Sometimes you hit the macro jackpot

[Geoff F]

As well as struggling to overcome challenging photographic conditions, one of the attractions of macro wildlife photography is finding something which is uncommon.

This hoverfly (Portevinia maculata) is slightly uncommon and rather localised.



Hardly in the same league as finding a live Dodo, but the chance of discovering a (new to me) species always gives a little bit of added excitement to a photographic bug hunt.

On a wildlife forum, we were asked if there is any wild garlic in flower yet. Here is my evidence.



I was experimenting with trying to include a little bit too much here. The depth of focus is slightly short on the far petals and the exposure is a bit of a compromise. A combination of 2 images would probably have worked better. But I think it turned out above my expectations.

I could possibly crop tighter on the left and concentrate on the hoverfly (Rhingia campestris) but unless I crop the flower very tight on both sides I thought that it would appear lop sided. And this is a very common fly.

On second thoughts, I may try a touch of extra selective sharpening on the far petal.

[bleys]

Great shots. I love macros of tiny organisms ... well, relatively tiny!