no idea what this is ...

[ofdphoto]

Not that I'm an expert on these things ;)

#1
http://ofdphoto.com/images/20081108/081108_0001.jpg

#2
http://ofdphoto.com/images/20081108/081108_0004.jpg

#3
http://ofdphoto.com/images/20081108/081108_0005.jpg

I rarely shoot macro, but this guy looked interesting. I'd be interested to know what he/she is :)

[troypiggo]

It's an assassin bug. Cool looking, aren't they? Careful - I believe they can give a nasty "bite".

[photobitz]

They don't "bite"... they just stab you with their proboscis, inject you with enzymes then drink the resulting soup. Probably more of an issue if you are an insect... :rolleyes:

[ofdphoto]

Yummy.

Thanks for the info guys :)

[photobitz]

So what made you pull out the macro?

[ofdphoto]

The insect on the tree near our front door :)

[photobitz]

Ah I see... venturing out of your comfort zone then :lol:

[ThomGascoigne]

lol

[ofdphoto]

Ah I see... venturing out of your comfort zone then :lol:
Yup.

My macro lens (an old 100/2.8 ... the pre-USM version) only comes out for ring shots usually.

I'm not pretending to be good at macro, but this is my current take on the genre (within the limits of available light) ...

I'm guessing the DOF is too shallow for the likes of you serious macro shooters ;)

[photobitz]

Old school FTW! Nobody uses AF for macro anyway.
Generally most macro-ists would stay around f/11 but with available light I'm guessing you were shooting at the open end.

No matter what the DOF situation is, one general rule for bug macro is to nail focus on the critter's eye/eyes. I think you did on #1 but the others are focusing on its thorax.

[LordV]

Rather like #1 :)
Brian v.

[photobitz]

Sorry... didn't mean to sound critical before. I was just voicing what the general macro enthusiast likes to see. To be honest you probably didn't even notice it's eyes since they are so small and insignificant... See the little spherical thing below the antennae on #1.

[SwingBopper]

They don't "bite"... they just stab you with their proboscis, inject you with enzymes then drink the resulting soup. Probably more of an issue if you are an insect... :rolleyes:

No.....I think it would be a pretty big issue for me too!:)
Nice captures of a gruesome bug.

[ofdphoto]

Sorry... didn't mean to sound critical before. I was just voicing what the general macro enthusiast likes to see. To be honest you probably didn't even notice it's eyes since they are so small and insignificant... See the little spherical thing below the antennae on #1.
Dan, yeah, I have a few with the eyes in focus but found these more interesting visually ... e.g. the spikey collar thing was too blurry in the others.

Thanks, SwingBopper.

[photobitz]

Yeah... I guess that's a problem with these guys having their head way out in front like that.

[l +Jarrod+ l]

Nice find. Enjoying number 1