Mantis Fade
Mar, 2013Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the middle of the road. The mantis seemed attracted to the damp of our wet dive gear so it flew on top of the car we were to take to the boat.Time
The green contrasted the silver roof of the vehicle which shone even more so in the late morning sunlight that had just dipped behind a whisp of translucent cloud, diffusing the light well.Lighting
No external lighting was used, the metallic roof on which the subject stood reflected the light at an angle that proved sufficient to light the subject with a faint glow without needed an external source.Equipment
No tripod was used, instead the roof that provides the layering for the image was used for stability. A Canon 550D with a Sigma 17-70mm lens proved more than sufficient.Inspiration
The apparent and clearly temporary curiosity of the insect provided an opportunity to be taken. It just happened to be that I had the right camera and the right lens for the shot and both were not too far away at the time. The foliage from where it emerged was not too far away so it was able to return to prime habitat within moments should it have chosen to do so.Editing
The image was very slightly cropped to retain the layering of the image and the exposure was slightly reduced to highlight the subject.In my camera bag
I always have my Canon 550D as it has proven time and again to be an incredibly versatile piece of kit. It has survived sub zero temperatures for hours, sand, snow, rain and sun and is still going strong 4 years later. On it I keep the sigma 17-70mm, 2.8, which provides an incredible diversity of shooting options in all lighting conditions. Since I focus on wildlife primarily, I also keep my Canon 50mm 1.8 at hand, allowing for strong depth of field, and my sigma 400mm telephoto. I have a variety of manfrotto tripods that i pick and choose depending on the requirements.Feedback
This image was captured spontaneously, and though framing a shot well in advance is always a goal to work towards, I am a huge advocate of having a camera at hand and letting your eyes frame things on the go. Watching how light is behaving with any subject from different angles allows the eye, and the lens to capture very different perspectives on a subject.
