Roll No. 480: Fuji Velvia 50 + 7mm Tube

I'm certainly no expert when it comes to macro photography. I have a set of macro extension tubes in Pentax K mount but they haven't had much use since I got them last year, so I wouldn't even call myself a macro enthusiast - I am a full-blown novice. 

Springtime in Saskatchewan usually happens at least 3-4 weeks after everyone starts sharing their wonderful photos of spring flora and blossoms in bloom. This year's bloom in Saskatchewan is now underway and causing me a slight panic with only having two rolls of precious color reversal film in my crisper drawer. 

On the long way home from work on a sunny day, I found my subject - a diminutive tree bursting with pink blossoms in the midday sun. If there were an golden opportunity I was saving my last roll of Velvia 50 for, this was it. I was going to shoot with the Canon Elan II + Sigma 35mm 1.4 ART, since it's the closest focusing lens in my toolbox but I ended up breaking out the unused tubes and getting much closer with my K1000 + 40mm pancake.

The extra speed would have been nice. I rated the roll at EI 32 (I usually rate 1/3 over to account for my metering technique/habits) and was sitting somewhere around 1/30 for most of the roll. That being said, there are a mix of soft and sharp frames and I enjoy the look and feel of both. 

I'll admit, it was tricky to compose at first. I went with the 7mm tube since I didn't want to go FULL MACRO. I like the mix of subject and background. In the end, I wish I would have brought the 14mm with me for a bit of variety. Maybe next spring. 

Processed as E6