'Spotted' Love

[Kaushik Balakumar]

http://www.pbase.com/bkaushik/image/99672113.jpg

Pretty difficult to photograph these swift little ladybird beetles as they keep moving even while they mate!

Location: Kemnadersee - Bochum - Germany
Nikon D300 + Nikkor 105mm f2.8 VR micro
f/22, 1/160, ISO640, tripod

C & C welcome...

[Roman Kurywczak]

Kaushik,
You are doing extremely well with natural light and contolling the BG's while using huge DOF. This works very well all around for me! Might consider geting rid of the 2 white spines entering frame at top........don't remember if you are comfortable with that though.........so it doesn't matter. Very well done!

[Ed Vatza]

You beat me to the punch, Kaushik. I have an image of two Red Milkweed Beetles in exactly the same position that I was planning to post but will now hold off for a bit. :D

Nice image. Very sharp. Great detail. And the background is excellent. Well done, Kaushik.

[Kaushik Balakumar]

You beat me to the punch, Kaushik. I have an image of two Red Milkweed Beetles in exactly the same position that I was planning to post but will now hold off for a bit. :D

Nice image. Very sharp. Great detail. And the background is excellent. Well done, Kaushik.

:p:p:p
Ed, we'll take turns.
Lets discuss amongst us from next time as to who'd post first :D ;)

[Steve Wheeler]

Wondeful image Kaushik... Detail, focus and DOF are superb. I really like the stalk of the plant on the left as an anchor. Must be a real PAIN to not only mate on the move, but dodge all those spines in the process!

Nicely done....

Steve

[Julie Kenward]

This image made me giggle because there is a video on YouTube that pretty much shows these two in action and you can't help but laugh.

It's a winner of an image although I agree that those top couple of spines and even the one on the lefthand side would be nice if cloned away. Everything else about this image is "spot on" :D though. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

[John Cooper]

Well done Kaushik - nicely captured against a good BG. I like the plant-hairs but the clipped ones at the top could probably go.

[Tony Kirkby]

Hi Kaushik

Very very nice. Not sure which I like the most, the stem or the beetles, either way they really balance out well together.
I looked at this a few times and find myself wishing for a very slight crop from the RHS.

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Thank you all for your feedbacks.


Kaushik,
... Might consider geting rid of the 2 white spines entering frame at top........don't remember if you are comfortable with that though.........so it doesn't matter. Very well done!

Roman, I agree with u w.r.t the 2 spines at top of the frame. I don't mind cloning them out. Did'nt notice it the 1st time...

[Gus Cobos]

Killer image and great action...:D:p Love it...:)

[Mike Moats]

Hey Kaushik, very well done. great colors and details. Agree about cropping the two stray spines.

[Sharna Lee]

Kaushik,
Totally cool image. I love the colors and the bg a lot.
You did well in capturing this moment.
Are you a subscriber to playbug magazine too? hehehe ;) couldn't resist!
I'll go with the others and say the spines at the top should be cloned out.

Sharna

[Pramod Viswanath]

Beautiful image Kaushik! Good work!