Set Specimens

[mrwildie]

Burying Beetle Nichrophorus investigator. Set specimen, stacked image of 50 frames.



Hover fly Helophilus pendulus. Set specimen. This is a stacked image of 40 frames and then I used a composite technique to create the final image.


.

Ground Beetle. Set specimen,stacked image of 45 frames.


All images where stacked and PPd in CS4/5 and shot using a Nikon 60mm micro lens f5.6 on Nikon D300 body, Nikon PB6 bellows on tripod, twin wireless macro speed light.

[AndrewC]

Nice, but IMHO none of them approach the positioning of the beetle you first posted.

[mrwildie]

Nice, but IMHO none of them approach the positioning of the beetle you first posted.

I like constructive criticism. I agree with you and its's good to hear. These three images are much earlier attempts than the first image I posted. The top image is my first attempt which I did about 18 months ago, the other two followed soon after.. Since then I've been working on developing new techniques.


Gary.

[Barry]

Nice images!
Good idea of the hoverfly and the sky!

Best wishes,
Barry

[mrwildie]

Nice images!
Good idea of the hoverfly and the sky!

Best wishes,
Barry

Thanks ...It's an idea I have had in my head for some time. The inspiration came from a German artist called Ulli Stieger who specialises in composite photographic imagery.
The trick I guess is to produce some thing that is not a lie or a cheat rather some thing that would stand up in its own right. Haven't done that bit yet!

Gary

[Joaquim F.]

the flying hover fly looks very well, great idea!

regards

[mrwildie]

the flying hover fly looks very well, great idea!

regards

Thanks for the positive comment.
It's a technique that gives you more creative freedom.
After the positive comments from this forum I think I might develop the idea...take it to the next level.

Gary.

[rjlittlefield]

After the positive comments from this forum I think I might develop the idea...take it to the next level.

I would like to see this pursued.

The Devil's Coach-Horse beetle you first posted, and the ground beetle here, are both spectacular and lifelike.

For the hoverfly, I like the concept but I'm bothered by the leg positions. They strike me as much different from what I've seen in live pictures of hoverflies in flight.

I've had a fantasy for decades of photographing a butterfly with V-spread wings, from an oblique viewpoint, and still showing crisp details of all the scales on the butterfly and pollen on the flower. I have no idea how to make that image except by focus-stacking a mounted specimen, and I've never had time or patience to actually try that. I would love to see someone else pull it off first!

--Rik

[mrwildie]

After the positive comments from this forum I think I might develop the idea...take it to the next level.

I would like to see this pursued.

The Devil's Coach-Horse beetle you first posted, and the ground beetle here, are both spectacular and lifelike.

For the hoverfly, I like the concept but I'm bothered by the leg positions. They strike me as much different from what I've seen in live pictures of hoverflies in flight.

I've had a fantasy for decades of photographing a butterfly with V-spread wings, from an oblique viewpoint, and still showing crisp details of all the scales on the butterfly and pollen on the flower. I have no idea how to make that image except by focus-stacking a mounted specimen, and I've never had time or patience to actually try that. I would love to see someone else pull it off first!

--Rik

I'm glad you like the devil's horse and the ground beetle thank you for your comments.

I agree with you about the legs of the hover-fly. I've seen them in flight with their back legs crossed or hanging down but never as I have depicted them here.

I think constructive criticism is worth its weight in gold and such an important component in the learning and creative process without it we would never move forward.

It's important to portray the characteristics of the subject specimen accurately or the image fails especially if the image is about animal behaviour as this one was intended...but it was a transitional image and not a finished work so I can just about live with it.


That fantasy image of yours...I think I might just have a go at beating you to it.

Gary.