Biography:
My wife, (step)daughter, and I live on a one-acre plot of land in rural Collier County, Florida - just outside of Naples. We are always out on the property, landscaping, working in the garden, etc. I do the big, manly stuff like dragging and cutting heavy things. My wife does the detail work. My (step)daughter stays inside away from the heat, humidity, gnats and mosquitoes.
I take pictures professionally in a forensics setting, but definitely prefer to be outside stalking dragonflies, butterflies, and whatever else comes into view.
Equipment:
Home - Nikon D70, Sigma 28-80mm, Sigma 70-300mm with "macro-" capability (not really, but it gets close...). I prefer, however, to use my +1/+2/+4 diopters on the 28-80mm lens. The results are crisper than the "macro-" setting on the 70-300mm can give. The 70-300mm "macro-" function is useful, though, for skittish specimens. I use either natual light or the "on-board" flash, which can be a bummer. The next purchase for the camera will be a decent speedlight, but budget doesn't allow right now!
Office - Nikon D80 with 18-55mm Nikon lens, Nikon SB-600 speedlight, and I typically cheat the "macro-" stuff by using Tiffen +1/+2/+4 diopters. It's not unusual for me to place an insect on a light table to illuminate it from underneath, and I fill in the light gaps by using the speedlight. I am still tweaking this stuff, and hopefully one day I'll have a real macro lens.
For now, these setups will do.
