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praying mantis-1493



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I was pruning a shrub when this handsome fellow stuck his head up to see what was shaking his home, narrowly missing being beheaded by the pruning shears. He st...
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I was pruning a shrub when this handsome fellow stuck his head up to see what was shaking his home, narrowly missing being beheaded by the pruning shears. He stuck around long enough to pose nicely.
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cameraCanon EOS 5D Mark III

settings Aperture 71/10 ISO 100 Shutter 1/200 Focal Length 100/1 

upload_dateAug, 2016

Views

153

Likes

Awards

Member Selection Award
Peer Award
meganhaderphotography dvierno wkinson ShaLyn
Absolute Masterpiece
mikeymccollum
Magnificent Capture
WAeagle
Superb Composition
claudiajeffreyshunt

Categories

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#Praying Mantis #green #outdoor #macro
See all

Behind The Lens

Location

I was working in the front yard, pruning a shrub when this guy poked his head up after one pass of my pruning shears. I ran into the house and grabbed my camera. Fortunately for me, he stayed around and posed for several shots. The unpruned portion of the shrub actually made for great bokeh in the background.

Time

Since I live in the desert southwest of the United States I was up fairly early to get yardwork done before it became too hot. This photo was taken shortly after 7 a.m. in August, one of the hottest months of the year in this part of the world.

Lighting

It was early enough in the morning that the sun was still low in the sky and the lighting was still somewhat soft.

Equipment

I had just upgraded to my Canon 5D Mark III so was still learning to work with it at that time. The lens was also new to me, Canon EF100mm f/2.8 Macro. I did not use a tripod since I was in a hurry to take the photo before he moved. It still surprises me that I was able to get as good a shot as I did without one. I did not use a flash but later wished I had used a reflector to brighten the subject a little bit since it was backlit.

Inspiration

Since the camera and the lens were both new, I had been looking for an excuse to use them both and had actually been playing around with them before I started working in the yard. The lens was already on the camera and ready to go.

Editing

I cropped the image some to bring the subject closer and fill the image frame. I also reduced the shadows and blacks quite a bit since the lighting was from behind and I wanted to brighten his features. At 7 a.m. the desert sun was already starting to become harsh so I also tweaked the exposure, contrast and highlights to soften the sunlight a bit.

In my camera bag

My Canon 5D III of course and my favorite lenses are my EF70-200mm f/4L and EF24-70 f/4L IS. The 70-200 is heavy but so worth the effort. I also carry a EF50mm f/1.8 STM which is my newest and I'm still getting familiar with it.

Feedback

I try to keep my eye out for anything that might be interesting to capture, whether it's in my own yard, while I'm out hiking or even when I'm with friends. While shooting, I have to remember to pay attention to the background especially when I'm taking a macro or close-up photo. Too many times I've discovered what would have been a great photo if I had just paid attention to the background. I've found when taking photos of animals (and children) I love having the HDR bracketing option on since sometimes a head or leg will change position which totally changes the pose from one half-second to the next. If you're shooting outdoors, be prepared to get up early to take advantage of ideal lighting conditions. If you don't know about rule of thirds, learn it.

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