This is the best of a sequence of about a dozen shots I took this morning. There are a few trees with over-ripe fruit near where I live and they are attracting insects of all kinds. I was stalking a hornet when it suddenly attacked a wasp and flew off with it onto a branch. This was a split-second opportunity with little chance to make changes to the settings but fortunately I have foreseen such an event and have set up the camera for it.
The background and the leaf on the left were in sunshine while the insects were in shade. I have therefore lightened the shot. The camera was hand-held at about 4 inches from the subject. I got even closer with later shots but focusing was difficult, and besides, would you want to get close up to this?
In spite of what is about to happen, i.e. the wasp is torn apart, I love the elegance of the hornet's leg holding onto the branch.
I'm happy with this photo but I would like to know what others would have done on the spot and in later processing. All critiques welcome.
D3100
40mm Nikkor AF-S Micro f/2.8G
f/11, 1/200th sec, ISO 400
AP mode
Hand held, manual focus
Subject distance approx 4 inches (10 cm)
The background and the leaf on the left were in sunshine while the insects were in shade. I have therefore lightened the shot. The camera was hand-held at about 4 inches from the subject. I got even closer with later shots but focusing was difficult, and besides, would you want to get close up to this?
In spite of what is about to happen, i.e. the wasp is torn apart, I love the elegance of the hornet's leg holding onto the branch.
I'm happy with this photo but I would like to know what others would have done on the spot and in later processing. All critiques welcome.
D3100
40mm Nikkor AF-S Micro f/2.8G
f/11, 1/200th sec, ISO 400
AP mode
Hand held, manual focus
Subject distance approx 4 inches (10 cm)