorite pics I've ever taken is this Tan Jumping Spider.  I prefer this shot over the head on shots.  Something about this makes it look more like the predator it is, instead of a fuzzy, multi-eyed Teddy Bear.  See second photo for what they are capable of doing.  

Scorpionflies are also becoming a fast favorite of mine.  Wish they weren't so skittish though.  It looks like a mad scientist mashed together a Deer Fly, Scorpion, Horse and decided a Predator mouth would be awesome too.  

This Roundneck Sexton Beetle was absolutely infested with mites.  So much so I finally managed to catch it and put in fridge to try to cool them off it.  Turns out, after little research while they all chilled, it is a non-parasitic relationship.  They just hitch a ride to the next meal.  Still doesn't stop the creep factor!!

I managed a ~12 pic stack of the "pretty" mosquito (Uranotaenia sapphirina)

Just a few other macro shots taken earlier this week.  As I mentioned I hope to get a diffuser made for the MF12 and have a couple other things coming in that I hope will give me some more flexibility with my macro shooting.  

I was fascinated by this little mosquito that had reflective blue scales on it.  First iNat record for this species in Michigan - Uranotaenia sapphirina

Some other macro shots from this week.  The small moth in the 2nd pic is a 3 pic stack.  Not perfectly post-processed, but haven't focused on that side of things yet.  Just being snap-happy.  

Still trying to figure out my lighting setup.  I have been using just the diffuser that came with the MF12 flashes.  Not great, but less wieldy when trying to get pics of moths.