Bug Calligraphy

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Sat May 21, 2011 5:55 pm

These aptly named (and shiny!) leaf beetles (Fam: Chrysomelidae: Calligrapha) have patterned elytra.
This one is C. confluens and feeds on Alder (Alnus), length 7-8 mm.
63 mm El Nikkor reversed @f/5.6, 34 0.2 mm frames ZS PMax

NU11077

Joaquim F. · Post by **Joaquim F.** » Sun May 22, 2011 2:42 pm

Great work with that metallic colors and leave textures!
greetings

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Mon May 23, 2011 3:07 am

Quite the bug. Very nice stack of him too. What part of the world is he from?

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Mon May 23, 2011 3:38 am

Thanks Joaquim & Mitch.

This is a local species (NB, Canada). Several species in this genus in NA, I'd be surprised if there weren't any where you live.

(I just checked BugGuide, various species all over NA)

Mitch640 · Post by **Mitch640** » Mon May 23, 2011 5:44 am

Ah, I just learned a lot by looking them up on Google. It seems a lot of these like to hide under loose bark and we just happen to have the county woodlot about 2 miles from here. That could be a good place to find them.

lauriek · Post by **lauriek** » Mon May 23, 2011 5:51 am

That would be a great place to find all sorts of beetles!

Nice shot NU! Are you still using a single light?

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Mon May 23, 2011 9:00 am

Mitch: These are leaf beetles, be surprised to find them under bark.
Easiest way to find them, and a ton of other insects, is to use a 'beating tray'.

Laurie: this was with a single flash; I did try 2 but I got twice as many hotspots. I go back and forth between 1, 2, 3, and 4 flashes
Nearly always with a styrofoam coffee cup surrounding the subject.

RogelioMoreno · Post by **RogelioMoreno** » Mon May 23, 2011 10:45 am

Nice stacked image!

Rogelio

Joaquim F. · Post by **Joaquim F.** » Mon May 23, 2011 2:41 pm

I'm interesed in the "local contrast" enhacement of the image, is a post process after the stack is ready or is a part of the processing of individual slices?
I'm trying different processing configurations in Cameraraw and is always difficult to get a good balance.

greetings

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Mon May 23, 2011 3:46 pm

Joaquim: I am uncertain as to what you are asking.
The shadow effect is caused by having a single flash low down to the right side of the beetle; this causes a shadow on the opposite side. Is this what you meant?

Joaquim F. · Post by **Joaquim F.** » Tue May 24, 2011 2:09 pm

You've got a great sense of relief in this picture, and I was wondering if you can get only with the lighting you comment.
Sometimes I try to give the final image a bit high-pass or "clarity" filter of CameraRaw but it is difficult to get good results, without an artificial appearance in the final image. I try to work more on the lighting in my photos.

Thanks!

NikonUser · Post by **NikonUser** » Tue May 24, 2011 5:09 pm

You do realize that this image was made from 34 separate images using Zerene Stacker.

Joaquim F. · Post by **Joaquim F.** » Thu May 26, 2011 2:33 pm

NikonUser wrote:You do realize that this image was made from 34 separate images using Zerene Stacker.

Yes, but the final output image may be very different depending on the lighting and processing, that is what I meant.
regards