Got this preying mantis in the Phillipines. Lowered the gamma to black out the background and a bit of shadow and highlight. Still on the powershot but should be getting my slides scanned soon! 1/60s, f6.3, fill in flash. Any comments apprecited.
Like the detail on this Matt and the lighting really goes with the subject - MENACING
Like it Matt
Posted by Matt Doggett on May 16, 2007 at 11:57 AM
This mantis was about 3 inches long and quite friendly. We rescued it from a foot bath where it was drowning and it sat on my head for half an hour drying out. The background was dark anyway as it was night time so adjusting the gamma just took out a couple of distracting leaves.
Thanks Mark, great website btw. I have only just got into the underwater side of things out in the phillipines over the past year. I'm not in the position any time soon to get an underwater housing for my SLR but am thinking of the 10MP canon powershot G7 with an external strobe (after getting a job!) have you got any thoughts on that?
Cheers
Matt
thanks matt i'm not too sure as to the ideosynchrosies of any camera other than the one i use....and i only got to know those by using it daily....but what i do know is that
very nice results can be achieved with most camera housing combinations as long as you
learn the basic rules of underwater photography....like never ever ever using auto white balance. as from there, your make and model only really need to be dictated by what you intend to do with your images, i.e. if you're going to sell them, are your optics and megapixels up to the job, although with compacts there is an issue with sensor size in relation to megapixel, but the great megapixel scam is another issue altogether....
basically get what you can best afford and try to get two strobes, as you will soon
discover the falling down points of using one strobe after you download for first set of images from the camera.
email me if you want to know any more...writepic@gmail.com
Discussion
9 repliesCheers
Matt
Not sure that the black background is ideal for this one, makes the shot look overflashed.
What size are these critters?
Like it Matt
Cheers
Matt
matt, it wasn't resting...it was trying to eat your head......
nice image, agree regarding slightly too absorbent background, but this is rescued with the "eyecontact" from the insect.
mark
Cheers
Matt
John
Aberdeen
thanks matt
very nice results can be achieved with most camera housing combinations as long as you
learn the basic rules of underwater photography....like never ever ever using auto white balance. as from there, your make and model only really need to be dictated by what you intend to do with your images, i.e. if you're going to sell them, are your optics and megapixels up to the job, although with compacts there is an issue with sensor size in relation to megapixel, but the great megapixel scam is another issue altogether....
basically get what you can best afford and try to get two strobes, as you will soon
discover the falling down points of using one strobe after you download for first set of images from the camera.
email me if you want to know any more...writepic@gmail.com
mark