Black-tailed Skimmer - anyone seen Sigourney?

Now I know where they got the idea for the Alien, ugly as an ugly thing and even spikes on its wings

These beasties were proving impossible to get close to - pretty easy to obtain the usual species id - type shot, but close-ups were proving impossible.
But on the third visit to the location I managed to get this close (about 2 feet in reality), lighting was really horrible and contrasty, dof not as good as it could be and the ringflash batteries packed up

I'm just hoping that all this rain doesn't make them all starve to death before I can get some more shots and some macro video footage.

Techs as per recent post

D2Xs + Sig 180mm + x1.4TC
ISO 200
1/250th @ f8 (-1/3 EV)
No Fill
10% crop for comp

Thanks for looking

Pretty ugly alright!!! The conditions look far from ideal Andy which I think you need for this macro stuff

I quite like this actually Andy. Lovely detail in all the right spots and much more dof might have led to a lot more background interference. Don't find them ugly, I have to say; quite teh opposite in fact.

Cheers

Malcolm

Hi Andy not so keen on this one.
John
Aberdeen

Doesn't quite work for me, as you say the light wasn't ideal and I think in this case there is a bit too much negative space on the right. A touch of fill flash would have helped with the light....