Jaws

Image Critiques Macro/Close-up Critiques
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SRB_9513%20c11
SRB_9513%20c111100×711 537 KB

Kakadu, Northern Territory, Australia
Green Tree ants are everywhere, and about 1/2 inch long. They use their considerable jaws to cut leaves, which they then weave and paste together for a nest high in the trees. Most trees have wide lines of workaholic ants running up and down trunks even 50 feet high.
High nests don’t get flooded!

All comments always welcome

You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.
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Hi Sandy,

I would crop this image tighter from the left to make the ants appear bigger in the frame. I think that you handled the lighting very well. This would have been an excellent target for a 180-200mm macro. Well done…Jim

3

I like this as presented, Sandy. The subtle shadow of the partially visible ant on the left adds another dimension to the image.

4

Jim, I usually add my settings, but forgot this time.
You’re exactly correct about lenses - my very favorite macro lens is an old 70-180
I bought from Charlie Van Tassel. The zoom capability is great for skittish bugs, butterflies - and ants!
Still, this is a very huge crop., not sure I could get away with more. I do want to try the AI Gigapixel though.
S

2018:09:17 10:03:55
70-180mm @ 180mm
1/125 sec, f/7.1
Mode: Av
Metering: Multi-segment
ISO: 1600
AF mode: AF-C
White balance: NATURAL AUTO

5

A wonderful close up of this guy, Sandy. Such detail in the ant. Amazing.

6

Sandy,
Love the shot and the story. The crop comments both make sense to me if you have enough resolution to play with it. My initial reaction was to move the ant off center, but the comments against make sense.

7

Hmm, guess I missed this. That’s a nice story to go along with the image. Nice that you got good eye contact with the one on top. It’s a fun shot because of the shadow on the left and the one with its shaded counterpart on the right. It’s interesting that the bottom one shows up completely black.