This is the first photo in a series of two ladybug macros. I know I posted one earlier in the week, and I probably should have either eliminated it or stuck it with these next two.
Let me just clear one thing up before I get a bazillion comments about it; I know the bug is out of focus and I sincerly apologize...the shot would have been infinitely better had the ladybug been in focus resulting in a sharp silhouette, but that's not how it turned out, and I have chosen to post it anyway. I think the blurry, high contrast, deeply colored silhouette gives the photo a slightly artistic/abstract feel.
categories: insects macro nature
August 14th, 2005 at 5:33 AM
beautiful colours and great light!
August 14th, 2005 at 6:28 AM
I love the soft focus.
August 14th, 2005 at 6:40 AM
Actually, ryam, I think the soft focus works very well in this case. It gives it almost a dreamlike-feel. It's such a happy photograph, like getting a sneak peak of a summer day in the life of a ladybug. I don't know why, but I could stare at this for hours. It just makes me feel happy.
August 14th, 2005 at 12:09 PM
Yea, this is a great shot, Ryam. At first I didn't really like the blurryness of it all, but now I think it's kind of cool...see, if it was in focus, then all attention would be drawn to the in-focus part and the rest ignored...but this way the eyes are left free to become absorbed in the shot without the distraction focus would cause.
August 14th, 2005 at 2:04 PM
I think the soft focus adds a lot to the shot... I like the artistic approach better than what would have been a scientific one, if the ladybug was sharp. Excelent lighting and composition.
August 14th, 2005 at 4:02 PM
The soft focus make the ladybug look almost as if made of metal, I think...
Interesting shot, great contrast !
August 14th, 2005 at 8:14 PM
Sometimes mistakes are what lend the uniqueness needed to give the photo that Something that sets it apart, for You.
Don't ever apologize for your work. Explain if you feel the urge, but don't apologize. You wouldnt put it here if You did like it. That is enough to justify inclusion.
August 14th, 2005 at 9:58 PM
I'm with the majority here. The fact that the bug is out of focus makes this shot work much better imho. I really like this one.
August 15th, 2005 at 8:16 AM
wow. this is absolutely so cool. i like the bokeh. very magical. great macro!
August 20th, 2005 at 11:59 AM
i like this a lot, really beautiful
August 23rd, 2005 at 9:09 PM
No, no, no. Don't apologize for the focus. I was just thinking before reading your notes that this is somewhat of a departure from your normal images. This has a very dreamlike quality--not in a way because of the soft focus alone, but because it's coupled with a higher-than-normal contrast in the colors and shadows. I really, really like it. It's not the typical, "Here's a close-up of nature." It's more of a, "This is how I felt when I spotted this ladybug," sort of image.
August 24th, 2005 at 6:14 PM
gorgeous...
personally, I would have liked to have seen some more detail on the lady bug too... maybe just a couple of dots... but it's still lovely.
August 28th, 2005 at 3:41 PM
A little too dark on the bug for my tastes. It looks like you used something close to the midnight sepia action. I would, lighten the bug a tiny bit, maybe go over, with some burn/dodge brushes.