Green Milkweed Locusts II

[Gabriela Plesea]

This is a follow-up on a previous image I posted not long ago. I am still experimenting with Macro-although I have a number of images of these Locusts taken at various F-stops, I somehow prefer this one...I tried to clone here and there when it came to the foreground, these little chaps were found on paving and the man-made bricks didn't look good at all...

EXIF:

Nikon D3S
Nikon 105mm
1/1000s
F9

Kind regards,

[Diane Miller]

Absolutely wonderful!! The DOF is perfect, and so elegant on the ground, which is a perfect color for them. The way their positions mirror one another is special. Good work!

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Diane, so kind of you to comment:S3:

Oops...I just noticed a smaller copyright sign next to my signature...my apologies...do not know if it is possible to replace this image with the correction:tinysmile_shy_t:...

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Gabriela, neat image, you are certainly spreading your wings in the diversity of photography, excellent.

If it was me I would have moved a fraction to the left to get the head in the BKG between the antennas, then moved the whole crop right. This would make the subjects off centre and you would have the nice shadow too. Getting low and have eye level contact is the way to go. :cheers:

You might like to consider:

- Adding a luminosity adjustment at around 30% helps the brighter areas tonally
- Two Curves adjustments for the Blacks, then the whites, with masks applied
- A mid tone layer adjustment
- A tad more sharpening

I'll drop you a line.

TFS
Steve

[Gabriela Plesea]

Hello Steve:wave: Did not think I'd be discovered in Macro :bg3:!!! Well I would like to participate in all forums if I can help it...

Will try your suggestions (I must actually thank you, seeing the results you achieve by just making a few changes makes me learn, fast. I never worked in layers and often did not understand Photoshop language. I was/am limited by not knowing all that Photoshop can do for an image. It is pretty scary, how much I have to learn...)

Warmest regards,

[Steve Kaluski]

It is pretty scary, how much I have to learn

It's not scary and understand the basics and it's easy, trust me, but remember, 'you are the Lion tamer' don't let it tame you! :bg3:

Check Andre's email.

[Mitch Haimov]

Another fabulous image, Gabriela! I agree with Steve's compositional suggestions, and recognize that such things are (unfortunately) easier to see after the fact than in the field, especially when you are on your belly and your subjects are moving. Wouldn't have realized they are on a non-natural surface if you hadn't mentioned it; the color works well with the subjects. Very nice work.

[Jerry van Dijk]

Hi Gabriela, very nice pose of the locusts, I like the symmetry of the antennae. Some very good suggestions already made. The ligth is a bit harsh, but Steve's suggestions will probably take care of that.

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you every one for your comments and critique, and especially Steve who was so kind to show me how to improve this image:S3:. I hope to post some more images in Macro and Flora, enjoying the challenge tremendously!

Kind regards,

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Gabriela. Excellent eye-level shooting angle and good sharpness within your DOF. I like Steve's suggestion about trying to center the second one's head. The bright light wasn't helping you, but Steve has some good suggestions there too. (Maybe we should make him a Macro mod. :S3: ) The substrate looks totally natural to me. You might consider cloning some of the OOF white spots in the foreground. Overall, this is very nicely done!

[Gabriela Plesea]

Thank you Steve, I will bear in mind your advice when it comes to composing next time:w3 I remember lying on the ground in front of these two locusts and they were walking towards me, could not get focus on them...this happened in the local game reserve, it was not a picnic site but more like a kiosk so there were people walking by and staring at me,I was neatly dressed but full of dust and crawling on my knees and elbows on the ground. They must have thought I was out of my mind, he he:bg3:

[vishaljadhav]

Nicely done here, i like the way its captured
Good suggestions above too
i do like the mirror effect captured here