During my excursion to Island Park I had the opportunity to experiment with macro extension tubes. With macro extension tubes, my camera lost the ability to focus automatically so I had a lot of practice with manual focus. The tubes also darkened my images so I had to use slow shutter speeds, a tripod, and an assortment of continuous LED lights and flashes. Gems make great subjects for macro photography because the close up view reveals amazing colors and hidden textures. I did some minor edits on all of these photos to up the contrast and really draw out the vibrant hues.
I also had the opportunity to shoot these colorful fly hooks! I dusted them with glitter for extra interest. I like the contrast between the sharp hooks and the soft fluffy feathers!
