The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
First, as an aside, do you have any solid resources to help with identifying species? Trying to use google images or AI is laughable at properly IDing insects, plants, and trees. I’m 99.99% sure this is a bee, and my searches keep telling me it is a wasp… As an amateur naturalist, I would love to figure out a less hair pulling way to ID what I find in the field. So, for the sake of this post, I will be calling it a bee.
I had just finished taking family photos for my best friend who was moving a state away. Our daughters are best friends too, and I knew the transition was going to be difficult for us all. Golden hour was just starting when we left off for the evening- the kids were too tired to continue on. I didn’t feel ready to go home yet, too many thoughts on my mind, and the light that evening was just too nice not to capture. I walked the farm on my own for about half and hour until sunset.
This was near the end of the evening. I went specifically to photograph the blackberries, since they were such a pretty shade of red/pink. I didn’t notice this bee at all. Normally, when insects show up in my images unbeknownst to me, they are slightly to very out of focus. Coming across this image with the bee calmly and quietly sitting in what looks like a reverie of its own directed right at the lens felt like a shared moment between us. Both out admiring the view, each enjoying our own moments of solitude.
Specific Feedback
Any feedback is welcome. I haven’t shared much of my color work in the community before, so thoughts on that would be appreciated.
Lynsie, there’s a fine warmth here due to your timing. The raspberries and the wasp (it’s definitely a wasp) make an intriguing pairing. (Sadly, my best description as to why I’m sure this is a wasp is, “experience”.) While you might consider cropping to 4x6 to put more interest in the main subjects, I do like the somewhat soft glow that the oof leaves in the upper left provide. If you have no idea about the insect ID, it’s extremely hard to get to an ID. If you have a clue, bugguide.net can be helpful, by it takes quite a bit of time looking carefully at many pictures. It’s “old fashioned”, but getting a field guide to insects covering your local area would be a good way to start.
Lynsie: I can see why the light beckoned you, simply marvelous. I also like your DOF/POF choice. For the ID, you might PM Jim Zablotny, our resident and expert entomologist. Delightful image. >=))>
I agree with Mark that this is probably a wasp and for basically the same reason - seat time. The light here is lickable if I do say so myself. So soft and low that the structure and texture brings so much depth. No wonder you stayed to check it out. Even if it was pure luck that the wasp is in focus, it’s a treat to see it just cradled in there after a long day. I could see lightening up the two dark areas around what might be an OOF sign in the URC. Also maybe lighten the main stem as well, but it’s totally your call as always. Such a beautiful little slice of the world. Thanks for sharing it.
@Mark_Seaver, thank you for the recommendation to bugguide.net. I plan to get a few laminated field guides for common species in my area to keep in my camera bag, but larger indexes either in book form or online would be helpful too. @Bill_Fach thank you, I may need to befriend an entomologist for future IDs. My husband and I spent an hour together trying to figure it out to no avail. I went on a similar hunt to ID what I now know is a Cadaghi tree. It isn’t native to where I live, so finally figuring out the mystery was a big win. @Kris_Smith you’re probably right on it being a wasp from its behavior. I’ve photographed a few paper wasps recently, and they are the only insects so far to stop what they are doing and look right at me. They seem more sensitive to camera movement. Lightening the OOF area in the URC is a good call, thank you for that.
