On the rocks

[Steve Kaluski]

Rachel's recent posting made me have a quick look back through the archives. Taken on the same island roughly about the same time too, spooky. :eek:

It was towards late afternoon, the tide was coming in quite quickly, as I stood knee deep in the sea whilst this Sally lightfoots came out and began to filter. The dark black volcanic rock is a great setting for this almost 'Disney coloured' creature, however be warned, to fall or slip on this stuff is really lethal!

Thanks for reminding me Rachel. :w3

Steve

Subject: Sally lightfoot crab filtering on rocks Grapsus grapsus
Location: Fernandina Island
Camera: Canon MKIII
Lens: 300/f/2.8 - Gitzo tripod/wimberley sidekick
Exposure: 1/100s at f11 ISO800 0 stop compensation
Crop: Cropped for presentation (original capture horizontal)

RAW convertor, exported to Adobe PS: Levels/Curves/Brightness/Contrast/Saturation/USM

[Tin Man Lee]

Great in your face pose and love the composition. The volcanic rock almost makes this photo like a black and white with the colorful crab on it which is really cool. Great details. Love the low angle. Good work!

[Fred Canter]

Congratulations on a great crab, lighting looks very nice. Composition looks great, would like to see more of the legs but understand the positioning of the shot.
I've recently been photographing crabs and have found that I get too much eye shine in a lot of shots. This gives me something to strive for...

[Morkel Erasmus]

Just love the colours on these guys...lovely DOF setting and the pano crop works well Steve...
I do wish the OOF rock in front was, well, not in front of the legs :w3

[Rachel Hollander]

You're welcome. Were you there when the volcano on Fernandina was erupting too? Nice POV, yours seems more blue in the face than mine. I too would prefer for a little more of the legs to be showing.

TFS,
Rachel

[Tom Redd]

Excellent color, exposure, DOF and focus. Like the low perspective and the crop aspect ratio. TFS

[gail bisson]

I love the low angle but wish I could see the left claws a bit better. I can't believe I am saying this but maybe a bit too low? I love the black rocks and the super colorful crab. What an amazing place the Galapagos must be.
Gail

[Steve Canuel]

Hi Steve,
The colors on these guys are unreal. I like the angle of view and how his left legs are aligned. I hear what others are saying about the OOF rock on the left (as viewed) but with the alignment of the left legs, the left claw contacting the ground, and the almost equally OOF rocks both in front and behind the legs on the left, I get the feeling he's side crawling up the slope from the left from between the rocks (whether he was actually moving or not).

[Steve Kaluski]

Thanks everyone.

With regard to the legs being visible, well like a lot of things it is all subjective and perhaps having everything in view may be the obvious choice perhaps, however I wanted the focus really to be on the main body and having the left legs slight hidden from view I was hoping it might have worked. Trying to be at eye level too, was interesting.

Fred I know what you mean, perhaps not being wet and on an overcast day may help you, good luck.

Steve, good observation. :w3

Thanks
Steve

[Morkel Erasmus]

Another solution for Fred might be to use a polariser :bg3:

[Dumay de Boulle]

Love the crop...And the IQ is mind blowingly good. Great colors and it pops so nicely from the darker rocks. Great stuff:cheers:

[DanWalters]

Great color and detail in the cab. Like the monochromatic rocks.