Making Lemonade

[ksbryan0]

I got skunked trying to find birds to photograph in the woods behind our place, so decided to find out how my 100-400L works as a pseudo macro lens. First lesson was that my distance to the subject is a long ways away, compared to my real macro lens! Anyhow, I'm laying on the ground to shoot this purple flower (no idea what kind), one of our first spring flowers, and as I'm shooting a bee decides to join the shoot. Originally, I wasn't too excited about the image because only part of the bee is visible. However after looking at it several times, I am thinking it is almost like a voyeuristic view of nature and am liking it more.

I'd like other opinions on the content, composition, etc. Thanks.

[lgeo]

Love this shot. Would give my rt. arm & lft leg for a 100-400L. Was this hand held?

[ksbryan0]

Thanks Igeo. Yes, it was hand-held. I've only had this lens for a month or two, and I am really starting to like it. Takes some getting use to, but has quickly become my "go to" lens!

[Anbesol]

AWESOME lgeo I will get you a 100-400L for your right arm and left leg. I'm pretty sure we've just entered a binding contract now.

KSBryan - great catch. I like the colors, the way you framed the flower in the image is perfect, you picked the right base. I wish it showed the face of the bee. I also think the shape of the flower in the composition lends itself well to a vignetting.

[ksbryan0]

I appreciate your feedback and input Anbesol. I hadn't considered vignetting the image (largely because I've never done it before) so I gave it a shot. Might be too dark, but when I lightened it up, I thought it lost the appeal. Is this what you had in mind? I think the black vignette helps focus attention on the black of the bee, at least to some degree.

By the way, the 100-400L is good but I don't think it is worth two appendages, so Igeo should seek a renegotiation of her initial offer!