Retroreflectors

Retroreflectors

Macro view of a car turn signal showing the retroreflector pattern on the inside of the lens. Backlit.

This was shot on Fuji Velvia 50 slide film. Equipment used: Nikon FM-2 body, 3 inches of extension tubes, 28mm lens mounted normally on the tubes. Shutter speed not recorded. Aperture f/22, one stop below maximum for the lens. Whole thing mounted on a tripod.

Because of the amount of macro, the lens was resting against the outer plastic of the turn signal and the pattern you see is on the inside of the turn signal. One of the few successful times where the tripod was actually a bipod :-)

Lighting was the sun shining straight through the turn signal, so this was very backlit. I exposed for the highlight and let the rest of the image fall to shadow.

The biggest issue I had was looking into the view finder at a highly backlit turn signal lens further focused by the camera’s lens. I had to view from a steep angle that would allow me to see the in-camera’s meter without actually looking at the image itself.

Retroreflectors belongs to the following groups:

Yellow Gallery, Cars, Motorbikes and Motorsports and Technical Buffs Available for sale as

Greeting Cards and Laminated Prints