Snowflakes

[MitchellB]

Hi folks I know its not reef related but this is what I've been up to while waiting for the new tank to get going.....Snowflakes, here are a few

 

[Reef Bass]

So intricate and delicate. Lovely to see.

Normally I'm not a fan of vignetting, but it seems to work here.

What is the background, a door mat? And how are you getting clean isolated shots before the flakes melt or blow away?

 

[MitchellB]

Thanks Reef Bass

I shoot the flakes on a winter hat...see pic. I leave the hat outside in the cold as well as a small model paintbrush. When the flakes fall onto the hat I photograph them using a macro lens and extension tube. Its cold so they dont melt BUT I have to watch that my breath doesn't melt them so I hold my breath while shooting. If I dont like where the flake has landed I use the cold brush to gently pick the flake up and move it.

Because of the Shallow depth of field that I am working with then sometimes I have to take several images of the same flake, each at a different focus point and then I auto align and blend them in Photoshop. The flake picture I have posted here is actually 14 different images blended giving the overall focus

For lighting I use a no name ring flash, shooting in manual mode ISO 200, flash at about 1/4 power F6.3 usually and 1/200 of a sec shutter speed

 

[STRIPERVIPER]

Really cool. They look like they're fake.

 

[MitchellB]

My frostbit fingers and toes can assure you they aren't fake...lol

 

[JamesHolt]

What lens are you using?

 

[MitchellB]

Nikon 60mm macro and 25mm extension tube...I think its a 25