Praying Mantis on coneflower

Image Critiques
1

Original - Praying Mantis.jpg
Original - Praying Mantis.jpg1920×1073 1.26 MB

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 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.

Technical Details

Camera: Canon EOS 90D
Focal length: 210mm
Shutter speed: 1/250s
Aperture: f/32
ISO: 100
Flash: Fired

Sigma 150 macro and 1.4x TC. Canon 580 EX II speedlite with Angler 100 diffuser.

2

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. >=))>