Dandelion Madness

Day 190: They say that everything has a purpose. I will allow that (given the possible exceptions of mosquitoes and ticks), especially after creating this "happy accident" from a reasonably boring "Little Big Shot" macro of a dandelion seedhead. I hadn't even noticed the rainbow refractions until I'd completed the "orbifying" process. That's one of the fun things about Orbs: you can't predict the results to any great degree. Admittedly, Orbs may be only slightly higher in rank with regard to purposelessness as those ticks and mosquitoes I mentioned, but I think "eye candy" has its merits.

New Camera Accessories

Day 185: "Oh, no! Another gardening post!" I can hear you now. No, the Vinca minor was modelling for a test of a new piece of camera equipment, a "Little Big Shot."

You'll notice I stopped right there, without calling it a lens, without calling it a filter. I'd put it in the category of filters, but the manufacturer refers to it as a lens. It was designed for "bridge" cameras like my Canon SX30 IS which do not have interchangeable lenses. In fact, out of the box, the SX30 doesn't accept filters, either. I purchased an adapter ring which allows me to use 58mm filters. The Little Big Shot is, in short, a lens in a frame which attaches to the camera by means of an elastic band. It's not elegant, but hey, it does a great job, as you can see here. I have a set of macro filters which seem to distort the subject a bit more than is acceptable to me, and do not give as good resolution. I believe the vignetting in this shot is due to the fact that I did not remove the adapter ring I normally use for filters before attaching the LBS. All in all, I'm quite happy with this new...whatever you want to call it. It will be in my camera bag, and those macro filters may stay home.