Chinese Mantis Macro Close UP #1

This Praying Mantis also known as the Chinese Mantis (tenedera aridifolia sinensis) can usually be found in anyone's backyard.They keep the eco... more

by Leslie Crotty

Title

Chinese Mantis Macro Close UP #1

Artist

Leslie Crotty

Medium

Photograph

Description

This Praying Mantis also known as the Chinese Mantis (tenedera aridifolia sinensis) can usually be found in anyone's backyard.They keep the eco system in check by preying and killing other insects that may be considered harmful to anyone's garden that has fruits or vegetables. A must for any Farmer. I captured this fully grown adult size mantis in my garden in late september and brought him back to my photo studio to photograph. It is an extreme macro close up image in which I used a Medium Format Mamiya RZ Pro 2 camera, film type with 2 extension tubes, #1 and #2. This enabled me to get approximately 2" from the mantis filling up the entire frame of the view finder. depth of field was very shallow, approximately 1/2" to 3/4" deep. I mainly tried to focus in on his eyes and face as sharp as possible, having the rest of his body go softly out of focus. As you can see in this close up, his sharp claws can barely be seen in the background but his antenna which he is cleaning is in sharp focus. He had just finished eating a cricket! This is one of the few I captured with good detail and expression! If anyone wanted to catch one of these little guys they should do it very carefully extending their hand palm down, letting the mantis walk on the top of their hand. Doing it this way they will not feel threatened as compared to picking them up grabbing their body and possibly getting a sting from one of their sharp claws! Everyone should experience these wonders that I have of Nature and how everything as a purpose in this wonderful world we live in today!

Uploaded

February 24th, 2013