Cicada shell in sagebrush steppe country

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 12:53 am

Things like this are common farther east, in the lands of sultry summers.

But around here, with 7 inches total annual precipitation, they're not so frequently seen.

Again, this one is the first that I have found. (I've lived here over 25 years, by the way. But maybe I'm spending more time out in the bushes now.)

It was hanging in another dry weed, just up the trail from the Becker's White chrysalis.

--Rik

Technical: Canon SD700 IS, auto-everything, The jpegs report f/5.6 at 1/320 and f/2.8 at 1/800. (This camera's rules are a bit mysterious, and there aren't any modes that give very good control.) Backgrounds blurred to improve bokeh and noise.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 3:55 am

Well you may not have much control over the camera Rik but you are getting some darn good results from it. As they say, its not the camera but the person behind it that makes the image.

twebster · Post by **twebster** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:31 am

Right now the cicadas are singing up a storm in the cottonwoods and sycamore trees in Arizona. I just love that sound. Just about every cottonwood tree or sycamore tree trunk is covered with these shed skins. You'd love it, Rik!

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:34 pm

twebster wrote:Right now the cicadas are singing up a storm in the cottonwoods and sycamore trees in Arizona.

Ah, yes! I had forgotten about Arizona cicadas.

Quite a trick to do that, actually, considering my first experience with them.

I was driving a rental car, just touring the countryside, beautiful day, having a great time.

All of a sudden the car started making this screaming sound, like it was losing its transmission and brakes at the same time.

I immediately stopped to see what was the matter.

Of course you know what the matter was -- the car was fine, I had just driven under a grove of cottonwoods filled with cicadas.

You're right -- I would love it!

--Rik

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:39 pm

Ken Ramos wrote:Well you may not have much control over the camera Rik but you are getting some darn good results from it. As they say, its not the camera but the person behind it that makes the image.

Thanks for the compliment. I think of me and the camera as a collaboration.

But seriously, I don't think that I will ever take my DSLR hiking again. The added value is just not worth the added weight and clumsiness. These compact digitals are coming along very nicely.

--Rik

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Fri Jun 29, 2007 3:21 am

I like the perfect lighting on the first skin...brings out every nook and cranny & hair on the shell