Praying Mantis Portrait
Jan, 2016Views
412
Likes
Awards
Member Selection Award
Winner in Posing Praying Mantis Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Superior Skill
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Superb Composition
Magnificent Capture
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 2
Top 30 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 30 rank week 1
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I can spend many hours quietly observing plants and flowers in order to find interesting insects going about their day to day lives to photograph, and I was lucky enough to come across this Praying Mantis in a backyard garden in New Jersey, USA.Time
This photo was taken in the late morning.Lighting
When shooting macro, especially insects, I only rely on natural light. For this reason you would think one needs to shoot between noon and 3 pm, when daylight is the brightest. But, that is also when it is the harshest, and I prefer soft natural light so as to not overexpose the subject matter or it's environment. I also find the colors to be richer and deeper in the early morning or late afternoon as compared to other hours of the day.Equipment
I used a Nikon D7100 and a Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro D Macro lens. No flash, and no tripod. When I shoot insects that are on the move I don't use a tripod because I want to be able to shoot many different angles quickly. In situations like this, I will use my body to anchor the camera by tucking my arms in close to my sides to steady the camera, or I prop an elbow against something try to keep the camera shake to a minimum. In this case though I did have a small chair on hand, which put me at the perfect height to shoot straight at this Praying Mantis.Inspiration
Most people upon seeing a Praying Mantis are somewhat revolted or scared by their appearance, as they are not exactly a delicate butterfly floating on a gentle breeze. But to me, they are fascinating and beautiful. What was so interesting about this particular Mantis was it's color, and when I first saw it I knew I had to capture this photo. To grow they need to molt, which they do about ten times before they reach adulthood. For a short time after each molt they're milky white, and judging by the color of this particular Mantis's exoskeleton, it had done just that recently. And so as this insect preened it's antenna while resting on top of some vegetation in a garden I was able to fire off some photos of it's amazing detail and color. I loved every moment of it.Editing
The only post processing techniques I use regularly and on this particular photo as well, are tiny tweeks involving saturation or color, and if needed very minor adjustments to the sharpness of the image or parts of it. I love using Photoshop Elements 14 for my post processing, as it's an easy to learn application that has different skill levels you can work with whether you are a beginner or pro photographer. Bonus, it isn't too expensive either!In my camera bag
I carry one camera in my bag, a Nikon D7100. Along with this I'm usually toting around my Tokina 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro D Macro lens, one telephoto lens which is a AF Zoom-NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4-5.6G, and a standard AF-S Nikkor 18-140mm lens. Plenty of lens cleaning cloths are essential as you do NOT want to shoot any photo, let alone macro, with dirt, smudges, or specs of dust all over your lens. I personally prefer the Pearlstone Lens Cleaning Cloth with Grip. I also have a MC-DC2 Remote Release Cord tucked in there somewhere between my fruit snacks, granola bars and bottled water.Feedback
When I shoot insects with my macro lens, I am trying to capture a living creature in it's environment, in it's day to day life, as close up as possible. With this objective comes the responsibility to not physically disturb them or destroy their environment as you shoot them. I personally consider it an accomplishment when I can get to the point that, while in my subject's midst, they become oblivious to the fact that I am even there. And this can be accomplished by just sitting quietly on the edge of a garden and waiting for them to become accustomed to your presence. It takes some patience, but the outcome is worth it.
