B&W: grasshopper on tree orchid stem

[JBW]

There is an art to B&W photography. An art I appreciate but have yet to master. Actually I rather doubt that in the time left to me I will master the art. Nevertheless, I shall have the fun found in making the attempt.

ISO 100 ~ Aperture Speed O.2s ~ F/16 ~ Natural Light ~ Sony Alpha a58~ Tamron 90mm 272E ~ Phase 1 Capture 1 v11

[Geoff F]

Something for you to think about with this image, Brian. Is it really a grasshopper, a groundhopper or a cricket?

Body shape rather looks like the Slender Groundhopper (Tetrix subulata) which we get in the UK. But the fairly long antennae are more like a cricket species?

At least the image looks OK.

[Shadowman]

Nice dynamic to the composition but the bug is a bit lost in the textures.

[JBW]

Nice dynamic to the composition but the bug is a bit lost in the textures.

Agreed that it is a bit lost but then again it was trying extremely hard to blend in. Strange and inconsistent I must sound after posting such a heavily modified shot but I was trying for realism re the background

[JBW]

Something for you to think about with this image, Brian. Is it really a grasshopper, a groundhopper or a cricket?

Body shape rather looks like the Slender Groundhopper (Tetrix subulata) which we get in the UK. But the fairly long antennae are more like a cricket species?

At least the image looks OK.

Except that I can't find a shot of the Slender Groundhopper with a dark tip at the end of the body I'd vote for SG. I may end up spending hours trying to figure this out

[Wavelength]

Great; this must be cricket, the one who gives a dark night its frightening music in the background...

[Geoff F]

Except that I can't find a shot of the Slender Groundhopper with a dark tip at the end of the body I'd vote for SG. I may end up spending hours trying to figure this out

That dark tip is probably the wings just showing beyond the end of the pronotum. All these possible species are very variable in colours. I suspect that the antennae length will be the clue here. Longer than the grasshoppers/groundhoppers which I find over here but not as long as our crickets. But I think there are some of the 'House Crickets' which have shorter antennae; however, I am now getting beyond the limits of my knowledge.

[JBW]

That dark tip is probably the wings just showing beyond the end of the pronotum. All these possible species are very variable in colours. I suspect that the antennae length will be the clue here. Longer than the grasshoppers/groundhoppers which I find over here but not as long as our crickets. But I think there are some of the 'House Crickets' which have shorter antennae; however, I am now getting beyond the limits of my knowledge.

which means you are way past mine