Edwardian Insects on Film

[Guest]

I watched a really interesting program today called Edwardian Insects on Film, on BBC iplayer. In particular, it will interest macro photographers and the program looks at the films created by Percy Smith, whom filmed flies juggling objects, as well as experimenting with time-lapse and animation.

 

It's still available to watch on BBC iplayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rd376

 

Well worth seeing.

Edited March 21, 2013 by Mark

[Phil]

Just spent an hour at work watching this. Fascinating!

[annie]

i am saving this to watch on the isle of wight next week....

[Phil]

i am saving this to watch on the isle of wight next week....

Only 4 days left to watch, according to iplayer anyway.

[annie]

i shall watch it on sunday in that case...thanks for that phil...

[Guest DaveW]

Interesting find Mark, I only watched bits of it but noted the use of the optical bench even in those days where camera and subject are mounted together to reduce differential movement whilst filming. Many of us older ones will remember Oxford Scientific Films using a more elaborate modern optical bench for some of their nature films on the BBC and even claiming they could do macro filming at sea on the heaving deck of a boat doing it.  Here is one of their set-ups:-

 

 

The principle of coupling everything together on rails, or a common base, is also used in stills photography rather than having the camera hand held or tripod mounted for high magnification work and the subject on a separate surface:-

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/6689335483/

Edited March 22, 2013 by DaveW