The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic + Technical
About This Image
Troop of Hornet Mimic Flies - or probably the same one!
Few different compositions - any preferences?
Feedback Requested
Mood, composition, crop, any thoughts or improvements
Technical Details
Camera: Sony A75
Lens: 90mm macro
Focal length: 90
Shutter speed: 1/250
Aperture: f/13
ISO: 3200 ( mutter mutter auto ISO !!)
Flash: yes - not strong enough 1/32
Hi Huw,
Nice set of images here. For me, the third is my favorite by far. Keep in mind I’m not really a flower, insect, or macro photographer. But for me, the third image has it all: all of the flower, all of the insect (albeit in profile) and the outlines of the subjects within the frame create a graceful, intentional shape.
I’ll be curious to see ither people’s opinions!
ML
I agree with Marylynne. Flowers and fly are shown most clearly in 3, and the BG sets both off best. A more pleasing comp than the first 2 in my eyes. It’s not a blueberry is it?
This is a wonderful series of photos of the UK’s largest syrphid fly. I like the last one in the series the best. Although the first two show off the unique head shape, the third one has a composition that fits together very well. I like the profile view of the fly and the soft, diffused lighting looks good too. Auto ISO and fill flash generally do not play nice together and am surprised at how well the images turned out. For the third image, I would brighten it up just a tad which should help pull the subject from the BG. I like what you did here and large syrphid flies are very photogenic. Awesome…Jim
Huw: Interesting that you like #2 as it is my least favorite for the leaf pointing out of the frame. OTOH, #3 is marvelous with #1 being a close second for me. I like it when folks work a subject and you did really well here. Many kudos.>=))>
The text is under each image it refers to, and is confusing - #1 image is my favourite - just because there is more of a story and the fly is really inside the flower environment. The green folded leaf is way too prominent - but hey ho who cares ?
I fully accept that #3 is the best image for displaying flower and fly.
Thanks for your comments.
I am playing with some artistic compositions where the insect is just part of the composition - more soon.
Birders get flack for producing “Bird on a stick” images - I imagine macro photographers get similar - “insect on flower - so what!”
I am trying different images with negative space, repetition, symmetry and leading lines in which there just happens to be a lovely insect in the image…
