Aquarium

These aqueous abstractions were created with a macro attachment for the camera, a bit of plastic, and some colored paper.

Purple Bouquet

A dried bouquet of flowers I bought for my wife, a macro lens attachment, and a piece of translucent, blue plastic I rescued from the trash...

A Second Explosion

Last night I shared a photograph I made of a small explosion of light and color. Here's another. They're made with a macro attachment for the camera, a wadded piece of cellophane, and a colorful placemat. Simple really.

Waves on an Ocean of Light

Beveled pieces of glass over a holographic image - photographed with a macro attachment

Abstract Flower Silhouette

Silhouetted artificial flowers photographed with a macro attachment and a homemade DIY blur filter.

An Underwater Dream

Down to the dark, to the utter dark, where the blind white sea-snakes are…
R. Kipling - "The Deep Sea Cables"

An abstract photo created with a macro attachment, burnt sparklers, a piece of glass, and an old DuPont gelatin filter.

Magazine Macro Collage

Blades (Again)

It's the same busted, old photographic slide carousel as before and before before. Using a macro lens and a mirror and some lights, a photograph can become almost painterly.

Blades

More fun with abstract, macro photography. Anyone care to guess what it is I was shooting here?

Glowing Bubbles

I've used this trick before (here and here) but I like to think that my photographic skills have improved in the intervening time. It's oil and water in a glass pan with a glossy colored magazine underneath for color, shot with a macro attachment. Simple, really.

The Holly and the Ivy

My mother has had these Christmas glasses for forever. I used a macro attachment to shoot them.

Flowers of Light

I used a macro attachment to photograph the glowing 'branches' of a fiber optic Christmas tree to create a field Flowers of Light.

Christmas Sparkle Spiral 2

Christmas ornaments shot with a macro lens and a homemade DIY filter.

Red Abstract (Color Squares)

It's nothing more than a small, red, glass bowl photographed with a macro attachment. You may also like the rest of the spectrum R O Y G B I V (and B & W).

Red Abstract square by Jeff Carter on 500px

Two from the Backyard (Closeups and Explosions)

Two photos from the backyard this afternoon.  The first is a macro shot of one of my sunflowers - I held a lens that I cannibalized from a broken slide projector in front of the camera for this one.  The second is a long exposure shot of the Crimson Beebalm in my neighbor's yard.  During the one full second that that shutter was open I rotated the camera in my hand.

Sunflower Spot (wiko) by Jeff Carter on 500px

Crimson Beebalm Explosion by Jeff Carter on 500px

Background Images for Everyone - 2015 - Week 25

It's the regular drill - Sunday afternoons I post a free background image.  It's yours. It's free.  Use it google slides, or powerpoint, or whatever presentation program you like.  Use it as wall paper for your smart phone or your laptop.  Print it out and make paper airplanes from it.  Whatever.  I only ask that you 1) share it freely and 2) that you tell others you found it here.

If you're like me, and I know I am, you will want to know something about the picture.  It is made of two parts Above - a macro shot of some red lilies in my backyard and Below - a motion blur of some neon lights near my home.

My Gear (Photography)

Here is the photographic gear that I have.  It's not much.  Some of it I bought used.  Some of them were gifts from my wife or my brother.  Some of the filters I made myself.

Back Row - Super Albinar 80 - 205mm
-Promaster 100mm with 3x teleconverter
-Canon EF 75 - 300mm
-Wiko 100 -150mm (disassembled slide projector lens)
-Canon EFS 18-55mm
-Canon 28mm

2nd Row- Canon Rebel T4i
-Lens Baby Spark (selective focus lens)
-Super Takumar 50mm (this is my favorite lens)
-DIY Macro lens (made from a broken zoom lens)
-Macro attachment
-Small tripod


3rd Row -Lens Hood x2
-Neutral Density filters 2, 4, 8
-Intervalometer

4th Row- Diffusion filter
-UV filter (pretty much useless these days)
-Starburst filter
-Polarizing filter
-Spot filter
-USB cables

5th Row -Cleaning kit
-Multivision filter 
-DIY Bokeh filter (made from a sink drain trap)
-DIY Blur filter (made with shredded bubble wrap)

Not pictured - Large Tripod

Dandelion (Macro)

Dandelion Macro by Jeff Carter on 500px

Pine Blur

I had to drive over to Des Moines this evening.  On the return trip I stopped at the rest area between Des Moines and Newton to take a few photos.  This is one, pine needles in the light of sunset, slightly blurred by their motion in the wind- photographed with a macro attachment

Pine Blur by Jeff Carter on 500px

Background Images for Everyone - 2015 - Week 8

Here is this week's free-to-you background image.  It's yours to use in your projects at home, at work, at school, at church, or anywhere. Use it where and how you will. I only ask that you share it freely and that you tell others that you found it here.

For those who like to know such things - this image was created by cutting out a couple of small pieces from reproductions of medieval art, and photographing them with a macro lens. The result was then gussied up a bit in photoshop.