European Elm Bark Beetle Galleries

Image Critiques
1

Image(s)

Galleries.jpg
Galleries.jpg1055×703 1.23 MB

Image Description

Dutch Elm Disease has changed the look and feel of natural floodplain forests in my region, the northeastern United States. I never saw the American elms in all the grandeur. There are small living elms, but the biggest trees are now on the ground. I saw this on a walk in my local floodplain forest, where silver maple and cottonwoods now dominate. The galleries left by the beetles are, to my eye, stunningly beautiful despite the death they represent.

Feedback Requests

Any feedback is welcome. Should I have gone for greater depth of field, or should I have placed the in-focus area more centrally? Crop more? What about that green spot on the top of the image? Interesting or distracting?

Pertinent Technical Details

NIKON D7500
AF-S DX Micro Nikkor 85mm f3.5G ED VR
ISO 100
127 mm
f4
1/320 s

2

Elizabeth, I too enjoy and have photographed the amazing patterns in the fallen trees that these beetles leave as the young hatch. This shows off well, where the eggs were laid and how the young burrowed there way out. Personally, I’d have chosen a smaller aperture to get more of the main pattern sharp, but that’s an artistic decision. The bit of bright green at the top is more of a distraction, that would be good to remove. I do like the colors in the decaying wood and where you’ve placed the main burrow.

3

Thank you, Mark. I do like the colors of the wood, too, and that green is distracting, as you say. I am learning to use a smaller aperture more routinely, and next time I see something like this, I will do that. Your feedback is so helpful.