Micael Widell Newsletter #26
Captain's log
May was a good month. Not spectacular, but not bad. Just good. I made many solid new videos. I had a lot of time for my family. I enjoyed life.
/Micael
My favorite photo of May
The photo I took during May that I am most proud of is this one. It is a handheld manual focus stack, and in this video I explain exactly how I did it. Handheld focus stacking is something I never managed to pull off earlier, but since I learned how to do it in Photoshop I find it pretty easy (and lots of fun)! I made one more video with handheld focus stacks.
Weevil getting ready for flight
Take a look at this fascinating video of a Weevil getting ready to fly. Awesome stuff!
Instagram picks
Below some photographs I found on Instagram recently that I find very beautiful. As always, click on the username in the header to go to the photographer's instagram profile!
@esthers_eyes
@the_sound_of_the_shell
@steyle_com
@macro_hobby_miami
@quenoteam
@notename
@macro.tal
@mattd85
Purchase I am excited about
When I go on shorter photo walks, I prefer to only bring my camera and one lens, and then I either take no bag at all, or a very small shoulder bag. But when I am out a bit longer - a few hours, it is nice to have a snack and some drink, and perhaps a bit more gear. I wanted a bag for that. My requirements are that it should be super comfortable, small and compact, and that I should be able to access my camera very quickly and easily. In the end, after doing quite a bit of research, I found the Peak Design Zip 15l backpack.
It was love at first sight. I have now used it for a few days and I have never loved a backpack as much as this one. I find it a lot more beautiful and minimalistic than Peak Design's previous bags. It is also extremely comfortable, breathes of high quality, and it is very simple to access your stuff through the side openings without taking off the bag. Perfect for daytrips or as a daybag when traveling! My wife even loved it and wants to buy one for herself, even though she is not into photography! It also comes in 20l if you want a slightly larger bag.
As a parenthesis, if you want a laugh, have a look at this hilarious video where Peak Design mock Amazon for copying their bags.
My Published Videos since the last newsletter
- Samyang 100mm f/2.8 Macro Lens Review – Still a good purchase in 2021?
- My Collection of 17 Cameras and 37 Lenses: Sample Photos + Descriptions
- Polarizing Filter for Macro Photography – A Good Idea?
- 7Artisans 50mm f/1.05 Lens Review + Sample Photos
- Handheld Macro Photography Focus Stacking in Photoshop – Tutorial
- Best Flash Batteries for Macro Photography?
- Laowa 25mm Handheld Focus Stacks of Insects
- 7Artisans 60mm f/2.8 mk II Macro Lens Review (new redesigned 2021 version of the lens!)
- 5 Years with a Camera – From Beginner to Making a Living with it
Goodbye for now
Thank you for reading this far, and see you in a month! Feel free to follow me on YouTube, Instagram and Twitter in the meantime. And also feel free to tell your friends about this newsletter, and to reply to it if you have feedback or comments :)
/Micael