Feeding Frenzy

[Michael Lloyd]

One of my trees is leaking sap and it's attracting a lot of attention. The bubbles seem to be coming from the tree.

EOS 1DsMKIII manual
MPE-65MM at 2x hand held
Ring flash. Manual 1/2 power

ISO 100
1/60s@ f16

[Nick Palmieri]

I like the effect you are going for, but having a hard time resting my eye on one thing. The water is a little bright and distracting. Let's see what others have to say...TFS

[Michael Lloyd]

Thanks Rick. It's not water. It's tree sap. I'm not sure why it was bubbling. The bugs in the image are only about 3/16" to 1/4" long.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Michael,
Cool bugs but they do blend with the BG a bit much.....but that is probably thier defence mechanism. You may want to darken the bark and BG around them.....just to make them stand out more.....I think this will have a great impact on the overall look. I debated the cut one on the top edge for a while....but I'd imagine that there were more just out of frame and the comp you chose makes an interesting circular pattern.

[Julie Kenward]

Michael, I wonder if polarizing filter would have clarified the image a bit more - especially where the insects and bubbles collide in the frame. I think this makes for an interesting environmental image but I do find myself wishing the right side of the frame didn't drop off into darkness the way it does.

[Michael Lloyd]

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

Julie- I don't know if I could get a polarizing filter for the MPE-65. It's kind of a niche lens and since the ring flash attaches to the lens I don't think I could make that work.

Roman- Here's a quick rework. Thoughts? The bugs seen to be too dark to me. I should have masked them...

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Michael,
Yeah...just the BG...I think that will help quite a bit!