The theme for The Gallery
this week, is A Photo I’m Proud Of. This is in honour of the fact that Tara has taken her camera off auto and is using the manual settings! Tara, I salute you. I only ever do that to shoot a close-up, and then it goes right back to auto again!
Tara did spend a day with the lovely @CosmicGirlie (I may have mentioned her a few times before!) for some top tips – and the resulting pictures are fabulous! Jay, if ever you fancy a trip down south… 
So anyway, back to the matter in hand! A photo I’m proud of… I knew which photo I was going to pick as soon as I saw the prompt – highly unusual for me! It’s one I took a couple of weeks back.
Chipmunk’s sunflowers were still in full bloom, and attracting a whole host of delightful and beautifully coloured critters. I was out there almost ever day, snapping away and practising my close-up stuff.
{I may have previously hinted that I need a macro lens. Really. I need it. Need. It.}
Ahem.
One of the pictures that I took I really liked.
It was this one:
A fairly good shot of a couple of the (dozens of) hoverflies that took a shine to the sunflowers – much to Chipmunk’s delight!
However, that is not the end of the story. When I was editing the picture later, I was playing around with the crop and the zoom, and I decided to see what one of the hoverflies looked like on its own.
And when I went in close, I was blown away.
This is, without a doubt, my best shot with the Canon so far. I can’t believe how clearly it came out!
The pollen…the eyes…the colours!
I don’t know how I did it, but it was certainly a very happy accident!
Believe it or not, this was shot with my one and only lens – the standard (cheap) kit lens that came with the camera. I know people deride kit lenses – and I know this picture is far from perfect (because I need a macro lens, hint hint) – but, well, for those of us who can’t afford anything else, they are not all that dreadful.
Not all that dreadful at all.
{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous pictures. Would look lovely side by side on my kitchen wall. Really impressive! Well done you! Wish I could take pictures like that!
Becca x
http://beckicklesie.blogspot.com
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I love your photos! The bottom one especially! The close up is fantastic you can see every minute detail about that insect! Love it
They are amazing pictures!!! Well done you!!!
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Very VERY impressed, would love to know how you did it …
Wow, freakishly good shot, almost want to swat at it.
Wow these are stunning – well done! You've done a great job and yes, I would be proud of those too. I also fully agree with you; kit lenses get a lot of bad press; I have 3 lenses at the mo and kit lens still does it's fair share of work.
But yeah…macro lenses rock ;o)
xxx
PS Thank you for the linkback! x
Oh wow. They are amazing, just amazing
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Absolutely brilliant, these would make fantastic prints on a wall!!
My recent post The Gallery- Photos I’m proud of
Fantastic pics, well done you!!
Wow, great shots, I wish I could take pictures like that with my new SLR camera…have to learn so much
They are the most amazing photos! Well done you. Mich x
OMG! That's amazing!!
Ooh I crave such photos – I'm too scared to get close enough to anything with more than 4 legs – I am a WOOSE. My kit lens has been spending a lot of time on my camera this summer – I've even been back shooting in Auto (gasp!) but when it's sunny and the kids are bouncing around sometimes you just want to take the photo dammit! I don't deride kit lenses or shooting on Auto – they're both indispensable if you ask me
Simply stunning. You should be very proud of yourself!
Wow. That is AMAZING. Truly.
wow, they are FAB!! great work
Stunning photos! May have been a happy accident but brilliant anyway! Love them…
WOW! I love the close-up, Hannah. You have every right to be proud of that shot (and so many others!). Have you considered seeing if any publications would like to license it?
Wow, that is amazing!
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Oh WOW! That is so beautiful! I also have a kit lens… and another lens but not a macro lens. This is amazing to discover why I *might* be able to do, with a bit of practice…
x
My recent post A photo I am proud of!
Lovely pics Boo, I can see why you chose it. You take the best accidental shots! ; ) I'm sure it has nothing at all to do with you, Silly Boo. <3
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Great shots! Wish I was as good as that at taking pics.
And you thought you were rubbish! Pshaw!!!!!!
totally amazing photos..
I can almost hear the buzzing
These are amazing I love the close up so detailed wow just wow xx
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Wow… just… wow! And you need a macro lens… really? What lens did you use for these? (and what camera do you have? though I know it's not all about the camera I promise, I'm just nosey like that!)
Stunning photos, I have camera envy again!
that is gorgeous. I love the detail that's clear on the wings.
Wow, amazing photos, the detail is amazing well done.
Amazing shots! its like having real flys on the laptop… have gone all itchy! : )
These are amazing! I can see why you’re proud of them!
Wow what a great shot!
That’s amazing! I’m sure my hands shake too much to get that fine of detail. I’d be really proud of it too!
I know people deride the kit lenses all the time, but I am consistently impressed with my Nikon kit lens. I have a few others and it’s still the one I shoot with the most.
That aside, beautiful shot. Those colours are stunning!
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Just stunning pictures – I really was blown away.
It puts a whole new perspective on nature doesn't it when we can get up this close to it!
Fabulous shots
MJM.
The macro is absolutely stunning! You should definitely be proud of it, it's breath-taking!
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Firstly with the standard lens, wow, you have an amazing talent, that picture is beautiful, I can only imagine how gorgeous your photo’s would be with a macro lens.
Thanks for your comment on my blog, nice to meet you and this has to be one of the most gorgeous blogs I have ever seen, off for a read x
That is an awesome shot.
Someone ! please buy this woman macro lens right now ! she deserves it ! (even if when you think about it, this picture is so perfect that maybe you don't even need macro lens…)
Truley gorgeous! I agree, hung side by side they would look awesome!
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Wow, such amazing shots. I always feel like my good shots are happy accidents too, but it definitely looks like you know what you're doing!
Stunning photographs!!! Absolutely stunning!
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NICE nice shots! feels like summer to me!
You did a FAB job with the kit lens. Sign me "I Wanna Macro Too"!
Adore these shots! The colours are just so vibrant and summery you can't help but smile!