Macro photography is an area of photography that fascinates me. I really like being able to show smaller creatures in large scale so as to portray the complexities of their bodies. To undertake this work properly, I think it is a photographic technique where having the right equipment is essential. To do macro photography properly a 1:1 lens is required, so as to really show the details of the small animals. Fortunately, I recently upgraded to the Canon EF100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM so I now have a proper macro lens. I took it out for some practice shots on Friday after work. I was at Lake Burley Griffin late that afternoon to assist my son with a task. Later, when I went home, I was also able to wander around the garden at night to see what I could photograph. I hope you enjoy the photographs below.
![Still playing around with the 40mm prime, a stump with some growth at Lake Burley Griffin(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF40mm f2.8 STM [ISO 400, 40mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b474d53b40b9dfc79289e98/1564654659515-RTSZNEOZHECFPD6P4VUD/stump_Lake_Burley_Griffin_4346_20190726.jpg)
Still playing around with the 40mm prime, a stump with some growth at Lake Burley Griffin
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF40mm f2.8 STM [ISO 400, 40mm, f/8.0 and 1/800 SEC])
Cherry Blossom Tree, my first shot with the macro lens, to see what field of view the lens had
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 200, 100mm, f/5.0 and 1/125 SEC])
A Huntsman Spider (Family Sparassidae) was fortuitously waiting just outside the back door when I stepped outside at night with my new lens. The spider was very understanding while took photographs from various angles, including from directly in front and from above.
There was a second Huntsman Spider further around the front of the house, waiting patiently on the eve for prey. This spider was high up, so further away than the first Huntsman. It at least allowed me to test the distance capability of the lens.
Interestingly, as the photographs show, both spiders were on backgrounds that did not match their camouflage.
A close-up top down view of the first Huntsman Spider
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/160 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)
A different Huntsman Spider
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/40 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)
A very small Orb-weaving Spider (Eriophora sp.) was making its web in between two branches of a tree. The spiders was less than the size of a pea.
An Orb-weaving Spider
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/4.5 and 1/40 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)
A Black House Spider (badumna insignis) was the final spider I photographed that night. It was resting on the brickwork just outside my backdoor.
Black House Spider
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/40 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)
There were two Tasmanian Lacewings crawling on the stems of leaves. They were tiny but their eyes glowed red with the flash reflection. These are good insects to have in the garden as they target other creatures like aphids and sap sucking insects that damage plants.
Tasmanian Lacewing
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)
An Eastern Wood Runner Cockroach was in between two sheets of wood in the back yard.
An Eastern Wood Runner cockroach
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC] with Yongnuo YN14EX Macro Ring Lite)