The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I just dug my old 100 mm macro lens out of the closet for the annual bug expedition to SE Arizona, pulled it out at the first stop and this flesh fly decided to land on my hand. It stayed there to see if there was anything worth sampling so with my other hand I shot it. The second shot is much more appealing, but still features a flesh fly on a flower (say that four times fast). It was taken at nine thousand feet up on Mount Graham. The little Andrenid (I think) bee and true bugs were a bonus.
Specific Feedback
Overall composition and subject matter are fair game. Is it too unsettling to display in public? The second shot was in deep shad without the aid of the diffused flash I had in the first image that was shot in full sunlight. Any comments and suggested improvements are welcomed and appreciated.
Technical Details
Canon 5DMiii, f11, 1/200s, iso 400, 100 mm, diffused flash, cropped to 25% of original.
Canon R5, f10, 1/1600s, iso 6400, 100-500+1.4tc at 700 mm, cropped to 30% of original.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Very cool, Ed. I really like the second one. The first is kind of cool and doesn’t trigger squeamishness in me, but the depth of field is so shallow that parts of the fly drop out of focus. All those bugs on two flowers in the second makes an interesting story.
I’m with Ed. I really like the second one. You caught a lot of detail in the fly. The name Flesh Fly is kinda creepy, but OK if that’s the name. The BG works great with the white flowers. I almost wish you could make two pictures out of this. I like the fly by itself. But I also like all the action on the other flower. The flower that is not opened in the back could be removed. I really like that there is a lot that can be done with this shot.
I go crazy with the shutter when I run across shots like this, multiple bugs.
I use a 100mm MACRO and love it. Sometimes i put an extension on it.
Thanks
My hat’s off to anyone who can shoot a macro with one hand with a hefty full-frame camera – although your hands are probably bigger than mine. I love the pose and detail in the flower shot and would be tempted to crop in even more to just have the fly and the one flower. Pieces of the other two in the corners would probably be OK.
Ed: I think my first move if it landed on me would be for the fly swatter! Still a pretty cool shot. The second shot is excellent but I would be sorely tempted to try some AI magic and make the OOF bud go away. It kind of steals the show from the critters which are superbly rendered. >=))>
