Halloween Snail

[Norm Dulak]

D300 w/Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 vr Micro lens, tripod mounted
ISO 640; f/16, 1/60 sec.; MM + 1.0
Suplemental illumination by three SB-R200 speed lights controlled by the camera's commander function
Standard PS CS6 adjustments plus Nik Coror Efex Pro Tonal Contrast

While walking my dog today, I noticed this tiny snail attempting to cross the road. I picked it up, took it home, and placed it on a colorful maple leaf atop the white top on my light box setup.

My focus was strictly on the snail, and it was impossible to get most of the leaf in focus, even at f/16. Still, I kept the entire image as captured to retain the brilliant colors of the leaf.

Should I instead have cropped more closely to the snail, to keep more of the image in focus or to move the snail more off center?

As a reward for the snail's putting up with me, I later placed it on a succulent, flowering Bok Choy plant in our garden, with instructions to enjoy!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Norm

[Norm Dulak]

Here is another possibility. Which do you prefer?

[Mitch Haimov]

OOF leaf doesn't bother me a bit, Norm. And I do prefer the original crop. I would trim some negate space from the top of both versions. Overall this is nicely done. The flash glare is regrettable, but not so easily avoided with such a shiny subject. I suspect cross polarization would work, but I've not experimented with that. I think the first comp would work quite well with the snail closer to the stem.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Norm. Interesting setup with the leaf! With this size and shape of leaf, I prefer the comp of your original post. Very nice sharpness on the snail. Using a lightbox setup - where all the light is reflected off the sides of the box and there is no direct light from the flash - should substantially reduce the white reflections on the snail. Nevertheless, this is a very strong image as presented!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Hi Norm I like the image very much in fact both crops work for me. Sorry if I sound like a worn record but the white background just does not do it for me, it looks so unnatural, maybe a couple of leaves so that the base was covered with natural substrate would have been ideal.

[Norm Dulak]

Hi Norm I like the image very much in fact both crops work for me. Sorry if I sound like a worn record but the white background just does not do it for me, it looks so unnatural, maybe a couple of leaves so that the base was covered with natural substrate would have been ideal.

I've got to agree with you, Jon. Steve's light box work interested me for a while, but I never felt comfortable with it. I tried to reduce the "clinical" look here with the leaf, but it wasn't enough. I've had my light box fling, although Steve consistently produces wonderful results with his setup, and will look to natural settings in the future. You and I are simpatico!

[Gabriela Plesea]

Love this image, Norm, and my favourite in the original post! Glad you rewarded the snail for it's patience

Kind regards,