If you’ve been reading Photocritic for a while, you’ll have seen my post on how to make a killing jar (and the dozens of comments to the effect that it was mean to kill insects) and the backlash which was ‘why kill ‘em, when taking live photos of insects is far better?’
With that, I expected it all to be over and done with, but I did get a comment which I think deserves a post all of its own. You’ll never guess how this reader suggests to stun insects before photographing them…
Eh check it out i know of a way to put insects into an almost comatose like state that would allow you to manipulate them touch move and almost damn near do anything you want to them…
This is going to sound strange and maybe even harsh but believe when i say through extensive research and study it does work and the insects depending on the extreme may or may not survive…you ready MARIJUANA…YES I HAVE DONE THIS MYSELF AND KNOW IT WORKS!
Ok you have a blunt joint or what ever you rolled it up to smoke with hell even a bong would work… you take a regular jar or cup preferably a mason jar with a lid to trap the insect.
Once trapped on the jar you dont kill it: light the blunt and either hit it or turn it around for a shotgun. crack the jar and blow the smoke in be careful not to let the bug out but fill the jar with smoke FILL IT all the way up… Let it sit until you see the wasp drop they will be very high and it will be evident they will still move and be alive…
Remove the top and turn jar over to drop the bug out of the smoke… You will only have a short time for the insects senses come back and it starts moving and walking around shortly after they will try to take flight but will only be able to fly in circles for a short time.
NOTE… remember it is weed and they are high they can overdose and die the longer submerged in the smoke or even if you recapture and try again a little while later they might die immediately. Like i said wasps work better they seem to withstand the THC a little better… Flies die immediately… Bees are kind of funny they die easily but if done repeatedly to a number of bees it seems they like it and come back for more EVERY TIME IF IM LYIN IM DYIN….BUT that takes a while and require a different method.
(I know all of this because I had a beehive behind my house that i baked out with a bunch of times and the bees became very tame and easily handled they had no interest in stinging anything and always came out when i smoked in my backyard)
This tip was sent by an anonymous submitter – if you’re out there, drop me an e-mail and let me know who I should attribute this to!
Also, while this post is true to the spirit of the tip, I’ve tidied it up a little: It was littered with spelling, typing, and grammatical errors. I fear perhaps the commenter had taken a little too much of his own medicine before clicking the ‘send’ button. Thanks muchly, though – it might just be the golden middle way between photographing live and dead insect… They might just be slightly mashed, though. Man.
Do you enjoy a smattering of random photography links? Well, squire, I welcome thee to join me on Twitter - Follow @Photocritic
© Kamps Consulting Ltd. This article is licenced for use on Pixiq only. Please do not reproduce wholly or in part without a license. More info.
The simplest product Moo does is Moo minicards. It’s like business cards, but with a difference: Upload up to 100 pictures, or let Moo take the photos directly from your Flickr stream, and you get up to 100 different mini business cards.
And that’s where the greatness of Moo cards come in. The first time someone gets a Moo minicard in their hands, the response is, invariably, Ooh, wow, that’s superb! Then, they usually run off to get their own Moo cards printed. Then, something fun happens: The second time someone gets a Moo card, they smile conspiratorially, and nod. And that’s where the fraternity of Moo begins.
A bit of further research shows that the vast majority of photographers shun the idea of killing insects to get photos of them – in 
It’s a much simpler solution than some others out there, and it looks damn fine, too. I caught up with James Pierce, who works for 
“Artists and buyers from around the world are brought together online to interact, transact and enjoy art.”, he says, and claims that the most talented photographers have been able to make a large number of sales, too.
Eager to give me the marketing spiel of how RB works, James explains how it all hangs together: “RedBubble is free to sign up, and takes the risk out of selling your photos on-line – RedBubble only earns money when you succeed and sell your work. The photographer sets the retail price for everything they sell by choosing their percentage mark-up above the base price set by
What’s this? A honourable art gallery / picture peddler? Surely not? Well, yeah, that’s how it works! With products available spanning everything from simple flat prints (from $15) via mounted prints (from $40) to gorgeous, framed prints (from $80), there’s something for everybody!
Instead, at the very least use a c-shell case (they are light-weight and sturdy, so they can be sent in the mail easily). Having said that, we also frequently work with a photographer who send in his DVD in a full-size DVD case (like the ones films come in) and prints off two of the best photos on the front and back cover of the DVD. It probably takes him 3 minutes – if that – but we never lose his DVDs in the mail, and it allows us to see at a glance what is inside. It sounds mundane, but we love the guy for it – why not be remembered by the arts people as someone who does everything they can to be on their side?
What are your experiences with using mobile phones / camera phones / for photography purposes? Personally, I’ve seen some incredible shots done with mobile phones. 
The lens I have is the Lensbaby 3G, which is the newest and funkiest Lensbaby created to date. It’s a funky-looking little lens which has a vast range of versitility. You can use it like the original lensbaby, by just squeezing it (to focus) and bending it (for selective focus) by hand, or you can lock it off. When you lock the collar, the little sticks that stick out through the lens come to their own: They’re actually threaded, so you can twist them to fine-adjust the focus and selective focus of the lens. In addition, there’s a focussing ring you can use to get focus right, rather then compressing or stretching the whole bellow.
For Aperture, the Lensbaby has a really clever solution, too: instead of a shutter-based aperture, the lens uses small black circular bits that are held in place in front of the lens element by magnets! It sounds completely ridiculous, but it works surprisingly well.
Anyone buying a holga expecting hasselblad results would be foolish indeed – for many who have seen the results the urge to own and use one is the need to escape the over saturated digital market – ready made crystal clear, sharp and predictable images at a snap. Now anyone can be a technically great photographer without using so much as half an hour charging the battery for a point and shoot without any prior experience with a camera.
Another great marketing idea.. the holga crossed over into “Lomography”. The holga carries on the tradition where the LCA left. Nothing to do with the soviet union Lomo factory (made in hong kong) it was dragged in as another lomographic gimick that produces similar but heightened results, pushed on bored lomographers as the natural step further into the cult. The lomo story was a brave one if it stayed were it was – underground. It has essentially became what it balked at from the begining and become a great money spinner.
One of the things that put a lot of people off from photography is the exorbitant cost of absolutely everything. Equipment and camera rental can be an affordable way to get the shots you want without sacrificing quality.
I currently use a local outfit here in Vancouver called 
Renting equipment is a choice I’ve made because it works for me, for now. I know I won’t be doing it forever, and I know it’s not the best choice for everyone.
Lens Rental Cons: