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Boxing Mantis
Boxing Mantis
Shmee


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study XIV (Advanced Editing IV)
Camera: Nikon D70s
Lens: Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED
Location: Moscow, Idaho
Date: Oct 24, 2006
Aperture: f 4
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/4 s
Galleries: Performance, Action
Date Uploaded: Oct 29, 2006

 I found this praying mantis on the stairs to my apartment, and decided to keep it.

I took this photo with a slow shutter speed and on camera flash. I had the white balance set for tungsten lighting, so there was a blue cast to this photo after using flash. Honestly, I don't think the flash helped at all, although it might have made the stick more sharp.

My friend was holding the stick with the mantis on it upside down, and was moving his finger above it to get it to reach out. So the photo is a bit blurry, because the stick wasn't staying still.

I cropped off a tiny bit, sharpened the image, added some saturation and used the healing brush on parts of the black background so that the light spot from the light was a darker black.

I'm hoping this image will go over better than my "African Dance" photo from last month. People either loved it or hated it. I even got like 6 1's on it. I'm pretty sure that photo isn't complete crap. Maybe because it was ALL blurred motion? Idono. I like my African Dance photo much better than this one, but I know I will get a higher score on this one.

What can you do.

Statistics
Place: 495 out of 625
Avg (all users): 5.0444
Avg (commenters): 5.0000
Avg (participants): 4.9424
Avg (non-participants): 5.3902
Views since voting: 1238
Views during voting: 250
Votes: 180
Comments: 8
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Nikon D80
Sigma 50-500mm f/4.0-6.3 EX APO RF HSM for Nikon
 11/07/2006 07:55:36 PM
great shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II
 11/06/2006 09:02:08 AM
good capture, and good use of negative space.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony DSLR-A700
Sony 50mm f/1.4
 11/03/2006 11:53:52 PM
Nice capture of the mantis, but I think I would like it better without the motion blur. Though that does certainly add a level of humor to the shot :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/03/2006 12:13:31 PM
Interesting and fun take. Image is not quite in focus though and the bright light reflecting off the mantis and stick is too bright.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony Alpha a7R III
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM
 11/03/2006 08:24:46 AM
A clever idea; the blurred legs are very effective, but it is a shame that there is some movement in the rest of the body resulting in a rather soft image. Definitely worth trying more of these, 'though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 11/03/2006 07:38:38 AM
Maybe be a little to soft in focus...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D700
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED
 11/01/2006 11:30:46 PM
were you yanking on its arms with fishing line??
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX1
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
 11/01/2006 05:20:18 AM
A sharper focus would have been nice.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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