Insect photography: Rapid Wolf Spider

[covoxer]

Wow! Nice one!

[cursor]

How do you manage to get close enough without encouraging the insect to leave the scene?

[Soquili]

Very nice dragonfly Mark.

I hope you don't mind I made a palette file from some of the colours.

It is a Photoshop type swatches file that can be used in Xtreme as well as some other applications.

For use with Xara Xtreme simply unzip the .aco file to your Palettes folder.

For Xara Xtreme Pro 5.1 that would be C:\Program Files\Xara\Xara Xtreme Pro 5\Palettes

Start Xtreme then open the Color Gallery. Right click on the Dragonfly_by_MarksRGBD65 folder and click on the Show on Color Line option.

The palette was created using myPANTONE Palettes version 1.5 available for free at Pantone.com. http://www.pantone.com/pages/MYP_myp...pg=19567&ca=75 scroll down to find the myPANTONE palette download link. You will need to sign up for free with myPantone to get the free application.

[jimhanus]

I used to do a lot of this kind of photography when I had the time and ambition. Sold off all my macro equipment, but would like to get back to it some day. Attached is one of my favorites (favourites?). We call it a Praying Mantis.

[Soquili]

Nice shot Jim. Looks like she is ready to deposit her eggs in an egg sack.

Praying Mantis are smart and patient. I watched a small male catching flies one night. He would move slowly and get as close as he could to a fly then wait for it to move closer. Then one lightening fast move and the fly was his. This was repeated many times.

[buckobeck]

John - Thanks

Curtis - I took this picture with my old DMC-FZ7. The close-up lens made for this camera requires you to be about 18 inches away from the subject, which seems to be a comfortable distance for most dragonflies.

Bill - Thank you. The palette you created from the photo has a nice color combination. I am going to unzip into my copy of Xtreme when I get home tonight and check it out.

Jimhanus - I like your picture of the Praying Mantis. I know what you mean about the time and ambition, hope to get my ambition back next spring. Haven't photographed in over a year, though I did hang on to my cameras.
I have a macro lighting rig on my wish-list so I will not be limited to photographing with natural light.

[steve.ledger]

How do you manage to get close enough without encouraging the insect to leave the scene?

Using a spray-pump bottle of cyanoacrylate in the selected area a few minutes before each photo shoot.

[cursor]

Poor "bug"gers!

[steve.ledger]

Then one lightening fast move and the fly was his. This was repeated many times.

Stupid fly, you'd think he'd have learned the first time

[Soquili]

Steve, only if he is ever reincarnated.

The Praying Mantis had a large meal that night.