Tried out my new macro lens 📷 Honeybee photos 🐝

in #photography7 years ago (edited)

I have always wanted a macro lens but just could not get myself to drop the change needed. But finally the day came where a combination of the prices going down and strong desire to get one came together.

I actually purchased it a couple months ago when I first got started on Steemit and witnessed how powerful and important your own photos can be. I had a fair amount of my own photos that I accumulated through the years to share, but there was so many that where missing when I started getting into the detail of my Beekeeping for Everyone series.

Well the time finally came yesterday where the weather was cooperative and I was able to get inside some beehives.

This was the first time I have used the lens and I still have a lot to learn. But overall I was quite happy with the first photos, enough that I want to share them.

The first photo is of a worker feeding another worker. They are standing on capped honey.

feeding.png
The next photo seems pretty plain, but it is actually quite interesting. This is capped honey and what you see is the thin layer of wax that the bees put over the honey in the cells to protect it from moisture.
cappedhoney.png
The next photo is a field bee that has returned with pollen packed tightly to her legs. If you notice, she has wore some of the hair off of her thorax from burrowing done into the flower to retrieve the pollen.

pollenbaskets.png

And finally, a worker bee giving me the stare down from the edge of the beehive.
beestare.png

I hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as I did taking them. It was a learning experience and I look forward to improving in future photos.


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These bee's look massive and scary. I cannot believe you are an amature photographer. You have talent, my friend!

Thanks, they are really quite calm and just go about their business 🐝

Love the shots! They look so cool. Upvoted :)

Thanks, hope to have a lot more to share this summer 🌞

Great captures and knowledge shared as always! Kudos @bushkill

It is great to find so many people that are interested in hearing about the bees. It's tough when you want to share something and no one is interested 😝

I love bees so cute and so hardworking. Sometimes we rescue exhausted bees and we give them water and sugar and they resume their flight their day after. Lovely pics.

Yes, I do the same with bumblebees. They are such hard workers that sometimes they get stranded out for the night when it is too cold to fly. I will often find them on plants in the early morning waiting for the sun to warm them. A little honey or sugar water is a nice boost of energy for them.

Love bumblebees too they are so fluffy. Bees tend to like the colour of my hair but they have never stung me if untangled gently

It may not be the color but more the fragrance of the shampoo or conditioners you use.

Aww I always wear leafy green except for my yellow hair I look like a giant dandelion sometimes but guess you are right 🌱 They are my friends anyway

So super nice @bushkill

These ones are magazine worthy and it was the best step ever to make an investment in your camera. This will pay off man in the end, this stuff will get noticed

Yes, I have already notice the effect. I am glad I finally got it and look forward to getting better with it.

Matter of practice right?

Well these ones are already quite good I food. Are you a big fan of editing as well?

If by editing you mean more than just cropping then no. Not sure really how to use all those filter options on the photo programs :-)

Aha..I hear we have the same type of editting skills :)

Very nice shots. You have a plethora of subjects at hand. I have a very strong desire for a macro lens. It eats at me regularly. I installed 3 nucs yesterday and all I could think of was how cool a macro lens would be. I hope the crypto world rebounds a bit so I can finally throw down on one.

Yes, now I just need the bees to cooperate and pose better :-) Good luck with your nucs (and crypto). We had a semi-warm day on Saturday which allowed me to get into a few hives for the first time this year. Now we have snow again ;-(

wow nice job man, itsgreat to see your post and photo's getting better and better, i ges your verry bissy at the start of the spring, greetings

Thanks Jack. It has been a horrible spring here. Yesterday was the first day that has gotten semi-warm enough to get into the beehives. Every time we start to get warm weather we get another snowstorm and days of freezing weather. I am so anxious to get the season going.

FAN-FRICK'N-TASTIC! Great macro shots! Can't wait to see more as spring and summer roll in for you.

I love the 'Bushkill" tag and photo frames too.

You're a great influence ;-)

Wow, nicely done! I worked with honeybees for a while (studying their dance behavior) but I never observed them feeding each other like that.

Interesting post. If you haven't read it, you will enjoy "Honeybee Democracy" by Tom Seeley. He has spent his whole life studying the honeybee.

WOW!! Truly cool! What a cool insight into bees. Really great shots! I feel like I actually know them better, these shots are so detailed! Thank you!

Glad you enjoyed them. I'm hoping to get plenty more to share this summer.