Caterpillar

My contribution to NBCC's "Nature's Best" entry.

Nature's best are horses. But Got created this ugly creature, too. Why? It's simply overworked.:-) The photo is beautiful, Carl. You managed to bottle up the initial disgust with the bug generously filling the frame with light and colours. Extremely precise DOF ! And since I like autumn leaves, maybe, I should acquiesce with the existence of this thing. Why so many antennae? Does it use them as walking sticks to feel its way? Is it blind? Jesus, I'm starting to like it ?! Regards. Blago

Blagoy, you're having entirely too much fun with this one. Maybe we should give this guy a name, like 'George'. Then people might make a connection.

Blago took the words right out of my mouth. You have managed to take something very repulsive to me and make it beautiful and interesting. I'm thinking of demanding you take all my portraits! LOL

Carl, nice image. Why does it look so distorted? What lens were you using? Love the colors and the background...

Funny, Blagoy. Took me a while . . .

 

Dave, 'George' looks kind of elongated on the bottom, doesn't he? Maybe that's part of the locomotion sequence. The image was rotated 90 degrees, but I don't think that explains it.

I took down my previous comment with a picture, hesitating is it good for your image, then uploaded it again seeing your reaction, then took it down again, finally considering it a bad taste. Sorry for that. Regards. Blago

That makes sense. I didn't think about locomotion. That is really nice. I really do wish the technical data were visible on the critique page. Switching back and forth is a pain... Dave

Blagoy, of course it was in bad taste. That's why I liked it!

Great, Carl. You've captured nature's beautiful colors and shown how evolution has managed to have those colors work together across plant and animal kingdoms. This is about more than pretty colors. It's about synthesis and unity.

Suppose it's not a leaf but a photograph. Seems enough to implement your last idea. Even you could develop it further by selecting the blurred image we'd see under the caterpillar's "feet". Just a thought. Regards. Blago

Thank you, John.

 

Blagoy, I don't understand your idea.

'George' eating/looking at a photograph ?

Gotcha. . . . . . . . Funny :-)

Far and away the best bug shot I've seen on this site (and I've seen a million of them). You've managed to turn what is normally a technical exercise into a graphic triumph. Great original work.

but which way is it he going? the leaf while pretty to us doesnt seem to be appetizing to him..or wouldnt there be some marks from all the gnawing. Its elongated because its posing, thats what a truly gifted catepillar does in the presence of a photographer such as Carl.

Carl, Good positioning of your subject in the frame. The black background and dark colours increase the sense of drama. I'll assume the head is at the top or I'd have to dock you for 'subject not allowed enough room to move into the frame'. :( Best, LM.

I think "George" is the most beautiful and original bug image that I have ever seen.

Carl, Ilove the colors in this one as well as the overall sharpness. Did you also shoot this without the green area at the top right corner?

I shot a couple using a tripod and a step ladder fitted with custom feet. All pretty much the same. He was just too close to the edge to get nothing but leaf, and anyway I liked the contrast.

Contrary to the others I don't find George disgusting at all. I actually find him pretty cool, albeit he is kind of hairy, but when it comes to caterpillars I think the more bizarre the more interesting.

 

As far as the combined image; I think it does a great job of presenting thy unique and hairly larva well.

I agree. "Uglyness" can be "prettyness". Probably the posted version is not big enough to show more defined, sharper hairs/antennas.

 

The almost fluorescent color of the leave is an excellent complement for the insect.