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Darth Vader?
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Darth Vader?

by Howard Cheek

Gallery: Macro & Close-upPosted July 4, 2012339 views12 comments
"Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father"
I ate em'!! :wink:
Initially this Giant Robber Fly male (Promachus hinei) was sucking on a fly he had shagged off our porch. I was shooting into the late afternoon sun & going for that back-lit look. They just didn't work out. As the light began to fade, this is what I got.
The perch is a vertical plastic leg of a back-porch shelf.
F/16, 1/125th, ISO 500, 1D M3, Sigma 150mm f/2.8 and fill.
I used the Kenko 1.4x to in order to fill the frame. This helped me to maintain a good distance away from the subject, as not to disturb..

Comments

12 comments
Comment posted by Rick Turner on July 4, 2012 at 10:26 AM
Very, very unusual creature. Great detail Howard :toast:
Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments
Comment posted by scott lanz on July 4, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Man you have a lot of strange insects in Texas. Excellent capture of this one with really superb detail. I like the orange feet! :toast:
Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments
Comment posted by Luke Ormand on July 4, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Killer detail - nice composition and the lighting works well here
Registered on February 4, 2009, 1093 Posts, 7035 Comments
Comment posted by Toya Heatley on July 4, 2012 at 2:55 PM
Looks like something out of a science fiction book! Awesome detail - well done!
Registered on June 13, 2012, 36 Posts, 98 Comments
Comment posted by Carolyn Derstine on July 4, 2012 at 2:57 PM
That is one strange looking insect, Howard! Great job on the comp and good plane of focus control to get such clear details on the bug. I think the dark setting suits this creature that looks like he's from the "dark side". You do have quite the variety of insects down there in Texas! Love those feet. :wink:
Registered on February 16, 2011, 610 Posts, 3684 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on July 5, 2012 at 1:07 PM
What a hairy bugger, almost as fuzzy as me. The details here are awesome! I especially like those orange feet and the eye. Let's see, 1.4x tele and a 1.5x chip size multiplier puts you at 315mm. The part I'm not clear about is do you still get to 1:1 with such a rig?
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Howard Cheek on July 5, 2012 at 6:39 PM
Mark:
My 1D M3 crop factor is 1.3x, it's a larger sensor than most..not more pixels, just bigger = greater light gathering capabilities & less noise.
As far as filling the frame with a giant robberfly? I can just about do that with the straight lens.
Only problem is I have to get right down close to the subject, and use manual focus..
But then it's flown away because Darth can smell a rat! :biggrin:
As I said in my note, I often use the 1.4x tele to give me greater working distance.
Capiche? :wavey:
Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments
Comment posted by Larry Lynch on July 6, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Beautiful capture. I like the lighting and detail.
Registered on September 16, 2006, 773 Posts, 9940 Comments
Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on July 11, 2012 at 4:05 PM
Incredible detail - congrats on a fine WP!
Sandy
Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments
Comment posted by Ray Whitt on July 12, 2012 at 7:58 AM
Congratulations Howard, excellent shot. Well deserved!

Ray
Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments
Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on July 13, 2012 at 5:16 AM
Howard:
Killer shot! Congrats
Registered on September 1, 2009, 588 Posts, 8184 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on July 17, 2012 at 11:41 PM
Howard, congrats on the wp, very well deserved.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments