A couple of bugs... :D (and flowers)

Just a few shots from Sunday lunchtime at a friend's lovely garden. Hope you like, I have so many to go through, but these were the only buggy ones! Please, feel free to be harsh on critique - I need something to learn from. Everything about these shots is intentional, so I deserve some criticism! Please view large

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xx

Were these done through your 105mm??
Now i like image 1 and image 3

One thing you learn doing macro is the shallow DOF. You could get the head in very sharp focus yet the tail, like on your damsel/Dragon is blurred. I was told recently to try and change my plane of view. So your more above the insect than at the back or side of it. This is not always easy esp if your using a pod, and you do not wat to scare it off.

The detail in last image is good as well

Overall they are all good, shame i could not see the bees wings in 2 but other detail is there

Thanks! They were with my trusty 105 yes!

Firstly, I agree about DOF with the damsel - where I was stood was the main problem there, and no way of shifting position unfortunately, but really, would have been best to keep waiting for one to land in a better spot - still, not toooo unhappy with that one

The others, I actually really like a shallow DOF (in fact, at times, for me, the shallower the better! As long as it compliments the photo as a whole). I like to have just the eyes in focus at times that's a purely personal taste issue I think

Image one for me is the pick of the bunch, and then image 4 (as it just appeals). The bee is not my best bee in flight shot, as you point out, the shutter speed was a mite too slow at 1/2000 Have managed it in the past quite well though

xx

Image 1 too is the pick of the bunch too Laura, lovely detail on it

I like the composition in 4, and the DOF too

I am still trying to get used to doing macro, i have gone back to my sigma lens for macro instead of the macro screw on lenses, at least i can work at distance with the Sigma and also use my tripod, whereas the screw on lenses you are almost touching your subject and the DOF is very very shallow sometimes.

The Sigma though does Macro at 200mm-300mm so not true macro, more a cross between close up and macro really, but the difference this year using this lens is that i have been using a pod, whereas last year was handheld.

I`ll post up some Bees from the other week

Canny set, no 4 is a Yellow Dung Fly, do like the dragonfly on an attractive plant.

Laura, I understand that you have presented these images in the way that you have for a reason, but I really think you are not giving your photography, (which is excellent in this set), justice.

Let me try to explain.

Image #1

Reminds me of the analogy of sucking a toffee with the wrapper on - you get a general feel of the sweet with an occasional hint of taste.

Same with this photograph. There is so much detail in the pollen stuck to the insect, yet it only hinted at in the image you present.

Have/would you consider, zooming in to display that detail, placing the subject to the left of the frame, (losing those blown out leaves), so that it has an area of the frame to 'look' into, in a letterbox crop?

Certainly worth a try and you might be pleased with the outcome.

Image #2

I like it, but again a zoom, in a letterbox crop, leaving the bee and the flower, losing the distracting background would help no end, in my view.

Image #3

A cracking image. The blurred tail matters not a jot, the head and thorax are what makes this photograph.

Image #4

A belter of an image and best by far. However, another crop taking out the unnecessary top of the picture would turn this into a cracking belter of an image - a real competition winner. Well spotted and well taken.

Thank you Fogey I'll have to agree to disagree on the first shot I did try that crop, and it's not for me - I prefer what I have with it but thanks for pointing it out!

I've been deliberately trying to get shots of creatures within their habitat, with the space they are quite considered before taking the photo - in order to get that across somewhat. This is why I don't find, number two say for example, a particularly distracting background, and why I think I like number 1 as it is but I do very much appreciate your critique!

I will have another go at the edits you mention, and post them here - meanwhile, please feel free to edit them yourself if you have a particular idea in mind, I'd like to see what *you* mean exactly, rather than my interpretation of what you've written

xx

Here are my tweaked images Again, please view in full size before offering critique!

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xx

This is what I had in mind, Laura.

These are lovely Laura, 4 and 5, I find the most pleasing, I like the creamy BG and tones of the colours. I think Fogey is onto something with the crop of shot one, I had not paid it much mind in its original crop, but I like the crop that Fogey has applied to shot 1.