Our sudden return to level 4 lockdown with the arrival of community cases of COVID-19 Delta has shrunk our horizons after an extended period of largely normal life. Imminent, long planned and anticipated adventures have been compromised and even local forays have been put on pause. Perfect opportunity for a backyard macro safari.
As with the delicious lemonade that lemons facilitate, there are some benefits to lockdown. I have had the chance to work on a new flash diffuser I had been planning and have had the chance to do some testing in our small back garden.
One of the pleasures of spending time, or repeatedly visiting one location, is becoming familiar with the individuals who live there. A small back garden is no different and I am am now well acquainted with some of my invertebrate cohabitants at an individual level. The female Garden Orbweb in the potted Yucca, another near the side gate and another on the main gate, the male above the fountain and another on a rose bush. I have been lucky to find one of the many Sombrero Spiders in the lattice in a suitable pose to photograph. All have posed co-operatively and made interesting subjects a couple of steps outside my door.
Slaters (Isopoda/woodlice) as are so numerous that it is hard to recognise individuals but they make great textured subjects on the wood and lichen of the fence. When still, they allow precise image stacks to be shot for later assembly.
Woodlice perform an essential task of recycling decomposing wood and seem to also feed on lichen and, less appetisingly, bird droppings.
Slugs are slightly less exciting but also important nutrient recyclers. Unfortunately in this urban environment they are usually introduced species rather than the natives that we find in the bush.
This final photo is of the same female Garden Orbweb as the first photo. This image shows her excellent camoflage when on the Yucca stem beneath her web. Her hind legs are on web threads that she climbs up into the centre of her orbweb.
Photos with Nikon Z7 and Nikkor Z MC 105mm f2.8 VR S lens. All image stacks assembled in Helicon Focus. Godox TT685N hotshoe mounted flash with Godox PROPAC PB960 lithium external powerpack to enable rapid recycling for stack shots. Home made flash diffuser made with corflute and diffusion panel from tracing paper laminated into a document pouch. I have found that tracing parchment laminated into a document pouch which is then scuffed thoroughly on both sides with fine sandpaper makes an excellent diffusion panel and will share more on this in the future. I am on version 2 of my homemade diffusers using this type of panel but will need more field testing once lockdown is over before writing it up. Version 3 is already in the mental planning stage!
