# If **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** editors-pick, wildlife, weekly-challenge, macro-close-up\ **Created:** [September 25, 2026, 1:20am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365 "2026-09-25T01:20:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mike\_Friel](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mike_friel/32/28003_2.png) [@Mike\_Friel](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mike_Friel)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 1:20am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365/1 "2026-09-25T01:20:39Z")
![Original - If.jpg](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/c/1/c10936d25ff50e50c62fdb035b05d47c1d5fd824.jpeg) ### Weekly Challenge Natural Calligraphy 9/20/26 - 9/26/26 **Critique Style:** Standard 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 I had a Blowup moment (remember that movie?) when I got home the other day and looked more closely at this. Now I can’t see it without the great song by David Gates springing to mind. The ramifications of a ho-hum photo! ### Feedback Requested Maybe this should be cropped in more? ### Technical Details Camera: OM-1 Lens: 60mm macro Shutter speed: 1/800s Aperture: f/4 ISO: 400 Stack of 9 in Zerene Tonal treatment in LR, BG desaturated in PS , cropped. ---
**Author:** ![Diane\_Miller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/diane_miller/32/27391_2.png) [@Diane\_Miller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Diane_Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 2:30am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365/2 "2026-09-25T02:30:59Z")
Incredible!!! The crop is perfect for me-- we get to see what’s left of the leaf and the variation in the caterpillars! Absolutely wonderful!! And nothing ho-hum about it! ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Zablotny](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_zablotny/32/3919_2.png) [@Jim\_Zablotny](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_Zablotny)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 11:34am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365/3 "2026-09-25T11:34:32Z")
That’s a voracious bunch of caterpillars! With all the silk threads, caterpillars, and backlit leaf, the image has a hyper-realistic feel to it. This one is good as presented and shows the chaos of life perfectly…Jim ---
**Author:** ![Huw\_Thomas](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/huw_thomas/32/87850_2.png) [@Huw\_Thomas](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Huw_Thomas)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365/4 "2026-09-25T12:22:30Z")
Fantastic pic - love the BG - just the right crop … glad you didn’t wait any longer for the shot!! Huw ---
**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365/5 "2026-09-25T20:59:23Z")
Excellent, Mike. All those caterpillars make a wonderful nonsense calligraphy statement and their frass works well as punctuation. ---
**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:** [September 25, 2026, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365/6 "2026-09-25T23:11:17Z")
Mike: This is very cool and a great capture. All the activity is amazing. A few years ago we had some kind of caterpillar infestation on one of our redbuds and I put all of my efforts into eradicating them before even considering them as potential subjects. If it happens again I’ll have to remember what you found here. 👍 👍\>=))\> ---
**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:** [September 26, 2026, 1:46pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365/7 "2026-09-26T13:46:34Z")
Mike, the details here, in both the caterpillars and the leaf look great. It’s a fine busy and fun view. Yes, few of us would look at this and see a good photo! ---
**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:** [September 28, 2026, 3:24pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365/8 "2026-09-28T15:24:25Z")
This is very well seen, when many would pass by. It also shows of great details in both the mass of caterpillars and in the leaf’s veining. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Friel](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mike_friel/32/28003_2.png) [@Mike\_Friel](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mike_Friel)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2026, 12:23am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/if/52365/9 "2026-09-29T00:23:27Z")
Many thanks for the EP!