For some weird and unknown reason I have been approached a few times over the years by people offering me kit to review, some has been photographic kit while others has been windsurfing kit. I can never understand this as I am not the best at either. On all but a couple of occasions I have politely declined, but sometimes I am intrigued by what I am offered and the Aperlite YH 700C was one of those times. I wondered how anyone could produce a flashgun so well specified for the price. I already have a number of high end Canon Speedlights which cost a pretty penny, so could this device at 1/10th of the price compete on any level whatsoever? I had a lot of doubts and part of me was ready to open the box and find something that wouldn't be out of place in Toys 'R' Us. When the box finally arrived I was quite surprised by the quality of the package.
One area of photography I really enjoy is the macro world. No matter the time of year, the weather or where you are there is something to photograph. In the UK we have over 20,000 insect species which can be photographed all year round, in the summer it is bees, butterflies, beetles, bugs, flies, moths, ants and so much more. Come winter they are a little more scarce, spiders, centipedes, earwigs and all those other little beasties that spend the year clearing up the natural world are a great target group. We also have fungi, snails, lichen or just any object that you can find, even around the home. There is so much that fascinates me, so much to see and all of it from a completely different perspective through the macro lens.
For some reason many people become obsessed by these wonderful little birds. I know one chap for instance who spent nearly 2 months staked out in a local bird hide photographing them and waiting for the day their young would fledge. He very nearly missed it too but we both managed a few shots. I too am guilty of spending an inordinate amount of time trying to get that magic shot of a Kingfisher just as it exits the water with a fish. I have come close but have yet to succeed.
