Spotted Belly Buprestid Beetle

Image Critiques Macro/Close-up Critiques
1

Bupresttismaculativentris.jpg
Bupresttismaculativentris.jpg2000×1483 772 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

While driving back from Whitefish Point, I felt a large insect crawling on the back of my head. After returning back to camp, I set up my macro rig and began to shoot. It was cool that day so this normally fast beetle was very cooperative. I used a fairly large flash diffuser which produced soft edged highlights. This type of lighting is perfectly suited for metallic colored insects.

Specific Feedback

How do you like the lighting and composition?

Technical Details

Z9 105mm f2.8 Micro (1/80 sec at f20, ISO 4000 fill at -0.3ev) Levels, DeNoise, Crop for Comp, Micro-contrast Enhancement.

Critique Template

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  • Vision and Purpose:
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  • Composition:
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  • Depth and Dimension:
  • Color:
  • Lighting:
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1 Like
2

Nicely done, Jim. I like the composition and lighting a lot. While you may not have wanted or been able to do a stack, it might have helped to grab another image or two to get the foreground branch completely in focus.

3

Great photo image, Jim. I guess this little guy wanted you to take a picture of him. I agree the lighting and composition is wonderful. He looks nice size here, so hopefully smaller on you neck.

4

Jim: You do have an interesting looking neck. Not suer how you set up your rig to take the selfie :roll_eyes: :wink: . Really nice details on the beetle and good BG management. The lighting looks very natural. Well done. >=))>

5

Jim, your lighting efforts let the details show very well, including the sheen from it’s metallic structures. The color match between the beetle and the branch shows how well camouflaged it can be.

6

Jim, you managed the lighting well on this guy. Beetles can be hard to use a flash on, but the lighting looks natural. I probably wouldn’t have handled it well finding this guy on my neck while driving.

7

Thank you @Dennis_Plank , @Dean_Salman , @Bill_Fach , @Mark_Seaver , and @Shirley_Freeman for your critiques. These beetles are tough to photograph because they are always in motion. So I have to be thankful for that sunny, cool UP Michigan afternoon for slowing this guy down. With flash for live, shiny insects, always use a large flash diffuser which produces soft shadow and highlight edges.

1 Like