Speckled Bush Cricket

[Phill Luckhurst]

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3862/14810471174_3b8272122b_b.jpg

I love the jaws of these little beasties. Sadly, I don't often find them as I would have liked to do some more shots. This one was taken with the 7D + EF-S 60mm with 20mm of Extension Tubes (F14, 1/200th. ISO 100). I already had the tube on as I was shooting a small jumping spider when I saw this. I used a speedlight off to the side triggered by the 7Ds flash. The blue background is a bit of a cheat. In my bag I carry a few squares of plexi glass with paper taped to the back. This held close behind the subject (roughly the same distance behind as the lens is in front) seems to give a good effect and helps balance the flash. I've got a few different colours for different backgrounds that I have been experimenting in the field.

[Ron Conlon]

I like the crawling out of the frame look accomplished by "crowding" the frame a little more than is typical. Nice depth of field. I wonder if a better-diffused, closer (larger, in effect) would have helped by taming some of the specular highlights. The blue background is a plus.

[Phill Luckhurst]

Thanks. The crowding was deliberate to give that feel. As for the lighting I had with me a very cheap (£2.50 off fleabay) diffuser which I used for this shot and you are right, it certainly could be better. With some insects it works fine but not for these shiny little beasties.

Anyone got any good diffuser ideas? I'm currently using an off camera speed light until I can get the twin flash replaced.

[Ron Conlon]

I built my own diffuser using a plastic bottle, epson printer paper and tape. I bring it close with a bracket attached to the lens.

[Jonathan Ashton]

I like the cricket, the background is good too. I appreciate there is little that could be done but I find the dark and pale leaves a distraction.

[Phill Luckhurst]

Hopefully this spring I will find more of these. The leaves they climb on can be distracting I agree. It took a while to find a composition that was not too bad on that front. These crickets are quite shy and also quite quick at times so moving foliage is a no go. I've been told that sometimes they can be found high in the bushes looking for their feed so I will see if I can approach them up there.

[shane shacaluga]

Very nice details on the "face" and image really gives this insect a sense of place between the foliage. Blue BG works to bring the insect out into the foreground a bit better.

Some insects do reflect a lot of light and with a bit of patience and a low opacity cloning brush you can clean that up very nicely.

I have made many cheap diffusers using stuff i find lying about. Plastic bottles, tubes of pringles etc. Currently using a small speedlight mounted on a pivoting arm with a white foam tray as the diffusor

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[Phill Luckhurst]

Thanks Shane. A similar setup to the one I used for this shot but was using a cheap pico diffuser on a bracket to the side. I am sure your setup diffuses light a lot better.

[shane shacaluga]

Yes of all the ones I have done this is doing the best job so far. The light source is huge compared to the naked speedlight. The downside is that it frightens some insects away so its a bit of a compromise sometimes

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Phill. I like the in-your-face look of your cricket! You have good sharpness and DOF and your blue background worked well. I would agree about the flash-generated specular highlights. Some careful cloning could remove most of them - and you have a couple good suggestions for DIY diffusers above.