Chance of Spotty Showers
When aphids attack, call on the heavy hitters. These ladies take no prisoners.
When aphids attack, call on the heavy hitters. These ladies take no prisoners.
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Apr, 2016Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
Ballston Spa, New YorkTime
I swung by my parents' home in "upstate" New York at around 5pm, after a grueling day in the office, to find my mother befuddled in abject horror due to an invasion.Lighting
Nature did all the work, fortunately with natural light I rarely worry about having to correct color.Equipment
Panasonic Lumix.Inspiration
While nature is cyclical and most of us can look forward to the ephemeral beauty of transient floral colors and feisty seasonal visitors returning year after year, the individual specimens bringing life to our outdoor space may themselves only have a few fleeting seasons to partake in our world. It is my belief we should honor these sparks of life which bring us joy by capturing a defining moment of their brief existence and sharing it with others who may not be capable of enjoying the most mundane of outdoors spaces, and also to revisit the joy and splendor their simple existence has given to us personally. In this case, a package of lady bugs was procured by my mom to hunt down and eradicate a swarm of tiny red spider mites which apparently threatened to stain her new white porch posts if not decimated via consumption. These hard working beauties helped put my mom at ease and happily modeled their full bellied spots on some potted hibiscus in full summer bloom which also resided on the porch. It was an honor to capture this heroic bug who turned a less then ideal situation into a positive experience!Editing
Some minor cropping is all I typically have to consider.In my camera bag
Selecting the best compact gear available ensures you can ALWAYS be ready to snag an impromptu image, so I recommend researching the latest offerings in cellphone camera capabilities and splurging if possible. Presently, I am enjoying the Pixel 4 XL's amazing low light mode and adjustable shutter speed. I do like to play with my Sony DSLR often, but find the bulk a hindrance or the risk of damage or loss too great when on the day-to-day go (which is where I often happen to encounter beauty and humor that beckons to be captured.) When this photo was taken cell imaging capabilities were lacking and I would tote around a delightfully capable Panasonic Lumix point and shoot, this is still my go to for active outdoors-ing, but I no longer feel the need to be tethered to both a separate camera and cell simultaneously on a daily basis.Feedback
When life gives you red spider mites threatening to stain your new white porch railings, "hire the heavy hitters," and buy a bag of bigger, fiercely voracious and beautiful bugs. Then, don't spoil a perfect photo opportunity, feast your eyes and train your macro capable lens on the colorful critters as they feast upon the pint sized pests hiding in the hibiscus!
