I’m so used to taking photos of fast-moving ants and beetles that a sedentary insect comes as something of a relief. Instead, the challenge with this Belostoma giant water bug was lighting the shot.
Aquariums are prone to reflections and dust on the glass. I arranged a diffused flash above the tank, positioned behind the glass so as not to leave a reflection by illuminating the camera.
Photo details: Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens on a Canon EOS 50D
ISO 100, f/8.0, 1/200 sec, diffused overhead flash
IT not Friday Alex you got your day mixed up :)))))
It’s kind of like Friday here, though. We have the long Thanksgiving weekend starting tomorrow.
True bug, not a beetle, so we still have something to look forward to.
Great shots!
I dunno for how long, though. I’m running dangerously low on both beetle photos and the time to go out and photograph new ones. At this rate I might have to resort to linking to Ted MacRae every Friday instead…
🙂
Did you hand hold the flash heads above the water? Also, you’ve mentioned your tissue diffuser setup doesn’t work with the 100mm, so how did you diffuse the flash?
I just think these are really awesome shots!
Very nice shots! I’d like to see what you could do with a Lethocerus.
~Kai
Oddly enough, the larger the insect the harder it is for me to photograph it well. The sets start becoming simply enormous- perhaps a whole foot or more across(!)- and that’s a lot of extra prep work compared to the miniature sets needed for tiny subjects. So Belostoma is easier than Lethocerus.
I do have this shot of a Lethocerus out of water. It’s not doing anything terribly exciting, though. Someday I’ll get one of those dramatic predation shots where it’s eating a toddler. Or something.
Fantastic, as usual. I know you know, but it’s still
nice to hear it. We are never so harsh as when we judge ourselves.
Attractive critter. These are very good shots!