Wasps and Bees

[Johann Schutte]

[pnodrog]

All very good. I particularly like the wasp in photo 2 (not that I like wasps at all).

Hey you changed the order? It is now #4 - wasp looking over white flower.

[JamesScott86]

Excellent captures - well taken.

[FootLoose]

Gee, you have made excellent use of complementary colours here, Johann. I prefer the first for composition and colour and the 4th stands out for its comical aspect (that's just my weird sense of humour )

[deetheturk]

Great captures Johann, all very good!

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[JohnRostron]

Great series. I particularly like #3 and #4.

John

[DanK]

very nice images. Great background blur and framing

[Mutley]

Very nice series

[Texas Dave]

Very beautiful and most interesting photography.

[Rebel]

Awesome shots Johann number #1 and #2 are my favourites.

[IzzieK]

Uh oh...competition, David...these ones are beautiful because of the backgrounds Johann has put with her/her beasts. I particularly love #4, as Greg said before me, very comical look.

[GBO25]

Macro photography at it's absolute best. Amazing shots. If I had to pick a favourite I'd be hard pressed but it would be a toss up between the first and the last.
The black background works wondefully well in the first and the shape and colour of the petal make it look like it's perched on a tongue of fire.
In the last one the "eye" contact is perfect and rarely seen so wonderfully done as here.
Fabulous.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Johann,

Welcome to the CiC forums from me.

Well, these are certainly better than anything I have ever taken, or many others - the stand out feature for me, which I noticed from the very first shot, is the lighting - it is very nicely controlled for contrast and spread, allowing us to really appreciate the details. My shots of bees eyes tend to turn in to either 'black pits', or so reflective they blow specular highlights - not so with yours.

Well done and thanks for sharing, Dave

[John 2]

Very nice series Johann. The DOF is particularly good in a couple of them and as Dave says, they are well lit.

[Barbara Ponder]

Love the last one!

[rpcrowe]

Great shots... These creatures are not my favorite subjects. OUCH

[Johann Schutte]

Thank you all for your comments. In particular to Graham, for his very complimentary/charitable comments, and to Dave for the welcome.

I regularly shoot at slightly higher ISO (200-300), to pick up more ambient light, and decrease flash. This seems to give a softer, and less-prone-to-blown-out-highlight result.

The images were all done with a 70d, el-cheapo 1.8 Canon 50 prime (probably the best value for money lens there is), and either a Raynox 150 or 250.

The Wasp in #1 found its way into my wife's kitchen, and eventually found its way onto a nasturtium which I had photographed earlier. The black background is one of those dark enameled roasting pots, which happened to be behind the subject.

[bnnrcn]

Great set