Cicada

[Michael Lloyd]

I spotted this Cicada emerging from it's case yesterday. By the time I changed lenses and installed the flash it was already out of the case and drying it's wings. I would have liked a little less "flash" and more time to set a tripod up but it is what it is. This is as close as I've ever come to seeing one go through a complete change.

EOS1DsMK3 manual
180mm f3.5L Macro handheld
Ring flash manual 1/2 power

ISO 640
1/60s @f10

[Julie Kenward]

Nice timing, Michael! I agree about the flash but I don't think it's terribly distracting. I would probably clone over the white area on the old casing (by his front leg) and the small white "string" in the BG behind the casing. More DOF on the wings would also have been nice but this is still a "keeper" in my book.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Michael,
I think the flash is close here and could be toned down a touch. Hand held....looks like you caught focus on the casing....my preference would have been on the newly emgerged Cicada and wings. Tough as this happens quickly.....so you did very well considering all the challenges you faced!

[Michael Lloyd]

Thanks all

Actually Roman the case and head are in focus. I was trying to get the head and wasn't worrying about much else. A tripod would have really helped in this case (and most). In hindsight I probably would have been better off trying to get the wings in focus... but this is one of those times where AF didn't serve me very well.

I should have shot a few more, stopping down 1/3 at a time... until I had a less flashy look. I used the histogram to tell me that things were good and it lied again. Dang camera :)

[Ken Childs]

Hey Michael, overall I think this looks pretty good. It would have been nice to have the wings all in focus but you did well with the situation you had to deal with. I really like the color you captured in the wings. :)