Assassin Bug Nymphs (?)

Image Critiques Macro/Close-up Critiques
1

Assassin Bug Nymphs.jpg
Assassin Bug Nymphs.jpg1800×1200 1.58 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I saw these bugs on a honeysuckle leaf in my garden yesterday. I’m not sure but I think they may be assassin bug nymphs - fairly newly hatched. I think the gray shells in the image are their old exoskeletons newly shed. There were a whole bunch more on the underside of the leaf.

Specific Feedback

I wish I could have done focus stacking but I thought these guys were just moving around too much so this is a single shot with focus mainly on the lower red nymph.
I took out several flash highlights on the bodies. I think given these guys are new and shiny contributed to the highlights but I’m still working on my diffuser set up. Think I might try pulling down the built-in panel on the flash to go along with my Angler diffuser to see if that helps.
I see this as more of a natural history shot than any kind of work of art. It was really interesting to witness.

Technical Details

Canon 7D mark II, Sigma 150 f2.8 macro lens, 1.4x teleconverter, 580 EX II Speedlite, Angler diffuser
ISO 400, f32, 1/250s hand held

2

Unusual and amazing!! The DOF feels fine on the nymphs – it might have been possible to do a second focus to catch the exoskeletons on the right, and do a hand composite. But I always find it hard to see in the field where the focus is. The light looks fine to me, and completely natural.

3

Very cool - I love the different aspects and positions. Brand new skins! Growing up is hard, even for bugs. I think you are right about the ID. Funny that I found my own assassin bug nymph yesterday. Tried to get some video. Who knows if that worked. This does though. I’m not bothered by the focus difference with the bugs and their exoskeletons as I think my brain can fill in details there and I much more enjoy seeing the deadly red guys. Nice work. They must be teeny.

4

Allen, this is a neat catch. The new nymphs stand out nicely and including the shed exoskeleton’s does make a good natural history statement.

5

Allen, I have been out of town so just getting around checking NPN. This is one cool image of nature, that with just looking with our eyes (without any magnification) we would miss or not see very well. Great find and capture.