First Post...

Discussion

10 replies

Posted by David Taylor on October 15, 2009 at 6:33 PM

...since my op. Thanks for you kind wishes on my last post. They are very much appreciated.

My daughter brought me home Tuesday evening. Looked after very well at Wigan hospital. The op succeeded in removing most of the stone only a few fragments remain for me to have the dubious pleasure of passing them.

I've learnt one thing, and that is to try and avoid getting any more like the plague. The pain is excruciating even with pain killers. I've got to go back in for removal of a plastic stent which is left in for two or three weeks.

Went into the garden yesterday after a shower of rain and found this shield bug sheltering under an apple leaf.

Sigma SD14 dslr
Sigma 50 EX macro lens
Sigma ring flash
Hand held
F20
1/125s
ISO50
Manual focus
RAW adjustment in
SPP3.5
Cropped in PS Elements 5
Framed in Xara Xtreme Pro 5

Posted by Justin on October 16, 2009 at 4:20 AM

I hope you're feeling better soon David and that you make a speedy recovery.
An interesting looking creature, well seen and captured.

Posted by Jeff Harrison on October 16, 2009 at 5:09 AM

I like the texture and colouring you've captured here David - nicely done

I too wish you a speedy recovery and glad to hear that the folks at Wigan (my home town

) looked after you well.

Posted by Ian Macdermott on October 16, 2009 at 6:32 AM

Hi David,

glad to see you are OK and getting around

Well spotted but it would nave been nice to see a bit more of the head

Posted by Des Ong on October 16, 2009 at 6:56 AM

Nice to see you back again David, hope you get better soon.

Des

Posted by Andy Shepherd on October 16, 2009 at 8:58 AM

Welcome back David

And an interesting shot to return with, you don't see that many shots of the underside of a Shield Bug, nice one.

Do you know if the holes running down the flanks are used for breathing ?

Andy...

Posted by Drew Mellowship on October 16, 2009 at 12:13 PM

Great details around the image, works well. Glad to see you back

for many more shots !

Drew

Posted by PhilH on October 16, 2009 at 2:40 PM

Welcome back, trust you are fully on the road to recovery...

Andy.... yes, I believe those are the spiracles that feed the tracheae, one to each thorax segment.

Posted by Craig Jones on October 16, 2009 at 3:51 PM

Love the oof foreground and the detail is beautiful David glad to see you back posting so soon and hope all is well all the best

Posted by Maggie Campbell on October 16, 2009 at 5:46 PM

I think the underside of the beetle blends nicely with the underside of the leaf. A different image.
Glad the op went well. Only experienced passing a kidney stone and not child birth. They say its similar so just take deep breaths, push and swear plenty and you should be fine

Posted by David Taylor on October 17, 2009 at 2:28 PM

Thanks everyone for your kind comments. The pain is still there when answering Nature's call, but the ensuing liquid is looking a lot more like it should, thank goodness.

Not been pleasant viewing for the last few days.

Tried going without painkillers for the last 24 hrs but have just taken two after the last visit.

I'm getting soft in my old age.

I'm hoping after the plastic stent is removed in a week or two, everything should be like it use to be when I used to p** against the wind with impunity

Andy I agree with what Phil has written.
see
http://www.biology-resources.com/drawing-insect-spiracle.html

Maggie that is what I've been doing and it does help slightly. It's the pain killers that help a bit more.