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 found this mantis in my garage and put it in my coneflower garden. After being gone for 2.5 hours, I checked and the mantis was still there and had climbed atop a different flower and in a better position.
Feedback Requested
This is a single shot. Composition? Sharpness?
Should I show more of the flower? It’s kind of old and beat up.
Allen: Considering the way it is looking at you I wonder if it was sizing you up for lunch. Good pose and perch and the flash looks good. Focus on the eyes is spot on and that’s critical for me. Having some softness around the left “claw” and the petal coming up to it does catch my eye a bit but such are the compromises of single capture. Nice find and a good result. >=))>
Allen, the mantid’s are fascinating because they clearly see us and watch carefully, like this one is staring at you. The pose is good. I think the amount of flower looks good also. I am interested in how mottled this one is. I was “chasing” one a couple of days ago and it was solid bright green.
Hi Mark, thanks for the comment. This was a medium sized mantis and more light brown with some splotches as you see here. So I don’t think this was fully grown. I believe there are different species of paying mantis here (invasive Chinese vs the native ones?) but I’m not very familiar with the varieties.
The mantis looks pretty good and the comp is fine as presented. I don’t think that showing more of the flower would be beneficial to the comp. Getting everything in the plane of focus is tough to do especially with this leggy beast of a bug. Well done…Jim
Allen, you’re right about two species, Chinese and “Carolina”, with the Carolina being limited to under 3 inches maximum length and the Chinese getting to 5 inches. They can change color when they molt to better blend in with their surroundings.
Allen, I like this shot. To me the composition balances nicely, and he sure posed well for you. His colors goes well with his perch, so maybe he was camouflaging. Nicely done.
