Bumble Bee

[Keith Kennedy]

Photographed in a backyard garden, Racine, WI on purple cone flowers with black-eyed susans in the background. Ca. 30% crop (i.e. this image is ca. 70% of original capture). Note to Mac users--there are no obvious 'hotspots' on my screen other than the highlights created by the fill flash (I am using a PC with a calibrated HP LCD monitor). I was contemplating cloning out the flash highlights but left them in for now.

Canon EOS 40D; Canon 180mm f3.5 macro + Canon extention tube EF 25; Av mode, evaluative metering; exposure comp.+2/3; ISO 1250; f13; 1/60s; Canon T24 twin flash at -1 2/3; Gitzo tripod

[Bill McCrystyn]

Wow - here's looking at you. The catch light is great and you got a lot of bee for the distance but I think you would get even more punch if you toned down that yellow BG a little. This shot is dynamic enough on it's own and it's drawing a little too much attention. Good work.

[Anita Rakestraw]

Gorgeous shot and I love the vivid colors. The bee detail is so good that for me, the bright yellow does not distract, nor does anything else. Only flaw for me, and it's not a biggie, is a sort of halo along the bottom of the wing to our right. On the other wing has a similar area that is clearly blurred, but this one almost looks like a sharpening-type halo; I'm not really sure what it is. I mention it only because I feel like I should do something besides heap praise, but I really really like this image! :)

[Julie Kenward]

I like it the way it's presented, too, but the yellow does compete with the bee for attention. However, that said, I love it. It's placed well in the frame and seems to add a real punch to the overall image so maybe desaturate it a little but leave it in?

[Keith Kennedy]

Gorgeous shot and I love the vivid colors. The bee detail is so good that for me, the bright yellow does not distract, nor does anything else. Only flaw for me, and it's not a biggie, is a sort of halo along the bottom of the wing to our right. On the other wing has a similar area that is clearly blurred, but this one almost looks like a sharpening-type halo; I'm not really sure what it is. I mention it only because I feel like I should do something besides heap praise, but I really really like this image! :)
Anita, the 'halo' you are referring to is actually the trailing edge of the bee's hindwing. I only did selective sharpening to the face area. Thanks for the nice comments. Keith

[Gus Cobos]

Keith,
WOW...This is the way macro should be...UP CLOSE AND IN YOUR FACE...:eek: I like it as presented...very well done. The colors and details are fantastic. Your subject is balanced and well framed ...good show...:cool:

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Lovely 'head-on' shot Keith.
Sharp eyes, mouth parts & fore-legs.
Just wish for a uniform yellow BG (instead of grey portions just above the body) - but that's just a minor thing & a personal preference.