I have been trying to get a decent shot of one of these Picture Winged Flies for at least six months. They are skittish--almost always moving to the other side of the branch or flying away when approached. When I would get a decent shot off, the light was always terrible. However, with the MT-24EX, I managed to get some smooth light that didn't overexpose or underexpose large parts of the body. Also, I used a 580exii slaved to the MT-24EX to fire into the background. This provided a nice bright background. I tested this strategy from a few distances, and although it doesn't work all that well when the background is more than a couple feet away, it's better than nothing!
Ulidiidae (Picture Winged Fly):
Some more recent shots from the backyard (the recent heat has kept me from venturing further away):
Western Drywood Termite coming out of a hole it was digging in a beam that is, perhaps temporarily, holding up the roof over my patio (don't get any ideas about starting a colony, pal!):
Click Beetle resting on the edge of a plastic container:
Assassin Bug:
Skipper feeding on Lavender Star flower:
