Insect Photos

[Dr Bob]

If you have an interest in macro photography and/or insect photos, you might want to check out a book entitled "Bug Water" by Arlen Thomason. This book has some outstanding photos of aquatic insects and is written for fly fishermen. Being a flyfisherman and a fly tyer, I am amazed at these excellent photos.

Dr Bob

[rpcrowe]

There are some beautiful images of insects in fly tying books as well as some beautiful images of flies. Here's one of my images of a fly (my U.K. friends would call this a lure) I tied. I shot this using a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 AF SP Macro lens...

[Dr Bob]

Here is both a test of trying to upload images and a fly photo.

Dr Bob

[Dr Bob]

Try again.

Dr Bob

[Dr Bob]

Success! How about another.



Dr Bob

[Arlen]

Following up on a recommendation by a member of another photography forum, I have been checking out what you have going on here at CiC. Then while browsing the forums I stumbled upon this reference to my own book! Thanks for the kind words, Dr. Bob. I had a lot of fun working on BugWater, and it appears that you folks have a good time around here while following your own passions.

[Arlen]

Getting into contributor mode, here's a shot that may be of some interest to fly fishers or bug lovers. It's an elusive grey drake--aka black drake, aka Siphlonurus occidentalis--mayfly dun. The spinner stage is much more commonly observed, but I had been looking for the duns for several years before a lucky encounter with a hatch-in-progress at an Oregon Cascades lake last summer. This one is a male, as evidenced by it's big expressive, banded compound eyes.



Original direct-linked image size: 1109 x 793 px

[wlou]

Very nice bug, the picture is flawless. Multiple staking?

[FrankMi]

Very impressive Arlen! Can you tell us a bit about how you were able to get this marvelous shot?

[DanK]

Very nice shot of a mayfly.

What the heck: I'll throw in a couple. These are not of particular interest to fly fishermen, but they are aquatic. Both appeared at different times on a wood dock in the Adirondacks.

A damselfy, just after emerging as an adult (hence the translucent shell):



A dragonfly:

[Arlen]

Thanks for the comments. Louise, if by "multiple staking" you mean focus stacking (à la Helicon Focus), then no, that wasn't used here. That technique can occasionally be used with bugs that are in a very sedentary mode (for instance, on a cold morning before they've warmed up), but most of the time they won't sit still for it. Frank, that shot involved a Canon 5D with 100mm macro lens and extension tube (don't remember the length), at f/16; a Canon 420EX flash mounted on the camera via a home-made extension bracket; and most importantly, lots of patience.

Dan, those are some beautiful bugs. I love the eyes on that dragonfly--aren't they fantastic? And actually, damsels and dragons can be of substantial interest to fly fishers, especially in their juvenile, aquatic stages. In still waters like lakes and ponds, they are often among the most abundant larg(ish) insects that attract a fish's attention.

Pond damselfly nymph laying in wait Original direct-linked image size: 1111 x 794 px

Aeshnid dragonfly nymph on the prowl Original direct-linked image size: 1111 x 794 px

They are both hunters (of other bugs), and while stalking their prey among the aquatic vegetation, frequently wind up being stalked themselves if fish are about.

[ktuli]

Arlen,

Are those underwater shots or aquarium shots?

- Bill

[DanK]

Arlen,

Great shots.

I get a fair number of damsels and dragonflies on my dock. As long as I don't hover over them, I can often get close, but the open sunlight on wood makes for lousy backgrounds. My favorites of the common damsels in our area are the violet tails:



I've been doing a lot of flies around the house. Some of them are really fascinating close up, but there is less of a market for fly pictures. Here's a tiny one cleaning its head, while perched on some yarrow:



Like you, I don't stack with bugs, although I do usually stack with flowers. I know people who do stack bug shots, but I am just not fast and steady enough, and generally am not out hunting when it is cold enough for them to stay put.

Dan

[Dr Bob]

Arlen:

Thanks for joining us here at CIC. Being a fellow fly fisherman, I find you photos an excellent look at the details of what we are trying to imitate with our fur and feathers. You shots are excellent and educational. Thank you.

Dr Bob