Check out these all about animals images:
Gorging Pollen
Image by Reini68
Best viewed large
Motif:
I found it sitting on one of our bushes, but it was hidden so well by its colors. They were exactly the same as the one of the leaves. Gladly it moved to a bloom of this bush and started eating the pollen (in the large size you can easily see what a mess he made - all the pollen spread around the mouth). The size of this hopper was about 2.5 to 3 cm. I think it is a Great Green Bush-Cricket (Lat: Tettigonia viridissima; German: Grünes Heupferd).
Technical:
Taken with a Canon EOS 350D (Rebel XT) and the EF-S 60mm Macro lens. The magnification was about 1:1, so the lens was 9 cm away from his eyes. Shot using manual mode at 1/200 and f/22 at ISO 400 in bright sunlight. Additional light supplied by a Speedlite 430 EZ. f/22 is the maximum f-stop that can be used at a magnification 1:1, as if stopping further down introduces blurr by diffraction - so this is the maximum DOF that can be reached at shots like this. Postproduction for RAW conversion and a bit cropping.
Awards
Made it to Explore page. Thanks everyone
Made it to MiRea's Realm Sanctuary with 33/35.
Invited to Spectacular Nature
Hopper Revisited 3
Image by Reini68
The Motif
A week ago I found the smallest hopper I've ever seen (the body is only about 6 to 7 mm long). Obviously it likes to be photographed so much, that it invited all its friends. I have a real invasion in my garden.
Technical
Taken with the EF-S 60 mm Macro on a Canon EOS 350D (Rebel XT). Following a hint (thanks spilopterus) I used my EZ 430 flash with a simple handkerchief applied to soften the light. I wouldn't have thought it can work, but it did. Great stuff I think.
Awards
43/50 from Score Me
55/65 from Judgment Day
Male Blue Jay ~ the 1st shot.
Image by axollot
Male Blue Jay hanging about the yard past couple of weeks. He didnt mind me too much but did not like me with a camera. This photo took a little patience and being quick. One photo and he took off. Though I think he is back, they move quickly and will fly off at the first sound. 5 pics taken of this male Blue Jay. He's been hanging around the yard all day, every day for past few weeks. Today I decided to photograph him. Didn't think it would be more challenging than the hawks or Cardinals taken last few years.
[Hawks are very aware while the Cardinals pay no attention to you. They like the camera sounds, too. Cardinals however move very quickly.] This Blue Jay not only moved quick like the Cardinals, he was very aware of me.
