Mole Cricket

[Don Jacobs]

This is my first time ever seeing one of these. My daughter found it at the park. I shot it using the 1DIV, MPE, and flash along with tripod. C&C greatly appreciated.
http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww103/deerlvr_2009/0b69f497-514e-4da3-b74d-d84e7d17ef97_zpse124007d.jpg (http://s710.photobucket.com/user/deerlvr_2009/media/0b69f497-514e-4da3-b74d-d84e7d17ef97_zpse124007d.jpg.html)

[Jonathan Ashton]

Very nicely detailed and exposed, not too sure what is going on in the bottom right corner, there appears to be some kind of artefact I am not sure if is compression or something like that??
The tripos certainly gave you the opportunity to get a sharp image - well done. Did you take any less close in? I would love to get a good look at the whole critter.

[Don Jacobs]

Here is a shot of the entire insect.
http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww103/deerlvr_2009/e5e5981e-957d-4ef3-b8b2-7a72644c56ee_zpsfb720ead.jpg (http://s710.photobucket.com/user/deerlvr_2009/media/e5e5981e-957d-4ef3-b8b2-7a72644c56ee_zpsfb720ead.jpg.html)

[Ian Cassell]

Wow, he looks straight out of a science fiction movie! I really like the image of the full bug, but am not as sure about the close-up. Clipping off the antennae and the hidden mandible leave the eye -- maybe a tighter crop on that would have been interesting.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Nice to see the full insect, I have only ever seen close ups of the head. Insects like this can be tricky you feel obliged to fill the frame to show detail and if you get too close you lose out on DOF, nevertheless an interesting shot.
(What is the surface it is on?)

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Don. Mole crickets are pretty cool with their front legs so specialized for digging. Very nice detail within your DOF and the flash was handled well. I'm wondering if you can pull any more detail out of the very dark lower portion of the eye? I would suggest cloning the white string-like bit of debris at the top of the frame as it draws my eye. Like Jon, I'm noticing the odd background artifacts in the LRC and on either side of the antennas. Some work with the clone and patch tool would likely clear those up. With a few tweaks this will be a very nice head shot of an unusual insect. :S3:

[Mitch Haimov]

Close up of the "face" works for me, Don, tho the comp might be stronger with the camera a little lower and left (i.e., eye closer to UR ROT position and more of the antennae and mouth parts included). You made great use of the limited DOF and the texture is fantastic. I keep wondering how it would have turned out with the flash head on your right around your 3:00 position. Overall, a very interesting image.

Wings in the repost are very interesting and would have made a great subject for another detail image. Why the watermark through the second image?

[Jason Stander]

What a critter... first image... your detail and comp is well exposed... maybe bring back the detail in the shadows... there is a view processing artifacts????... the second image is my favorite... good detail and exp... WD Don!