NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => Lens Talk => Topic started by: Michael Erlewine on February 26, 2016, 21:17:28

Title: Lenses for Photographing Nectar Drops
Post by: Michael Erlewine on February 26, 2016, 21:17:28

Nectar Drops (floral nectars) are common in flowering plants, secretions that (if I understand it right) provide a nutritional resource for various pollinators. These drops are viscous, which makes them easier to photograph than drops of water, because they don’t just roll off, but remain for a while.

To photograph them, I find that the best lenses are those that are fast and sharp wide open. This allows you to stack or photograph just the nectar drop, allowing the rest of the photo to contrast by falling into bokeh. I like the contrast between the focused drop and the rest mostly bokeh. Here are two examples.

The first shot is with the Nikon D810 and the Voigtlander 125mm f/2.5 APO-Lanthar, stacked with Zerene Stacker.

The second shot (taken some years ago) is the Nikon D3s (I believe) with the Nikkor CRT 55mm f/1.2, stacked with Zerene Stacker.

Title: Re: Lenses for Photographing Nectar Drops
Post by: Dr Klaus Schmitt on February 27, 2016, 01:03:22

Very beautiful indeed - but that should be rather condensated or precipitated water, not nectar ;-)

Title: Re: Lenses for Photographing Nectar Drops
Post by: Michael Erlewine on February 27, 2016, 01:18:54

Quote from: Dr Klaus Schmitt on February 27, 2016, 01:03:22

Very beautiful indeed - but that should be rather condensated or precipitated water, not nectar ;-)

I can't say I know what it is, but it is thicker than water.