Was just in the garden, and had this close encounter....



Here are 2 full size images:
http://cal3d.com/NGA2017/B1.jp...
http://cal3d.com/NGA2017/B2.jp...

BTW, I hope you will share pics of your insect friends here, too.

Note: 8/31/17 .....just found who she is.....a Gulf Fritillary

Beautiful!

Breathtaking...freedom for the butterfly but moments in time captured.

Gayle

Thanks for the nice comments.....I was lucky to have my camera ready, and she posed nicely.
I don't know what her name is(?).

We have a lot of anise, and I've tried several times to get a pic of a Tiger Swallow Tail that cruises through flitting here & there everyday, but she won't
light & stay put(!)
But I'll keep trying.

Very nice shots @ EscondidoCal.
Thought you might enjoy posting them at the butterfly forum too https://garden.org/forums/view...

luvsgrtdanes said:Very nice shots @ EscondidoCal.
Thought you might enjoy posting them at the butterfly forum too https://garden.org/forums/view...

Thanks for the suggestion....I didn't even know there was a butterfly forum here!
I have more pics of Monarchs and Dragon Flies to post, too.
So much to explore, learn, and share.

I'm not sure what he may be. We found him (and left him) in Mackey ID. His body was about 2 inches (not counting his "tail")

DaisyI said:I'm not sure what he may be. We found him (and left him) in Mackey ID. His body was about 2 inches (not counting his "tail")

I think it's a cricket of some sort.

EscondidoCal said:
I think it's a cricket of some sort.

I wonder if he and his relatives were the chirpers during the eclipse.

This dangerous beauty was enjoying the mint blossoms a few days ago.
Hemipepsis ustulata.....The Tarantula Hawk!

They aren't aggressive (at least in my limited experience), but if provoked,
can (according to the Wiki) deliver the ", .... the 2nd most painful (sting) of all insects, the Bullet Ant being THE most painful."
The stinger is ~1/4" (.635mm) and not barbed, like a 21gauge hypodermic needle. (see full post in this thread)

The advice is , "if stung, stop, drop, and scream like no one is listening!"









See Slideshow (16 images)

Does anyone have a story to tell about them, good or bad? They aren't a problem for me (yet).

As I was taking pics of a Tithonia rotundifloria, 'The Torch', Mexican sunflower, and went to remove a bit of
what I thought was a twig, I was surprised to see this little predator instead.


Then, as I took more images, another visitor showed up, all happening 2 ft away. No one paid
any attention to the photographer.





The little spider held his/her own, and was left unharmed, ready to pounce....hopefully on a fly, not a bee.

Here are comparisons of the same image: Averaged/right-on vs HDR vs PseudoHDR.
(mouse-over/out to see the images swap)

The "Averaged" image is how the camera took it in "P" mode.
The HDR is based on 3 images (one right-on, one +1ev, one -1ev) combined in Easy HDR using the Natural2 preset.
The PseudoHDR was based on just the right-on/averaged image using the same preset.

1. Averaged image vs HDR

2. Averaged image vs PseudoHDR

3. HDR vs PseudoHDR

Hand-held Panasonic FZ150 on a slightly breezy day.

How interesting. Thank you Cal-
So if I get this right when I hover over it and it changes, that is the one you list second. So for the first one when I hover I see the HDR.
I spent a few minutes looking at these, and I think I actually like the PseudoHDR best. I might do a bit of Photoshop to get the bright spot on the left dimmed down a bit, it actually looked best in the Averaged Image I think. I have been playing around in Photoshop/Lightroom, there is a feature where you can pick the areas to combine and it might work well here. Or possibly crop it.
This is a case where it is hard to get it right without some manipulation, due to the lighting and the busy background, and the desire to include the animals.
Brightening it up a bit with HDR sure helped me see the spider. But it sure is not trying to be camouflaged!

Hi Mary,
yes, the HDR is the one that shows more in the shadows....it's not as good as I'd like, since the
breeze moved the stem in the back, so you see the double image.
But at least the spider and flower its on were not moving, so it worked as an HDR (more or less).

Ideally, the subject should be absolutely still, and have the camera on a tripod. But I always try it anyway
handheld, and am able to get many good images (imho).

re: PseudoHDR.....I agree...I thought it was best, too. Since it was based on one image, it doesn't have
the double image artifact problem.

re: Photoshop.....a friend of mine used it to create a PseudoHDR that looked very good, but I don't have PS.
Also, there are 2 schools of thought (always).....some are purists who refuse to use it. But I've seen
some very good images that would not have been possible without HDR, or at least a lot of PS work.
Those who use HDR, i.e. at least 3 images, usually +/- 2ev/f-stops plus one "right-on" will say it still
is best to get the range of tones, whereas one image doesn't have all the data.

Some shoot only RAW (not sure which flavor...there are several).....I've tried a single RAW image for
creating the PseudoHDR (I think that's the correct term, but may not be standard),
but didn't think it was as good, imho, as the multi-image HDR.

It's personal choice, and everyone is entitled to do what they like. I don't ever (well, hardly ever) tell someone they HAVE to
do this or NOT do that. Experiment, and do what pleases YOU.

I don't enter photo contests because I don't want to try to please the judges. I love this forum where you can share your
pics with so many & learn as much as you want.

Hope you go out and have fun taking pics today.
Cal

ps-
ALWAYS take off the lens cap, buckle your seat-belt, have fun.
NEVER use your camera to drive a nail into a board, or put wasabe up your nose.

re: RAW images.....just saw this thread about it, and will try it out (again).......just wish they gave it a different name....."RAW" evokes too many unsettling images......I like everything cooked....."well".

Love all your photos Cal Keep it coming!

Thanks Tarev! Glad you liked them.

When it cools down more, I'll have more time to post more images instead of
watering & keeping things alive and/or working.

Some of today's crowd.....

The dahlia pic is especially nice Cal

Thanks, luvsgrrrrrrtdanes.
You never know who you'll see....I think they're having a snack.

This is when I (almost) wish I had a real macro lens, but it does a fair job, imho,
and I don't have to fumble with different lenses.