# Enjoying Lunch

**URL:** <https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/enjoying-lunch/7707>\
**Category:** Image Critiques\
**Tags:** macro-close-up\
**Created:** [July 17, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/enjoying-lunch/7707 "2019-07-17T17:30:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/enjoying-lunch/7707/1 "2019-07-17T17:30:29Z")

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Found this Praying Mantis on our Black-Eyed Susans while watering the flowers the other day, so ran and got my camera. It wasn’t until I brought the photo up on the computer screen that I realized he was eating an ant or something.

 ![PrayingMantis](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/2X/0/0dc402628cfccc14a36ea58f7dc4835e13686c24.jpeg)

### What technical feedback would you like if any?

Anything.

### What artistic feedback would you like if any?

Does the vignette work? I was trying to draw attention to him, and eliminate some of the greenery around him.

### Pertinent technical details or techniques:

5D II, 100 mm L macro lens, KX-800 twin flash with milk jug for diffuser. Handheld, f16, 1/125, ISO 160. Edited in LR and Topaz.

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**Author:** ![Mark\_Seaver](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mark_seaver/32/231_2.png) [@Mark\_Seaver](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mark_Seaver)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 12:42pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/enjoying-lunch/7707/2 "2019-07-18T12:42:00Z")

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Mantis are fun to shoot, Shirley, partly because of how visual they are as the clearly turn and watch you, but often won’t move away. It looks like you’ve added a vignette (or is that flash fall off??), which focuses attention on it’s head and eyes nicely. The “lunch” is an good extra.

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**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 12:53pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/enjoying-lunch/7707/3 "2019-07-18T12:53:43Z")

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Thank you, Mark. Yes, that is a vignette. I was hoping it would draw the eye to the mantis’ eyes and face. Sounds like it is doing that.

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**Author:** ![Bill\_Fach](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/bill_fach/32/78290_2.png) [@Bill\_Fach](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Bill_Fach)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/enjoying-lunch/7707/4 "2019-07-18T17:50:21Z")

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Shirley: Praying Mantis can be pretty ferocious - I once saw a video of one taking down a hummingbird! - so whenever I encounter one and it looks at me I wonder if it’s just sizing me up for its next meal. Great capture of the moment and I like your presentation. Most excellent.\>=))\>