Frying Flies

Fantastic Scott.  Tell us how you did it!

LOL... superb!

yes. do tell us how you did it!!! is it dead and you positioned her in the kitchen?

amazing and super fun shot!!!

Thanks.  I made the setup with a dollhouse stove and pan.  Designed some wallpaper and printed it off on plain paper and taped it to my macro stage setup that I use somewhat often.  Put dead flies in pan.  Set camera up, let mantis loose in front of stove, held remote shutter release in one hand and a stick to direct the mantis in the other.  This was by far the most difficult model I have ever worked with.  This mantis is about the size of my hand and it's all legs and they are always moving.  It usually immediately went straight up and climbed as high as it could.  It took quite a few shots to get this one.

Awesome shot Scott, and even better, the story behind it.  Those pincers look like lethal weapons. 

Also forgot to mention I super glued the pan down.  It was tough enough with her sticking her feet in and scattering the flies when crawling up.  It would have been impossible with a loose pan on the stove.  She would have been knocking it on the floor constantly.

Amazing shot Scott! And I thought still life shots were difficult with all the background "help" I receive from my cats! Your patience has paid off well. Thank you for sharing. :)

No Photoshop going on here, Les.  You're probably making a joke about the remark on my dog and mantis photo though.  I guess I should take it as a compliment when people think my photos must be Photoshopped or I must be using dead mantises.  Thanks.