macro 2 Untitled

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It is hard to hide the obvious flash in PS but use of flash diffusers could have improved an otherwise excellent image IMHO.

Well balanced in terms of light and composition.

Regards,

Konstantin

Meni se čini ovaj makro totalno sjajan! Bravo.

Magnificent macro shot Peter

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Visitors have browsed the gallery, found a few striking images and want to know things like why is it a good picture, why

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indeed, why doesn't it work, or how could it be improved? Try to answer such questions with your contribution.

 

I don't know much about macro photography but this is strikes me as an excellent photograph. If the purpose of macro is to show me something I cannot see with my plain eye, then this has achieved it's purpose. I love the detail of the water on the bug.It reminds me of how amazing and simple life is, and how lucky I am to have my showers in private (smile). I love that the bug is on top of the leaf...it's like us humans ...whenever we're in the up-swing of things we try to grab on and stay there for a while...This image simply puts me in a good mood.

This is a beautifully composed photograph. You've made this look so perfect that it almost looks easy. The bokeh is spectacular, not only the softness but the brilliant color and the subject lighting is well done (not always an easy thing in macro). I would have asked your bug to raise his other antennae for the sake of symmetry but you know what they say about photographing kids and bugs ;)

 

The only other quibble I have would be that it might have looked even more impressive in portrait so that you could see the end of the shepherd's hook on the leaf rather than an arch where both ends of the leaf seem to rest on the bottom of the frame.

 

Beautiful work, Peter.

The sharpness of this photo is excellent, it makes one thing the bug is going to move. The composition is excellent.

Hi Folks, It's me again.

 

I too feel that the out of focus antenna is a candadate for a little Photoshop work. I would play with it trying to make it look in focus and I think if worked on long and hard enough it is posssible. True, it wouldn't be totally and journalistically or scientifically correct, but who cares about a little retouch on such a photograph. I get the impression, although it may just be my monitor, that the more or less in focus antenna has been worked on a little in Photoshop as the background nearby appears mottled just a little and could be smoothed somewhat.

 

It is overall, a superb image, and mostly sharp as a tack (with the exception of that antenna). Using the loop of greenery to hold the subject in the right place, as required by the rule of thirds, is effective for displaying the little critter. That should make most people viewing it look with the same admiration I felt when I first looked at the shot. It truly is near perfect. The blurred background and the color shift left to right is wonderful. You get a couple of extra "atta boys" for those items.

 

I searched for a way to improve by cropping to no avail. Ya done good!

 

Willie the Cropper

Questions for learning:

Did you spray the bug and plant with a mister to get the water drops?

How much time did you have to set up the image? I find that bugs, bees, and butterflies move quickly, leaving little creative time?

Nice bokeh. What lens did you use?

 

Great image. Thanks for the responses to my questions.

Its a great macro, but I am tired of seeing insects and such sprayed with water,its just not natural.I would have preferred you had taken the shot original.Another thing to note, photos (macro world) that are set up do not get published.Don,t get me wrong I think its a fantastic shot, but please stay natural.

It's focusssed/sharp and the bug is unusual, but it just doesn't "do it" for me. I don't like the unnatural, garish background and, once noticed, the out of focus antenna is untidy. I'm not a fan of the "misted look" either; it's getting a bit overused, cliched. You have some other macros in your folder that I prefer - photo_id=6493305 and photo_id=6478534 amongst others.

Hello,

 

This photo was taken early in the morning, the water drops are dew and not sprayed, the lens is canon EF 100 USM macro and lens diopter +6.

 

!!!

All my photos of insects are taken in the early morning, when is dewy and cold - I can come very close to insect, because when is cold they simply freeze. All those water drops on insects are just drops of dew. I've never sprayed water on insects. And all animals on my photos are alive.

 

Thanks for the critiques

 

Peter

This is is an example of how far this forum has advanced people. A few years ago these astounding macros are nowhere to be seen but

there has been quite a number of these beautiful, technically accomplished macro photos on PN of late...a very positive development. It is

refreshing that the authors are always very forthcoming with technical advices too. The standards for macros have just been lifted. My

congratulations.

Kind regards, Hung Nguyen

In my opinion the only thing that bothered my about this magnificent macro was a bit of over-sharpening that makes it a bit unreal. I tried to fix it with aphtophoto FixFocus.

Composition is nice, Subject is good and shapes are great, but I am not impressed wih the technical quality of the photo. Water drops are looking so artificial, may be original but not looking natural. Background gradiants are good.

 

But the overall minimum objects in the photograph is one of the strongest point of this photograph.

 

Wish a goodliuck to get better than this.

There are a couple of things about this shot that I really like.

Whatever the light source was here, I like all the tiny catchlights in the drops of morning dew...they add a jewel-like quality to the image.

I also like how the curve in blade of grass (if that's what it is) sort of mirrors the shape of the insect's back.

It seems strange...actually a bit silly...to me that even after the photographer explained that he didn't mist the insect for the photograph, and that the dew drops are totally natural, some people complain that they don't look natural. Should the photographer have attempted to manipulate the image to make what occurs in nature look more "real"? I don't think so.

I don't shoot macro, simply because I don't have the skill or the patience, but I can appreciate quality work in the genre when I see it, and I think this is an excellent example. With this shot, and others in his portfolio, the photographer gives us a look into part of our world that a lot of us are unaware of.

It's a decent macro shot with a nice colorful bg. Sorry, but I'm not buying the dew story. I immidiately thought this bug was sprayed and after viewing the rest of his Peter's macro portfolio, I'm convinced it's more than just dew. I'm not against spraying a bug to get a more intriguing shot, just think it's a little over done here.

An excellent composition & very good macro shot. It appears a bit over-sharpened

Hello Peter,

 

Super photograph. Extraordinary details with very beautiful color and a perfect DOF.

 

Congratulation.

I do a lot of macro work and especially in the early mornings.I have done it in many different countries for many publications, and I have never seen as much (dew) on any insect, beetle or bug as this.Peter is a fabulous macro photographer, but I think he needs to loose this overly wet look.

verry gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood

Should Peter have given the bug a towel maybe???

Great photo!!!

 

I know Peter very well and I`am familiar vith his photography. He will never spreyd the insects.