Disco Larvae

Image has been swapped to color and b/w as an attachment below. Sorry for the confusion.

What

 

is

 

that

 

?

DP, they are mosquito larvae at the water's surface for air. I used to breed them to feed goldfish until Canada was hit by the West Nile Virus carried by infected mosquitoes. They swarm in small pools of water by the thousands - I feed them, they grow, then become live fish food.

 

These are cute little things about 10mm long. There are two other variations here and here.

 

As for the picture, I brought them out to the disco on a Friday night as their final wish.. :-)

You are quite creative and have a sick sense of humor. I really like those qualities in a photographer! Your disco dancers are wonderful!!!

I'm still smiling! what a group of dancers.....It is unbelievable what a creative mind can produce, and you certainly did here ,and in the two examples.Adding what looks a globe? and all the rays in the BG looks like dancers from another planet...;-))which they really are.

 

I smiled as well and think you are right again! about internet education in the forum.

The disco dancers made me forget, for a moment, who or what the dancers are. Very creative and original.

Do you prefer this picture in B&W? Or the color version posted in the

first comment? Thanks for your time.

hehe, I like the color version! How did you make the complex shadow pattern on the floor? That's amazing!!

 

* By the way, I NEVER EVER imagined in my life such a day would come that I consider mosquito larvae cute. @_@

Shawn, Pnina, Paula and Kay, I'm flattered by your kind remarks. The picture was a lot of fun to make and I learned a few things along the way.

 

Kay asked how the dance floor was made - pretty simple: Find a royalty free image of a disco dance floor and skew the perspective until it fits the image. The perspective distortion tool is standard in most popular programs (I use Paintshop-Pro). The lighting was done the same way.

 

The remaining, as you can see is pretty much simple layering and erasing unwanted elements as indicated in the sequenced attachment. No doubt the execution could have been more refined which I might get around to doing some day.

Fantastic! Keep going in your explorations!

you were quite busy during the Larvaes jaunt - the blue one is appealing as well!

I like the color version - it's more "realistic". Great fun!

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation.

 

Although you say it was simple, IT DOESN'T LOOK SIMPLE AT ALL!! :)

I'm a color kinda guy so that's where my vote goes. This is an incredible image. You did wonders with the raw photo. Thanks for sharing the detailed info. Rock on! 7/7

I prefer the color version. BRAVO! A very original and nice idea. Ciao.

Both are great, but the colour one gets my vote too....love it!! Regards, Tina.

BRILLIANT! For something phycodelic like this, colour is definately better! Incredible job and VERY original!

Thanks a bunch to everyone for the feedback. Looks like the color version is preferred so I'll change the posted image (which should take 24 hours to take effect) and place the B/W here.

Great work. I love the new version...although one of the older versions are already in my faves. 10 for originality.

Wonderfully inane and totally innovative! Michael, now then, which disco track did you have in mind as a fitting tribute to your work and these terpsichoreal larvae? :=)

Thanks for stopping in, Tiffany, Mike. The next step might be to Photoshop the larvae by gender.

 

Mike, in view of their final wish before becoming live fish food, I thought The Bee Gees' Stayin' Alive would have been fitting. Can't you just hear the tune? :-)

 

The link below is a YouTube video showing mosquito larvae and pupae (the round things, their next transition state). They wiggle to the surface for air siphoned through their tail, then sink like a stone to the bottom for protection. The pupae is where mosquitoes eventually emerge.

So.. what shall I say....... I am not sure..... almost what Shawn did say... but having fun and making 'photography' is the best ahhhhhhh just wanted to say this is unique, like your are (I think) it has to be, you do inspire me a lot, thanks for that

 

Els

Like you Elsie, I dug deep in my archives to see new possibilities.

 

The nice thing about PN is how we can inspire one another in a way that challenges us to be at our best. It's a continued learning process for me and I have everyone here to thank for the encouragement.

I definitely preferred the colour version that is so realistically modern. Creative work & innovative mind to produce this. Really very very intriguing image.

Michael, I could lend you a snapshot while you are working at your next sensation?