Wasp's mouth... (and a white one as you will see later).

Paul Iddon

Paul Iddon

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Went for a ten minute walk down to the canal bridge around the corner from our house with the daughter armed with a pair of scissors for cuttings and a tub for live specimens.

There are a few of the invasive Himalayan Balsam weeds growing down there, which seem to attract wasps in particular, though the reson is unsure, it is likely that these balsam have a higher than normal amount of pollen they release. This brushes on the bodies of the insects and leaves a white coating on their bodies (more later).

Anyway, this is one such wasp sat in mouth of one of the flowers. I'll add the others later (or maybe drop the series into photo sharing) for your perusal.

This is a crop of one of the 5 I took that looked useable, but I did use 3 extension tubes on the Sigma 105 to get as close as I could without being in line for a sting...


Exif:

Camera Make: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 450D
Image Date: 2009:09:01 12:18:28
Flash Used: Yes (Manual)
Focal Length: 105.0mm
CCD Width: 4.18mm
Exposure Time: 0.0063 s (1/160)
Aperture: f/7.1
ISO equiv: 100
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Spot
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual







Paul.
 
OMFGG - that is completely stunning.

Thanks for sharing.
 
Nice picture! Excellent detail. Too much for my liking but only because I really dislike the buggers! Well done! (y)
 
Marcus Geezer said:
Couldnt you have got any closer? Fantastic pic! Far from me from criticising but both eyes fully in the shot would have added more impact?
Click to expand...


The wasp was waving its antennae around, so it was unlucky timing that covered its right beamer up.

Paul.
 
squizza said:
Nice picture! Excellent detail. Too much for my liking but only because I really dislike the buggers! Well done! (y)
Click to expand...


I don't like them much myself tbh.

Neither does my daughter who got stung by a wasp last week whilst on a bus!


Paul.
 
Paul Iddon said:
Ta Paul :)

Your reply posted as my reply went up so missed it at first. Cheers.

Paul.
Click to expand...

Not a problem Paul.

May I ask a question as we have nearly the same equipment?

I have recently got some cheap extension tubes that I haven't put into action yet. What sort of flash arrangement do you use?

I only have the onboard at the moment.

Cheers
 
I use a cheap (read budget) Marumi Ringflash that I bought from Jessops which attaches to the front of the lens. It is basic and the amount of power can only be controlled by dialling in + or - settings in the camera, but it does a decent enough job for me.


Paul.
 
Great picture - not normally bothered by wasps but this capture has put a fearsome face on them that would make me move the next time one comes near me!
 
h45 said:
Great picture - not normally bothered by wasps but this capture has put a fearsome face on them that would make me move the next time one comes near me!
Click to expand...

Hehehe, just carry some balsam and they'll ignore your skin!

Paul.
 
Paul Iddon said:
I use a cheap (read budget) Marumi Ringflash that I bought from Jessops which attaches to the front of the lens. It is basic and the amount of power can only be controlled by dialling in + or - settings in the camera, but it does a decent enough job for me.


Paul.
Click to expand...

Thanks Paul. Looks like thats next on my shopping list. (y)
 
Cheers guys and gals.

Here is the complete collection that processed well.

The crop taken from this for the mouth detail:

800whitewasp2.jpg


Wider views, landscape and portrait, the first had stamen in the way a bit, the other I shifted further left:

800whitewasp6.jpg



800whitewasp4.jpg



And finally the exit view:


800whitewasp5.jpg



Paul.
 
The cropped piccie in the OP is certainly a 'wow' shot!... and I do think the bottom 'exit view' pic is a stunner too. Well done (y)
 
MScotts said:
The cropped piccie in the OP is certainly a 'wow' shot!... and I do think the bottom 'exit view' pic is a stunner too. Well done (y)
Click to expand...


Cheers Andy.

The last kinda reminds me of an old film about giant wasps, just can't remember its name...

Paul.
 
:eek: These are incredible.... ****ing terrifying :exit: , but incredible all the same (y)
 
I love the shots - I hate wasps. I am loving playing with my macro and find insects frustrating. I would never have the nereve to get that close to a wasp.
I think I prefer the ones showing the wasp in situ. The flower creates some marvelous abstract background shapes and colours.
Wonderful
 
Amazing! I've spent the whole summer shooing them off and hating how aggressive they are, but you've just reminded me they're a beautiful creature like anything else.

The original picture is perfect, I've never seen one in such detail before!
 
Piewackit said:
I love the shots - I hate wasps. I am loving playing with my macro and find insects frustrating. I would never have the nereve to get that close to a wasp.
I think I prefer the ones showing the wasp in situ. The flower creates some marvelous abstract background shapes and colours.
Wonderful
Click to expand...

Thank you.

I like to try and get some enviro shots but I do like it when the bugs are really up close and personal!


Paul.
 
kwiksand said:
Amazing! I've spent the whole summer shooing them off and hating how aggressive they are, but you've just reminded me they're a beautiful creature like anything else.

The original picture is perfect, I've never seen one in such detail before!
Click to expand...

Thanks Kwiksand.

I have the lower priced glass on my camera, but better lenses can render even more detail. One day, I would love a go with the MP-E 65 lens.


Paul.
 
Stunning all of them but the close up is mind blowing (y)
 
its shots like these that have really got my interest in macro going. brilliant pics especially the 2nd to last one love it!
 
I hate those things but is a truly stunning picture.
 
Hello,

can the OP explain how he created the floating boarder effect for the pics?
 
I'd love to give macro a try sometime, I dont think I'd ever actually find the time to locate insects though, they're either bothering me when I'm at the pub and don't have my camera or if I do have my camera I can't find any.

I'm very interested in getting some cheap macro gear though and doing some texture photography though, I love the closeups of wood grain, cloth/cotton and more industrial/manufactured things like kitchen ware, spear grills on a macbook etc etc.
 
onikami said:
Hello,

can the OP explain how he created the floating boarder effect for the pics?
Click to expand...

Hi Alan.

The border is a drop-shadow action created in photoshop, assigned to an F key. I just press it and the action completes the drop shadow for me.


Paul.
 
kwiksand said:
I'd love to give macro a try sometime, I dont think I'd ever actually find the time to locate insects though, they're either bothering me when I'm at the pub and don't have my camera or if I do have my camera I can't find any.

I'm very interested in getting some cheap macro gear though and doing some texture photography though, I love the closeups of wood grain, cloth/cotton and more industrial/manufactured things like kitchen ware, spear grills on a macbook etc etc.
Click to expand...


The cheapest way to get very good quality (apart from screw on filters of varying dioptre strenghts) is to use extension tubes like these from Jessops.


Paul.
 
all very impressive, even if you werent as close as it looks im sure seeing that view through the viewfinder was an experience..
 
brokenenglish said:
all very impressive, even if you werent as close as it looks im sure seeing that view through the viewfinder was an experience..
Click to expand...

Ta Rob.

Looking close through the viewfinder at wasps is challenging! Believe me...

Paul.
 
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