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Sony Forums Challenges | all galleries >> Challenge 99: Things That Fly (hosted by MFC & Bev Brink) >> Challenge 99: Eligible > edit image
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August 21, 2005 Carmen

Take Me to your Leader
by Carmen

A Preying (Praying?) Mantis.
Looks like it flew in on a spaceship, doesn't it?
It does have some very impressive wings.

I looked out this evening and saw it sitting on almost on exactly the same branch
of the butterfly bush where I took the picture of the finch a few days ago.

Whoa. These things are HUGE.
I ended up running back inside to get my wide-angle lens just so I could fit its whole body
into one frame, but this one without the wide-angle turned out the best.
No post-processing performed except for cropping.

(His left antenna looks broken but it's not really; it just meandered out of the DoF range)


other sizes: small medium original auto
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Helen Betts23-Aug-2005 17:48
What a wonderful macro, Carmen. I love that he seems to be upside down! Helen
Guest 22-Aug-2005 19:36
To some this might be ugly but to me he's adorable LOL. Really CLOSE !
Sony Forums Challenges22-Aug-2005 12:10
Not dure I'd want to be the leader. Great detail and nice angle! Fremiet
Sony Forums Challenges22-Aug-2005 08:01
Carmen, I really like your close-up encounter of this interesting alien...especially those big, green eyes and the wedge-shaped face. Nice DOF too that isolates these features...but also gives hints of its capable weaponry. The upside-down view is very appealing and befits this unusual creature. Another nice shot...and all centered around that one butterfly bush :) Well taken. MFC