Hungry Yellowjacket

[Steve Maxson]

This Yellowjacket (Vespula sp.) is feeding on a small fruit of an American Spikenard plant. Although it is grasping a seed, it is really after the juice and pulp. 5D II, MP-E 65 mm, 1/200, f/16, ISO 100, MT24-EX macro twin flash (diffused), HH. I removed a few small bits of debris from the leaf. All comments are welcome and appreciated.

[Jason Stander]

So glad I can post first on this one... STUNNING... WOW... AWESOME... OUTSTANDING... I can go on and on... this is superb... perfect detail, dof, exposure, comp... just WOW... so VVWD Steve!:w3

[Paul Lagasi]

Steve, I can only say, wow..again lovely details and sharpness, I am loving that lens of yours...and the results your getting..

[Brendan Dozier]

This is really superb in every way, Steve! Fantastic IQ, interesting behavior, wonderful detail, color, make for very pleasing composition. With those big eyes, floppy antennae, and the way it is holding the seed, you have managed to make a Yellowjacket almost cute looking, like a puppy! :bg3: Nice flash work keeping the lighting natural, while getting excellent exposure. Has to be at least a podium finish somewhere! :cheers::cheers:

[christopher galeski]

ita all been said,excellent,and that lens is something else,and so is the photographer.well done.

[Ron Sprunger]

Ditto all superlatives above. It doesn't get any better than this. DOF is perfect, along with everything else. Working pretty close with a 65mm.

[Julie Kenward]

Okay, I'll be the nit picky person here. Love EVERYTHING about this but...there is one tiny spec that is at the back of the wing that could be cloned out...it's just a tiny bit further into the green area than the rest of the wing. I might also clone out the very small white specs on the fruit leaving the large diffused spot alone.

Gosh, you are still killing me with this lens. I wonder if Canon take pugs for collateral? :t3

[bhavya joshi]

Just want to Write... FANTASTIC.. MACRO:cheers:..Steve!!!

[Steve Maxson]

Thank you for your kind words everyone!

Jules: Thanks for being the "nit picky person." :S3: I initially debated about the black spot you mention, but it is part of the wing so I decided to leave it in - it would be easy to remove so I'll give that some more thought. Cleaning up the fruit a little more would also be an easy fix. :S3:

[Ken Childs]

Steve, you and that lens are a killer combo! It's all been said so I won't repeat how awesome this is! :bg3:

There are a few tiny white specks here and there such as the 2 on the antenna that could go but that's a minor point. If this were mine, I probably would have cropped a little from the left and maybe the top to get the face a further away from the center. Overall this is another fantastic bug shot! :cheers::cheers::cheers:

[Steve Maxson]

Thanks for your comments, Ken!