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Workin' the bugs out with a bug...

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Curt A

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Hi all,

While workin' the focusing "bugs" out with my 505v, I came across this fellow (assumed he was male as he was pretty "ugly", but didn't really check his gender), which gave me an opportunity to try some macro shots.

Certainly not perfect, as focus tolerances on extreme close-ups don't really work well with hand held shots, in the shade, neccessitating an F2.8 apperture, and a fairly slow shutter speed. Nevertheless, I thought the "subject" fascinating and felt some of you might also.

One sad note, when I got home and downloaded these photos to my computer, I discovered that this poor guy had apparently been thru one too many fights, as he is obviously handicapped with only one eye, and that eye is severly "dented". Right before I took these shots, what drew me to him was that I saw him "sword fighting" with a yellowjacket. I'm not sure whether of not the yellowjacket was the inflictor of the damage or not. So... be forewarned he's not pretty on close inspection. Curt A.







 
Wow, good catch, Curt.

You know, in one of those shots it looks as if he's lost BOTH eyes. This might be why you were allowed to get so close to him. Maybe he's completely blind. OTOH, he still looks relatively healthy and with good color. Seems as if he's been surviving for a while with these injuries. Maybe he still has partial vision good enough to still hunt. That would be pretty amazing!
Curt A. said:
Hi all,
While workin' the focusing "bugs" out with my 505v, I came across this
fellow (assumed he was male as he was pretty "ugly", but didn't really
check his gender), which gave me an opportunity to try some macro shots.
Certainly not perfect, as focus tolerances on extreme close-ups don't
really work well with hand held shots, in the shade, neccessitating an
F2.8 apperture, and a fairly slow shutter speed. Nevertheless, I thought
the "subject" fascinating and felt some of you might also.
One sad note, when I got home and downloaded these photos to my
computer, I discovered that this poor guy had apparently been thru one
too many fights, as he is obviously handicapped with only one eye, and
that eye is severly "dented". Right before I took these shots, what drew
me to him was that I saw him "sword fighting" with a yellowjacket. I'm
not sure whether of not the yellowjacket was the inflictor of the damage
or not. So... be forewarned he's not pretty on close inspection. Curt A.







Click to expand...
 
Hi Guys,

Thanks for the compliments! It was really a shock looking at the photos and seeing the extent of his Injuries. They do look old, and he was getting around pretty well. He kept climbing onto the 505v's lens, probably thought the "mother ship" had finally come to take him "home". One thing I forgot to mention was how great the swivel body/lens worked under these comditions. Obviously with a static body/lens camera these shots would have been nearly impossible. After our "photo shoot" I gave him a ride on the lens off the grass where he might have gotten stepped on, to some ivy and flowers, back away from everybody. Curt A.
Ulysses said:
You know, in one of those shots it looks as if he's lost BOTH eyes. This
might be why you were allowed to get so close to him. Maybe he's
completely blind. OTOH, he still looks relatively healthy and with good
color. Seems as if he's been surviving for a while with these injuries.
Maybe he still has partial vision good enough to still hunt. That would
be pretty amazing!
Curt A. said:
Hi all,
While workin' the focusing "bugs" out with my 505v, I came across this
fellow (assumed he was male as he was pretty "ugly", but didn't really
check his gender), which gave me an opportunity to try some macro shots.
Certainly not perfect, as focus tolerances on extreme close-ups don't
really work well with hand held shots, in the shade, neccessitating an
F2.8 apperture, and a fairly slow shutter speed. Nevertheless, I thought
the "subject" fascinating and felt some of you might also.
One sad note, when I got home and downloaded these photos to my
computer, I discovered that this poor guy had apparently been thru one
too many fights, as he is obviously handicapped with only one eye, and
that eye is severly "dented". Right before I took these shots, what drew
me to him was that I saw him "sword fighting" with a yellowjacket. I'm
not sure whether of not the yellowjacket was the inflictor of the damage
or not. So... be forewarned he's not pretty on close inspection. Curt A.







Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Curt A,

Just another compliment
good job my friend !!

Erwin
 
Curt, you are just a good fellow. :)

But I do wonder if your positions were reversed, would he have done the same for you? LOL!!
Curt A. said:
After our "photo shoot" I gave
him a ride on the lens off the grass where he might have gotten stepped
on, to some ivy and flowers, back away from everybody. Curt A.
Click to expand...
 
Hi Erwin,

Thank you kind sir! Really pretty amazing little creature, especially when speculating as to the circumstances that caused his "disabilities". Very interesting also to realize there is a whole other world around us that I pretty much Know nothing about. I think I'll be visiting "their" world with my 505v in macro mode more often, if even just to look around occasionally. Curt A.
Erwin said:
Curt A,

Just another compliment
good job my friend !!

Erwin
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, I can see you now moving in for a tight crotch shot!

:)

George

but didn't really > check his gender)
 
Yeah, I agree and how come I can't get that kind of quality. Of course, if I ever got my butt in gear and posted some pics with retained exif info, I might actually find out why.

Ulysses...........I'm coming.......

George
Andreas P. said:
Curt,

Very nice pictures of (yucky) creatures :).

Best regards,

Andreas
Click to expand...
 
Don't know Ulysses, I hear they eat their prey like a corn on the cob.

Don't think Curt would appreciate that, especially when he stuck the corn skewers in either end........OUCH!

I cought some at a local gas station and took home to the 8 acres where we currently live. They are some very cool bugs, I tell ya and over where I come from, we don't have bugs that size. (Good ol' Europe)

Seems everything's bigger here. Camera lenses, bugs.......... :)

George
Ulysses said:
But I do wonder if your positions were reversed, would he have done the
same for you? LOL!!
Curt A. said:
After our "photo shoot" I gave
him a ride on the lens off the grass where he might have gotten stepped
on, to some ivy and flowers, back away from everybody. Curt A.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Hi George,

Your comments re: eating their prey... made me remember that (I believe this a fact) when the Praying Mantis mates, the female , after copulation (can I say that word on this site?) eats the male. Perhaps this little mantis escaped his sexual liason with his life, but not his eyesight! Curt A.
TotalDesignZ.com said:
Don't think Curt would appreciate that, especially when he stuck the
corn skewers in either end........OUCH!

I cought some at a local gas station and took home to the 8 acres where
we currently live. They are some very cool bugs, I tell ya and over
where I come from, we don't have bugs that size. (Good ol' Europe)

Seems everything's bigger here. Camera lenses, bugs.......... :)

George
Ulysses said:
But I do wonder if your positions were reversed, would he have done the
same for you? LOL!!
Curt A. said:
After our "photo shoot" I gave
him a ride on the lens off the grass where he might have gotten stepped
on, to some ivy and flowers, back away from everybody. Curt A.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
He said the F word, he said the F word! :)

Yeah, I think it's the only way we get away with talking like that.

Calling it by it's real name. Don't you find it fascinating how you cannot call things by using slang but their REAL names are ok? :)

Curt, it's the same as always, we only serve as prey for the women. You know, we work and toil all day and at the end of the day, we're breakfast. :)

Of course, if you'll ask the mantis (assuming you were right him escaping with his life), I think he'll tell you that sex is way overrated! :)

Nice pic.

George
Curt A. said:
Hi George,
Your comments re: eating their prey... made me remember that (I believe
this a fact) when the Praying Mantis mates, the female , after
copulation (can I say that word on this site?) eats the male. Perhaps
this little mantis escaped his sexual liason with his life, but not his
eyesight! Curt A.
Click to expand...
 
Hi,

I think we all forget about that "overrated " stuff in terms of all the strings that are really attached, in the "heat of the moment"! Nature has a great way of imposing a sexual amnesia so we continue to be driven, even if it means that your eyes get eaten afterwards, if your a Praying Mantis. Or, for we human males, 10 - 30 minutes of ecstasy and then 18 years of school clothes, dolls, food, doctors bills,outlandish auto insurance rates, and college tuitions.... AND I wouldn't have missed either one for all the money in the world! Curt A.
TotalDesignZ.com said:
Yeah, I think it's the only way we get away with talking like that.
Calling it by it's real name. Don't you find it fascinating how you
cannot call things by using slang but their REAL names are ok? :)

Curt, it's the same as always, we only serve as prey for the women. You
know, we work and toil all day and at the end of the day, we're
breakfast. :)

Of course, if you'll ask the mantis (assuming you were right him
escaping with his life), I think he'll tell you that sex is way
overrated! :)

Nice pic.

George
Curt A. said:
Hi George,
Your comments re: eating their prey... made me remember that (I believe
this a fact) when the Praying Mantis mates, the female , after
copulation (can I say that word on this site?) eats the male. Perhaps
this little mantis escaped his sexual liason with his life, but not his
eyesight! Curt A.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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