Caterpillar-Anise Butterfly

[Dave Leroy]

Taken last July and cropped fairly heavily. I would have preferred the caterpillar higher in frame but I did not like the leaf coming in from the bottom.
5DIII, 70/200mm/2.8 lens plus 2X TC at 342mm, ISO800, f/5.6, 1/250

[Jonathan Ashton]

Super exposure, I think we have had a shot of one of these amazing caterpillar previously and I am just wondering are we looking at the front or the rear? Could be it is the head but the moth parts are a little under the front as it were. I am not too sure about the need for such a wide crop, but if you did place the caterpillar higher that leaf on the right would be a cinch to clone and patch or brush out. In a way it reminds me of your lovely ladybird shot - just needs a little more DOF. I suspect you will have more images - have you - perhaps some make it a little more obvious to the relative layman which end is which and perhaps a more side on view you would get away with a relatively wide aperture?? I know I will sound like a taper recorder but images like this will often benefit from a using a tripod, it slows you down and gives pause for reflection upon composition, and of course subject permitting a much slower shutter speed can be used.

[Dave Leroy]

Hi Jonathan,
I don't have anything better to tell which end is which. However I just checked out Bug Guide and suspect that I have focused on the rear end.
It was such a long while ago I can't quite remember all the particulars so will need to keep a sharper eye out for that sort of thing.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Dave. What a colorful caterpillar! Yup, you are focused on the rear end - even though the markings there look like a face. :t3 Very nice lighting and background. I might be tempted to crop out the leaf on the right and obviously, the image would be stronger if we were looking at the head end of the caterpillar and if you could have moved more to your left to get the entire body within your DOF. :S3:

[Dave Leroy]

Well. I have to admit that the little critter looks happy going away.

[nick clayton]

Superb background and subject colours makes this a standout image Dave, maybe a bit more DOF would have been good.