C&C on some bugs, please.

[crimbfighter]

None of these were taken with macro lenses. The first two were taken with my 50mm 1.4, and are about 100% crops. The Monarchs and Damsel Fly were taken with my 55-200 kit lens. It is evident I need a macro, but being a state employee in Wisconsin these days doesn't make it easy to afford one... I tried two different crops on the Monarch. I do think the background on the Damsel Fly is a little distracting, but couldn't figure out how to clear the background w/o scaring it away. I also thing #1 may be a bit oversharpened when you expand it to full size. Also, sorry for posting 6 images, but I figured one & two were more or less one, and five & six were as well. I'd like to hear your C&C on these, if you please.

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[Bo4key]

I like the crop on the last one the best. The rest just make me feel like I am not close enough. i do like the composition of the first too and the clarity and bokeh of all of the are good.

 

[adrianakyan]

a closer crop on # 4 would of been better. i like the last two better

 

[crimbfighter]

Thanks for the critiques. I would have to agree, the crop is where they hurt the most. There is way too much dead space. Here's what I came up with to correct that. I thought given the orientation of the Damsel Fly, a more cinematic crop would be effective. Probably more so on #2, but I thought they could both benefit from it. Agree?

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[crimbfighter]

My personal favorites of this set were the Japanese Beetles, and the last Monarch shot. Even though both Monarch images look similar, there were in fact two separate images. The Japanese Beetles just had this attitude about them. Almost as if they were saying, with their front legs swaying menacingly in the air, "Get off my Milk Weed, or else!!!"