bug fight!

[notelliot]

the other day, I got bored and played with some dead bugs. it started out as a pile of dead flies, and I was trying to fit a can of Raid in the frame, but due to dof and defraction and angle of view issues, I gave up.

and found a hornet. I lit it with an SB800 and a really narrow snoot, which gave me a hot spot on the wasp (or hornet?) so I was considering using a small softbox with a grid. there's a reflection on the table I'm not 100% on, and the texture of the table is a little too present for me. but, I thought I would post and see what others think.

 

[Robin]

Because that's what we all do when we're bored.... play with dead bugs...:shock:

And yet it's produced an interesting and amusing shot!

 

[matt-l]

lol, what else do you do when bored?

it's a nice concept but the shadows kill it IMO. maybe a tighter crop on the top and a second light source would help.

 

[notelliot]

thanks for the comments.

personally, I like the shadows, I feel that they add depth and a false sense of scale to the flies (by which I mean they look bigger than they should). I tried it with more light, but the mood I was after wasn't there. that's my take on it anyway.

I'm working it out into a series.. backwards. the first shot I posted, I wanted it to convey a sense of "is it dead, or will it kill us?"

with this shot (a prequel if you will) they flies are off camera, and the wasp/hornet is getting the gas [edited]:

the next shot (which will be the lede of the series), I was going to try and get a menacing portrait of the wasp. make it look like a killer, and then turn the table.

some feedback into that would be greatly appreciated. i get the message in my head, but I'm not sure that I'm conveying it to others as clearly as needed.

thanks again

 

[notelliot]

bump