Some photos from my Penang trip (2007)

[luenny]

Hi all,
Some photos I took when I was back in Penang. I don't know to call this macro shots or wildlife shots. It's more like wildlife shots of small animals cause unlike macro photographers, I don't necessarily go as near as possible. Anyway, here goes.

This first shot is somewhat a lucky shot. The centipede was sandwiched between two leaves on a tree. Or is this a millipede?

After an initial shot, I realized that the gap between the leaves were too narrow for my flash to properly light up the subject. When my friend moved the top leave a little, this guy started walking fast and I realized that he is following the shape of the leaf. So I set my focus on the tip of the leaf, waited for it - which is really fast - and shoot.



Then I saw a couple of ants fighting. Taking this picture was somewhat scary as I have to kneel down to shoot this while it stops momentarily. After that, it started running towards me and almost got up my knee.



Next up is a dragonfly - or rather the wings of a dragonfly.

When I saw this dragonfly at the Air Itam dam with the sunlight reflecting of the wings, I thought I can either focus on the eye (which is partially hidden), the wing or increase DOF and get the whole dragonfly in focus. After playing with the settings for a while, I ended with this shot because I think it brings out the part that attracts me the most, the wings.

This just goes to show that there are always more than one way to take a picture - even from the same angle and distance.



Wasps

This was shot in Penang's Air Itam dam. I saw a wasp flying into a hole in the mud wall and upon close inspection I found this. They were a bit apprehensive at first because of the presence of a giant with a long lens and bright lights.



The wasps were initially spooked and always hiding for some obvious reasons. After more than half an hour of waiting for them to get use to me, the wasps carry on their daily activity. Here a wasp is seen carrying mud out of their nest.

Oh, did I mention that they don't like flashes?



Comments??

[benny]

Nice series! Looks like you are more into insect photography now.

By the way, you do know that wasp stings and it hurts right?

Cheers,

[benetay]

I like the last one the most. Preflight shot!

[luenny]

Benny,
Yes, I know wasp stings. But I think at the end of the long wait, what hurts most are my thighs. Squatting there for half and hour. Luckily I have my tripod with me.

Benetay,
Yeah, took me quite a while to figure out how to get them. I have to turn of my ttl pre-flash because whenever the pre-flash goes off, they go hiding.

[trident]

Luenny,
Beautiful Wildlife series (insect), the wasp are awesome.
Wish you could flash them, sure like to see the inside of the cave.

[ranmasatome]

Those aren't wasps.. i think they should be bees...and stings from these bees this size usually don't hurt so much..or may not hurt at all

[trident]

Justin,
Thanks, now Luenny go and flash them!

[luenny]

These are bees? I know they are small size - that's the only reason I dare to stay there for so long and wait. I think they do sting but they're more afraid of me than I am of them ... hahaha!!

[luenny]

Nice series! Looks like you are more into insect photography now.

Benny,
Actually I'm more into bug photography, not just insect. If people who photographs birds are called birders. Won't that make me a bugger??

[juggler]

Very nice insect pics!
BTW - what lens were you using to achieve that?

[luenny]

All the pics above is taken with the Nikon 105mm VR Macro lens. For certain pics, I added a 2x teleconverter to it so that I don't have to go so near and scare the bugs away.