In summer just before the sun disappears behind my house, it radiates the wildflower patch in my front yard with brilliant light. I rarely get to enjoy it because I’m not usually home for the day yet. Today I arrived well before sunset, which gave me the perfect opportunity to prowl the flowers for life with my camera. I first ran the sprinklers to add an extra glint of brilliance to the flowers. Immature Mantids are prevalent this time of year, but you have to look closely because they blend in well.
This was just a simply shot; no focus stack, flash or tripod. The most difficult part was keeping the eyes in focus, which took several tries. The Mantis was back-lit, which created a beautiful glow through his translucent body.
Equipment used:
Olympus OM-D E-M5 II Camera
Olympus 60mm Macro Lens
EXIF:
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
Lens: Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 Macro
Filter: n/a
Configuration: normal
Extension Tubes: no
Image Stack: no
Stackware: n/a
Aperture: f/4
Shutter Speed: 1/400th sec
ISO: 200
Light Source: Ambient sunset
Stabilization: hand-held
Subject Size: 4 cm
Species: European Mantis (Mantis religiosa)
Location: Fort Collins, Colorado
