Yea...My first Ambush of 2011

[Patrick Sparkman]

Bug...of course. :w3

Ambush bugs are really one of my favorite subjects. They don't really move around much, and they are just cool to look at up close. This one had actually been probing the flowers around the top of this Mexican Hat. I guess he was hungry and not having luck catching a fly or wasp. I really want to get a good photo of one of these with prey. :2

All comments welcome. Oh, and before anyone asks about DOF, I took some at f16, but the background goes black and you can't get the entire scene in focus anyway. I liked the focus on the insect on this one better as well as the green background.

Canon 5D II, Canon MP-E 65, MT-24 Flash diffused,ISO 800, f9.0, 1/200, slight crop off the left and typical Lightroom exposure adjustments.

[Jim Bridges]

This is a fabulous image, Patrick! The colors, composition and DOF look fine to me and I'd be very happy with it. I found one of these little guys for the first time this year...I didn't realize just how small they were or at least the one I found...I thought it was a blimpish on the flower pedal:eek:

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Patrick,
Ah.....the BG goes black......was it your BG or a natural one? If it was manmade.....moving it closer may help but you can get ugly shadows......so be careful there. A good option for this type of work is another flash slaved for the BG.....man made or natural.......just to give you some other options to explore. Given the DOF you composed this very well although as you suspected....I would prefer more DOF:e3. You still did very well overall!

[Jerry van Dijk]

Hi Patrick, great find! That is one cool looking bug. He fits the colors of the flower well. I like your BG and have no comments on how you handled this shot, except that i wish for a sliver more room for the left petal.

[Allen Sparks]

Hey Patrick, Love the colors and tones. One cool bug. well done.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Patrick. Yup, these are very cool little bugs! You have an attractive flower, the sharpness is right where it needs to be, and the light from the flash looks well diffused. Like Roman, I'd prefer a little more DOF, but it's tough with this lens - and I do like the green background rather than black. Roman makes some good points about using artificial backgrounds. Sometimes photographers will hold up a large leaf just behind their subject (just behind the flower in this case) for the flash to hit - thereby preventing the black background - just another trick to consider. Well done.

[Don Lacy]

Way cool bug you captured image works for ma as posted but I think a little more DOF would have made it stronger.

[Brendan Dozier]

Very cool shot and comp, Patrick. Like the detail and rich colors on this. Agree on a bit more DOF, but very nicely done.

[Mitch Haimov]

The bug and flower make a great pair, Patrick. You did very well with the composition and placement of the plane of focus. While I wouldn't object to more DOF, I have no problem with the DOF as is. And I certainly agree that trading more DOF for a black BG would not be the way to go. Perhaps a localized contrast adjustment (curve w/ layer mask?) would help the eye stand out a little more.