Cicada time

[Tony Whitehead]

Just visited Macro as my young nephew had posted an image. Avian is pretty busy and I seldom get a chance to visit other forums. The great images here prompted me to get out and have a play with the cicadas that are deafening in our forest at the moment (I should be up a river casting a dry fly!). Have been meaning to try my Orbis ringflash adaptor for a couple of weeks with macro subjects (works well for portraits) - seems very versatile as can be used as a ringflash or off axis as here. Very much a "bird on a stick" type portrait but I like the colours in the wings with the off axis flash and dark BG.
Nikon D300
Nikkor Micro 105 f2.8D
SB800 + Orbis
ISO 400, 1/60s f20 handheld

[Julie Kenward]

Really nice detail in the cicada, Tony but the FG is not very appealing. I think you've overflashed the image and am not sure you can pull it back from here. I do like the detail in the insect - but, again, there is evidence of that flash going off in the top half of his body.

[Tony Whitehead]

Thanks for the comments, Jules. Unfortunately in the dark of the forest flash was the only way to light this as there was hardly any ambient light. Using the flash as a ringflash burnt the FG even more which is why I tried it off axis to try and get more even lighting on the insect and tree. I think I might stick to birds :).

[Mike Moats]

Hey Tony, this is really nice. great details and colors and it really pops against the black BG.