Aphid Killer

[John Platt]

This hunter prowls my pepper plants looking for Aphids... I wish him all the best!

Nikon D700
Nikon 105 2.8 Micro
Tripod & Release
Matrix Metering
+1 EV
ISO 1600
1/30th
F/16
Curves/Levels/Crop in CS5
Exported in LR3

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5030/5869990983_284eefef62_z.jpg


Comments encouraged, trying to get better. Thanks for looking...

[Dave Leroy]

A really interesting looking little critter. And if you get tired of him send him my way.

Nice and sharp and well exposed.

The only suggestion I have is I might add a bit of room at top for antenna and crop a bit at bottom and try and lose the bit of stem exiting the bottom left of frame. Personal preference things.

Dave

[Jerry van Dijk]

I too would like him to visit my vegetable garden one day! I agree with a little crop from the bottom or LR corner, and maybe add a sliver of canvas on top to create a little more room for the antenna.

[Brendan Dozier]

I agree, John, very interesting looking Aphid. Nice details, sharpness, and diagonal perch works well. Good suggestions above, but nice work!

[Steve Maxson]

Hi John. A cool image of an assassin bug nymph - and they are good hunters. :S3: Good sharpness, nice light, and I like the diagonal comp. I would agree that proportionally more room at the top and less at the bottom would make the image even stronger. I would wish that the front leg was not obscuring part of the head - but sometimes these guys just don't cooperate like we want them to. :S3:

A biological factoid: You will note that the front legs have many more hairs than the other legs. My reference book says that these are sticky and help to hold prey items.

Overall, this image has a lot of good things going for it. Keep them coming.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey John,
not sure how stationary these little guys are but Steve covered my thoughts well and the others chave covered my thoughts on the room as well. Sometimes.....a tiny step in either direction can go a long way.....so just keep that in mind when out in the field.

[Mitch Haimov]

Excellent subject, nicely done. My thoughts covered well by others above.

[John Platt]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I wish I could have gotten his entire head, but I had to settle for his eye.

Working distance was in the few inch category and I was on my knees playing catch up the whole time.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5236/5879000608_b39e055fd3_z.jpg

Here is a repost with a little more room at the top.