Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #18 "An Ant"

Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #18
An Ant!


With this week's Macro DSLR Speed Challenge #18 "An Ant!". I want you macro photographers to show me the best Ant insect macro photo you can come up with. I am pretty sure there should be an Ant somewhere nearby, so go capture it on your DSLR

Have Fun!!


Standard Rules apply:
Photo Submissions:

1. Camera - Any Canon DSLR camera
2. Lens - Any lens, or attachment that can give Macro photos (ex. extension tubes, bellows, macro filters, reverse mounted lens and of course a true macro lens.).
3. Time - any on-topic photo taken at any time is eligible, although photos that have won other competitions should NOT be entered.
4. Size - Please see the Image posting rules.
5. Post-Processing - do whatever you like and the host will decide if it works.
6. Posting -
* ONE MACRO PHOTO per photographer in each challenge.
* Photo Name/Title in the message.
* Camera model & lens used in the message.
* Post brief Exif data including ISO, shutter speed and aperture used in the message.
* Notes - anything you feel you need to explain.
7. Commenting - No commenting during challenge. When the posting is closed and a winner has been declared, comments can be made in this thread.
8. Questions - Use PM
9. Have FUN!

One challenge every week, on the following schedule:

* New Topic - After winner is declared.
* Posting Starts - Right after topic is announced.
* Posting Ends - 06:00 PM EST (Eastern) Monday, March 23, 2009. Winner will be announced shortly thereafter.
* Winner from this competition decides the theme of the next one (and judges it for a winner) after this competition is closed.

Here is a link to our previous Macro DSLR Speed Challenge winners <-- click to see

Velvety Smooth
Looks like an ant, walks like an ant, must be an ant

OK, it's really a wingless wasp called a velvet ant. They are called cow killer ants in my area.

Canon XT
18-55 mm @55mm with (+3,+2,+1 Hoya diopters)
1/200s
F5.6
ISO 100
pop-up flash

"Duel"

Honeydew Follower's

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

Sippin' Honey

This was definitely a challenge, but it was a good excuse to go out and practice with the MP-E 65. Now I even MORE appreciate what the great ones can do with that lens. It's definitely not as forgiving as the 100mm macro. I had lots of missed focus shots before I got this one.

Camera: 40D
Lens: MP-E 65
Aperture: 7.1
Shutter: 1/125
ISO: 400
Other: used a beanbag to help steady myself after working in the yard most of the day. Honey really does work great at making these guys stay still a bit longer!

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Ok late by a few minutes...
Edit: fixed wrong Exif...

40D, f/4, 1/60, iso 400

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Well... first thanks to all participants
and all photos were great (except Daniel2000 "Duel" as it wasn't shot with a DSLR, nice try though ).

For Third Place: Honeydew Follower's by Flo
Great colors and the fly looks like he/she kept an eye on you

For Second Place: "Sippin' Honey" by lavanut
Very nice catching an ant with a sweet tooth

For First place the choice was difficult but I overall liked:
"Velvety Smooth" by jmchooper
I have never seen one of those before and the color really helped me choose this photo

Thanks again to all participants, and spread the word about our Macro DSLR Speed Challenge

Congrats jmchooper!! Way to go Gail & Lavanut as well!! Nice shots all!

Congratz jm

Congratulations jmc! I saw one of those ants for the first time last year and had no idea what it was at the time. Your pic was better than the one I got then.

Nice shots Gail, monty and Daniel (with the Powershot)!

Thanks for the challenge, John, except now I want to go shoot more ants!

Way to go, everyone! Sadly, no ants here yet this year..

John_B wrote in post #7583476
Well... first thanks to all participants
and all photos were great (except Daniel2000 "Duel" as it wasn't shot with a DSLR, nice try though ).

Damn, I completely forgot about THAT part... lol
and I had one taken with my 40D and took that one because I was finding it better... stupid... lol

it would have been that one... not a winner but would not have had been disqualified... lol

Geno DM wrote in post #7583967
Way to go, everyone! Sadly, no ants here yet this year..

I looked for one. Probably just a little too early. I thought about putting some sugar water out, but then I might just end up with them in the house too!

I think they were all fantastic!!!
I really like the colors and focus of the Lantana Ant from Monty.

Sweet! Way to go, all!

you "guys" do pretty good work!!

Geno DM wrote in post #7583967
Way to go, everyone! Sadly, no ants here yet this year..

Same here but for a different reason...we seem to be built on the worlds largest anthill so I spray about 3-4x/yr...thus no ants. Then again no finding them setting up shop in the toilet tank lid as we found a whole colony living in about 4 or 5 yrs back. hehehehe, we just could never figure out where the leetle buggers were coming from. They setup a colony INSIDE the tank lid which had an airhole from when it was fired in in the kiln to let the air escape. Ever since, no ants...anywhere.