Four Seasons of Macrophotography with Anton Simon and Irix 150mm Macro 1:1 f/2.8

Hello, my name is Anton Simon!

I spent most of my youth in a small village in Burgenland. The nearby river, the Leitha and the Leitha Mountains were my "playground". Now, I live in Vienna and since I bought my first DSLR camera in 2006, I have discovered nature in a completely new way. My first photographic steps took me to our own biotope, where I soon became fascinated with macro photography - dragonflies, flies, beetles, butterflies, amphibians, and everything that crawled and flew around. Soon after I expanded my "horizon" and was drawn to the nearby Donau-Auen National Park where I also discovered the world of orchids and plants. From then on, the morning hours of my weekends were reserved - and they are really early morning hours, because I have to be at the destination before sunrise. But that doesn't matter, because the wonderful sunrises are definitely a reward for getting up early. Photos of insects with dew drops, of romantic sunrises, foggy atmospheres - no two photo sessions are the same and there is always something new to discover. I have been retired since October 2022 and now I spend a lot of time in nature.

SPRING

Photography in spring is starting earlier and earlier for me as winters are getting shorter. Through my many hours in nature, I notice that it is getting warmer every year and the plants and insects are showing up earlier. The plants now start to grow about two to three weeks earlier, and some butterflies often fly a few weeks earlier than usual. The days are getting brighter and longer, which is why I have to set my alarm clock earlier and earlier. Due to the rapid growth, it is difficult to decide where to go first in order to be able to photograph everything in time! However, thanks to my thorough explorations, I know exactly the places where I can photograph the plants and insects in the most beautiful morning light. It is fascinating to watch how nature changes and adapts to the changing conditions. It is important to capture and document these changes in order to raise awareness of climate change.

 

SUMMER 

When summer begins, it's time to get up even earlier. The alarm clock usually rings at 3:30 a.m., sometimes even earlier. While I drink my coffee, I look at the weather report and then decide which area I want to drive to. If it's already over 20 degrees Celsius in the morning, I usually choose areas where I can photograph plants. It's usually too warm for insect photography, which is my specialty. Since I photograph 99% from a tripod, the butterflies I want to photograph have often already flown away by the time I've set up the tripod and camera. When it's cooler in the morning and the butterflies are still wet with dew, everything is easier. The insects usually stay where they are sleeping, with a few exceptions. In summer I love the bright colors. Lots of things are blooming and in combination with a sunny background in macro shots everything looks more harmonious. Towards the end of summer, I take a bit of a break from macrophotography. The meadows near me are often very dry and are mown frequently, so there are hardly any insects to be found.

 

AUTUMN 

When autumn begins, the meadows become quieter. You find fewer and fewer insects, but still some beautiful butterflies and caterpillars. The last orchid in my area, autumn lady’s-tresses, can also be found in some places now. Nature is preparing for winter, and the forests are turning colorful. Slowly, the mushroom season begins for me. I now roam the forests in search of mushrooms. Not just for eating; unfortunately, I don't know many mushroom types and am unsure if they are edible. But I am familiar with chanterelles and porcini mushrooms, which I take with me after photographing. The autumn colors in the background and foreground often compete with the main subject, the mushroom, for attention. My favorite is the toadstool, which I do not find frequently in my area. Mushrooms prefer a moist and warm climate, but due to the dryness of recent years, the yield has been rather meager. Nevertheless, you always find something; sometimes you just have to search a bit longer and expand the search radius!

 

WINTER 

Winter is not the ideal time for macro photography for me. When it gets cold, I miss the colorful meadows, plants, and insects that were my subjects in spring, summer, and autumn. Therefore, I hardly take any macro shots during this time. Occasionally, when it is very frosty and ice crystals grow on dried plants, I try to capture these. But this doesn't always work as I wish because I don't enjoy the cold, which sometimes affects my motivation. In January, however, the first winter flowers can sprout from the frozen ground. These early bloomers defy ice and snow, and it is a beautiful sight when their yellow flower heads emerge from the snow. Unfortunately, in recent years, there has been so little snow that I could no longer photograph these situations. A bit later, the first snowdrops poke their heads out, and with that, the blooming season begins. Gradually, nature comes to life again, and there are more opportunities for colorful macro shots.

 

 

IRIX lens 150mm Macro 1:1 f/2.8

I started my macro photography with a 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. It was a great lens. Most macro photographers at the time switched to a 150mm f/2.8 macro lens, so I also decided on a 150mm too. The longer focal length allowed for a greater distance from the subject, resulting in a slightly greater depth of field. The bokeh became much more beautiful, with a nice blur of the foreground and background. The flares were also nicer and sometimes larger.

After 14 years of intensive use, it was time for a new 150mm macro lens. I opted for the IRIX 150mm f/2.8 macro lens. I did not need image stabilization or autofocus, but the tripod collar was a must. The sharpness and bokeh of the lens are great, although the handling took some getting used to. I modified the tripod collar to better suit my needs. The lens feels very high quality as it is made of aluminum. The characteristics differ somewhat from my old lens, but I like them a lot. The flares are still round even at smaller apertures, thanks to the 11 aperture blades. With low plant shots, the foreground is blurred nicely while interesting structures are visible in the background. Of course, all this depends on the chosen aperture. I like to shoot with an open aperture, both for plants and insects.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/viennamakros/


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