Insects

Thinking Grasshopper (Dissosteira pictipennis)

A grasshopper was trying to escape from a plastic box. When it reached the edge it stopped for a moment and scratched its head creating the illusion of thinking what to do next. Seconds later it just jumped away.

Photo by John Reclos

Shooting Data:

Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5700
Lens: Macro 0.33X
Sensitivity: ISO100
Shutter speed: 1/150sec
Flash: on-camera
Image: JPEG processed in Photoshop CS, unsharp mask filter, curves to reduce the highlights and resized. 

Grasshopper Sculpture.

The same grasshopper after climbing sits for a moment on the top of the plastic box. The camera's flash was pointing on a special trigger which fired another flash unit placed at the back and over the grasshopper. The result was this motionless silhouette of the insect.

Photo by John Reclos

Shooting Data:

Camera: Nikon Coolpix 5700
Lens: Macro 0.33X
Sensitivity: ISO100
Shutter speed: 1/150sec
Flash: on-camera / triggering an off camera Sunpak 36DX.
Image: JPEG processed in Photoshop CS, unsharp mask filter, curves to reduce the highlights and resized. 

Grasshoper landed.

You could easily step on it - its camouflage is unparalleled in efficiency. The use of a macro lens with a long focal length is essential since the animal will readily jump if you close in too much. Shot in the afternoon with natural light and flash fill in. The magnificent SB800 managed to light the scene correctly (i-TTL / not balanced).

Photo by George J. Reclos

Shooting data:

Camera: Nikon D70
Lens: Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO200
Shutter speed: 1/60sec @ f/16
Flash: SB-800 on-camera TTL (non BL) mode
Image: JPEG processed in Photoshop CS, unsharp mask filter, curves to reduce the highlights and resized. 

Close up on a grasshopper's eyes.

This is one of the very few shots which came out in focus. Working at a distance of 30 cm from the subject is a really tough task since there is practically no depth of field no matter which aperture you choose to use.

Photo by George J. Reclos

Shooting data:

Camera: Nikon D70
Lens: Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO200
Shutter speed: 1/60sec @ f/16
Flash: SB-800 on-camera TTL (non BL) mode
Image: JPEG processed in Photoshop CS, unsharp mask filter, curves to reduce the highlights and resized. 

Grasshopper (Chorthippus parallelus ?)

This juvenile grasshopper was resting on a water pipe when I saw it but my camera was not with me at that time. Being extremely careful not to frighten it, I went home and came back with the camera (I am always surprised by my speed at moments like this). The grasshopper was still there and, after shooting a couple of photos I decided to step down the lens to f/16 to ensure maximum depth of field since I was working pretty close to the subject. If it was a large grasshopper things would be far easier but with this one I had to work at less than 40 cm from it. After taking a couple of "classic" shots from of the side of the grasshopper I tried some different shots, one of which is shown here.

Photos by George J. Reclos

Shooting Data:

1. Camera: Nikon D2X
Lens: Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/60 sec - f/16, Aperture priority mode
Flash: SB-800 in i-TTL mode
Image: JPEG edited in Photoshop CS2, levels adjusted, smart sharpening added and resized.

2. Camera: Nikon D2X
Lens: Tamron SP AF 180mm f/3.5 Di Macro 1:1
Sensitivity: ISO 200
Shutter speed - aperture: 1/60 sec - f/16, Aperture priority mode
Flash: SB-800 in i-TTL mode