Giant Water Bug

[Steve Maxson]

Giant Water Bugs (Family Belostomatidae) are aquatic predators that capture prey (most anything they are able to subdue) with their raptorial forelegs and then they inject the prey with digestive enzymes which liquify its insides so the GWB can suck out the juices. In the US, some species can be 65 mm long, but this is one of the smaller species (likely Belostoma sp.) and its body is 24 mm in length. It is breathing at the surface. 2.5 gal aquarium setup, 1D IV, 100 mm macro, 1/125, f/14, ISO 160, 2 remotely fired 430EX flashes (manual mode, diffused), tripod, live-view manual focus. I removed some of the floating bits of debris in the water and ran nr on the background. All comments are welcome and appreciated.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Steve I am going to run out of superlatives PDQ! This is superb, I like everything, there is one tiny thing I would consider: I suspect there is a green/yellow cast due to algae etc, it may be worthwhile trying a reduction globally in the green/yellow just to see if there is an improvement - maybe not but I reckon it might be worth just taking a peek.

[Norm Dulak]

Steve.

Your setup sounds complex, but it snagged another great one here. The lacy background and color variations on the substrate set off the beast nicely. But in view of its predatory MO, it's good that it's only about an inch long!

[Jerry van Dijk]

That is one scary bug Steve! Details captured are excellent and the bug gave you a very good pose. I do find the image a bit busy, because of the BG and the bright greens on the perch.

[Steve Maxson]

Thanks for the comments Jon, Norm, and Jerry! Here is a repost where I've adjusted color balance to increase blues and reduce greens. (I've noticed that the colors vary depending on where the flashes are placed - so getting them "real" in post is rather subjective - and challenging.) I also used NIK Viveza 2 to selectively reduce brightness and saturation in the brightest greens of the equesetum stem. Is it better, or just different? :S3:

[Mitch Haimov]

Another very fine image, Steve. I prefer the second version, more because of the reduced brightness in the greens than for the color correction (tho that helps too). I think you just might get the hang of this whole aquatic-invertebrate-in-an-aquarium-photography thing yet! ; ) The top of that stem appears carved and painted.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I think the environment and the bug is better but perhaps the plants are a little too vivid?? - Perhaps a little too much yellow???