VERY TINY. (30/06/16)

This morning I tried to get some snaps of the very tiny flies that sit on tiny flowers. I popped a flash bracket on the camera and attached an LED lamp to it so that I could see to focus at 4x on the sensor. At 5x and 4x for that matter  the ring flash is too close to illuminate the subject. Last year I did try thick aluminium foil taped to it as a reflector  but it was a failure. I need a posh version of that Chinese twin strobe that has the strobes on Gorilla copy arms but it was so ticky tacky when I got one last year that I sent it back. Space is the problem as focus distance is only about an inch from the front of the physical lens not the front element which is set back about half an inch. Enough blather here is the snap Whitlow Grass sans fly.

The Mule is coming along after a really desperate day involving angle grinders, torches and big bars. Just to remove half a UJ from the front differential. A new stone guard is well on the way and the drive shaft from the rear diff to the front arrived but not delivered by Hugh. Due to the torch the housing needs new seals and bearings but they are on the way as well. Thank Vernier for inventing a scale that measures accurately and bearing companies that can supply to measurement.

Whilst writing this post a mower deck came back and the tops of mower decks are teeming with insects. I got a big Tupperware box full and will go through it tomorrow. I know it’s cheating but being able to plug the camera into the computer for live view does make for an easy life. It does if the Pocket Wizards work and I can use three strobes to illuminate the job.

I may even have a root through this lot tonight. It doesn’t look promising but it is awash with tiny creatures.

This is a great time of the year.