What Am I Doing Wrong?

[goosey]

I love to take photos of moths and caterpillars at night. My problem is that often the subject I'm aiming for turns out too bright or blurred, where everything else in the photo seems to be in perfect focus. This is really a problem if the subject is white. I don't have fancy equipment or lenses just a Canon Powershot A700, I use the night scene mode and the MF and try to judge the cm's. Some nights I may take 60+ photos of the same subject and not be able to use any. (often it looks good on the camera when I check, but the computer tells a different story) I think when a moth is in flight ok - but when something is stationary whats going on?

[Dan Salter]

My guess with a point and shoot is you are up close to get a good shot but then the built in flash will just cause a white out?...

with my point and shoot on auto mode sometimes if im shooting a wildflower and its low light the flash goes and ruins it so i have to manually turn the flash off but then of course you will have to stay as still as possible.( or tripod etc)

Ill let the photo pro's tell you properly...but im my experiece flash ruins a lot of shots ...i think you need a ring flash and other expensive gear

Why not trap the moths and move them to a well it place to photograph them? Trap overnight and photograph in morning daylight then release?

[Paul mabbott]

Probably not saying enough prayers or crossing yourself at appropriate times
Seriously, photographing in the dark does need a lot of trial and honing your judgement (of distances, depth of field &c.). It is, with your equipment, probably a matter of trying every alternative, keeping notes, refining settings based on your 'best' results .... Good luck

[Oscar2006]

Why don't you put them in a pot overnight and take photo's in daylight?

[Dan Salter]

thats what i said too oscar.

[Garden Carpet]

I do that. but still have no decent ones to post.

[Kev Lewis]

Originally Posted by goosey

I love to take photos of moths and caterpillars at night. My problem is that often the subject I'm aiming for turns out too bright or blurred, where everything else in the photo seems to be in perfect focus. This is really a problem if the subject is white. I don't have fancy equipment or lenses just a Canon Powershot A700, I use the night scene mode and the MF and try to judge the cm's. Some nights I may take 60+ photos of the same subject and not be able to use any. (often it looks good on the camera when I check, but the computer tells a different story) I think when a moth is in flight ok - but when something is stationary whats going on?

The night scene mode is almost certainly for long exposure photographs which you don't want. If the camera has a macro mode select that and use shutter priority and select about 1/100second. Use a torch to highlight the subject and let the camera do the focussing in the beam of the torch. You could probably leave the torch on during a flash exposure as it will be overpowered and not visible in the final shot. Place a small piece of thin wax paper (greasproof paper) over just the flash part of the camera, be careful not to obscure any sensors. Blue tack would do for this. This paper will diffuse the flash light and slightly improve the shadows by softening the edges. And then play

For bright white subjects you will have to use exposure compensation if your camera has this ie. reduce the expsoure by about -1 stops.

[eeyore]

also a halogen spotlight from the diy shop will give you a lot of light - mine was 20 quid and gives 25 million candle power - reflecting the beam of a white reflector (a bit of wood painted white is fine) stops it being too harsh

this set up gives easily enough light to photograph without flash - just rememember to set your white balance to halogen or you will get a weird green colour cast.

[goosey]

hi goosey here, thanks for all your replys. I did try Kevins tip about covering the flash with a bit of wax paper last night and it made a huge difference!!! Shame there were no moths or caterpilars out, as it had been pouring down - just loads of slugs to practice on - but it's looking good. I will give some of your other ideas a try. love the one from Oscar about putting it in a pot and taking the photo in daylight! honestly I can't believe I didn't think of that!

[nightshade]

There is a link to make an LED ringlight somewhere on the site
I think the torch,coupled with a tape measure is the way to go
I used a stiff piece of wire screwed into the tripod bush for
subject to camera distance (even an old telescopic car aerial)
I also used a selection of opaque plastic screens over the flash
some of the tupperware type pots from supermarkets around 50p
can be used,run a series of trials to optomise your kit before you
go out so you are not fumbling in the dark

PS can you turn off the cameras flash and use a small external?
just a thought