Amazon pics part 11

Moebius · Post by **Moebius** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:49 am

Next one up is a butterfly that turned up to be quite common down there. About the same size as the Red Admiral.

These guys liked to hang around rotting logs. Type of sawfly perhaps? About 1.5 cm in length.

This shaded guy was about 4-5 inches long

Ken Nelson

Gordon C. Snelling · Post by **Gordon C. Snelling** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:58 am

Neat stuff I love the Lep larvae. I suspect it is a Sphingid of some sort.

Moebius · Post by **Moebius** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:01 am

Now that I look at it, I think I may need to lighten the cat a bit. What do you think? I found it in the shade and like to reflect the lighting as I found it, but is this too much?

In future postings I will have a number of exotic looking caterpillars.

K

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:11 pm

Now here is a guy in Nebraska that can go all winter long with summertime pics and probably not have to show any twice.

I don't know Ken, the cat looks fine but then again maybe a little lighting of the image may be in order but I would just leave it like it is, it looks okay to me. Looking forward to those exotic cats!

beetleman · Post by **beetleman** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:45 pm

So, the head on the caterpillar is facing down, right? I would say "give it a try" on the brighting and see how you like it. It may blow out that stem on the leaf. Wonderful creatures Ken.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:41 pm

Ken, pic #2 looks like a parasitic wasp, Ichneumon maybe. The ovipositor is probably used for drilling, to reach grubs suitable for egg laying. (And the ovipositor is likely to be very flexible, just carried in that rigid sheath for protection. See here for example )

About the lighting, my strategy is usually to try conveying what the critter actually looked like. If that caterpillar's color, in context, appeared to be a middle shade of gray, then you've done well.

These are fun pics -- keep 'em coming!

--Rik

Moebius · Post by **Moebius** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:24 pm

Ken,

You are not kidding. I have hundreds more to show (only about 20% processed). Dang these 3 image restrictions, huh?

I will play with the cat and see if I have other pics of it to see it's true color.

On a side note, I would like to throw in a non-macro now and then to fill-in some of the story and give you an idea of the terrain. Can I put those in this forum too or should I just supply links?

K

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:07 pm

Moebius (Ken) asked;

On a side note, I would like to throw in a non-macro now and then to fill-in some of the story and give you an idea of the terrain. Can I put those in this forum too or should I just supply links?

I can understand the reason for non-macros to suppliment those to follow that are macros. In the past I have commented to other members about so doing and have requested that they and all of us try and stay within the guidelines of the forums as well. At present, I would request that we use links, if at all possible to suppliment our macros for now. I will take this up with our editor and see what he and the rest of our admin personel think. I am questioning my own decision on this and it does seem a bit unfair not to have non-macro supplimental images if, "if", they are on the topic or the subject being presented.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 12:05 am

Why not use the Favorite Locations forum?

Post the overall shots and commentary there, and link to them from here in the macro images gallery.

I got chastized, a year or so ago, for putting too much technique & equipment info in the macro images gallery. That was annoying and a bit troublesome, but I think it was the right call. Since then, I've been trying to make more separate postings to Techniques and Equipment -- though I have to sadly admit to backsliding periodically, like the last couple of days in the microscopy forum.

I think there's value in trying to keep the macro/micro photos themselves a bit separated from the where & why & how. I'm not quite sure why -- it just feels that way. Maybe I'm concerned that the macro/micro galleries will gradually lose a lot of their special character if we let them.

--Rik

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 3:24 am

Rik suggested:

Why not use the Favorite Locations forum?

Why didn't I think of that. Now you won't have to use links Ken! So what do ya think?

Rik also said:

Maybe I'm concerned that the macro/micro galleries will gradually lose a lot of their special character if we let them.

Bingo again Rik, I believe that you hit the nail on the head. If we were to post photographs other than what is prescribed for a partciular forum, that forum would end up having a scrapbook type theme to it.

Moebius · Post by **Moebius** » Tue Dec 26, 2006 7:04 am

Good idea, I will use the "Favorite Locations" forum if there is need to link to a nonmacro photo. I do not have too many, as my buddy had the glass for non macros (I just had the kit lens and the 150mm macro).

Ken