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My 1st RAW capture


My 1st RAW capture
Photo Information
Copyright: Gerhard Theron (gerhardt) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1976 W: 259 N: 4103] (11585)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-06-19
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon EOS 300D, Canon EF 100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS USM, Digital ISO 100, Kenko Extension tubes (68mm)
Exposure: f/32, 1/125 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2005-06-19 16:17
Viewed: 1437
Points: 42
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Family Sphingidae (Sphinx or Hawk Moths)

I have written a previous note on this critter giving all the info that I have. I decided to share some info on the family with this post.

The Sphinx or Hawk Moths are members of the Order Lepidoptera and are represented by 1100 species world wide. Approximately 100 occur in South Africa with 4 species being cosmopolitan. They are mostly medium to large sized moths; wingspans range from around 38 mm to 140 mm. Their forewings are often 2 to 3 times longer than the hind wings, and have either eleven or twelve veins whereas the hind wings have only eight veins.
The Sphingidae have a protruding head with large eyes, a large thorax and a narrowly conical abdomen which protrudes well beyond the hind wings when the moth is flying, giving the body a spindle-like shape. This heavy body and small wing area (compared to butterflies) means that the moths must have a rapid wing beat to stay aloft. Sphinx moths are therefore quite strong flyers. The proboscis is as long as, or longer than, the moth's body. This proboscis is mostly used to feed on flowers with long trumpet-like shapes while the moth hovers in place. Thus people often mistake the larger, diurnal species for hummingbirds. Although there are a few diurnal species, most sphingids are active at dawn, dusk, and night.
Larvae are usually large and greenish with stripes along the sides and a horn or button on the dorsum of the eighth segment. The anterior segments can telescope into one another when the larva is alarmed or at rest. When alarmed, larvae often rear up, giving them the appearance that some imaginative people thought looked like the Sphinx. The larvae are solitary feeders and often eat specific food plants. Many of the larvae are economically important as pests and feed on many different crops such as tomatoes and tobacco.
The Sphingidae generally pupate in a silk case in leaf litter or 50 - 100 mm deep in the soil. Some, such as Manduca quinquemaculata, have a long sheath for the developing proboscis. Most pupae are a medium to dark brown in colour.

Hope you like it.
Fisher, PDP, red45, hummingbird24, Alan_Kolnik, marhowie, Signal-Womb, AndyB, dew77, sAner, Luc, Comandante, liquidsunshine has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To hummingbird24: Telephoto lens...gerhardt 1 06-19 17:09
To PDP: Flash...gerhardt 1 06-19 16:45
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Fisher Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1540 W: 309 N: 2234] (8915)
  • [2005-06-19 16:25]

What a beauty, excellent capture and you worked wonders with the flash. Beauty, excellent work and details.

Mike

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2005-06-19 16:29]
  • [+]

Hello Gerhard, I assumed that you shot in RAW. Anyways congraulations on swiching over. It's a great shot lovley composition and good colours. Excellent details, very well done.

What flash do you use?

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-06-19 16:44]

Lovely capture Gerhard! Excellent POV and DOF - everything is detailed and sharp. Moth looks great, slightly like firs jets with delta wings ;-) Dark BG made gret job for composition. Superb!

Hi Gerhard!
AMAZING sho! This is really superb. I never saw it befor!

Great picture, Gerhard.
Good use of the flash and the tubes. Nice to see a Raw-format from you. Great details, nice colours , good POV and well composed.
Excellent work.

Great note and excellent captue - the flashh worked very well here to give you excellent DOF and sharpness. Well done!

  • Great 
  • Ina Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 111 W: 6 N: 101] (767)
  • [2005-06-19 18:12]

Lovely colors and so very nice and clear details... I like composition and warm colors too...TFS...Ina...

Great capture Gerhard, the flash has illuminated the moth beautifully and black BG looks really great. Its an amazing looking moth, Iv never seen anything quite like that. Excellent work.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1575 W: 5 N: 2181] (12250)
  • [2005-06-19 20:26]

Une prise originale et un spécimen spéctaculaire.
Une superbe composition au couleurs facinantes.

FÉLICITATIONS !!!

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020] (13209)
  • [2005-06-20 2:28]

Hello Gerhard!
Very nice shot.Colors,details,lighting,framing and composition are perfect.Thanks for sharing.

  • Great 
  • AndyB Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1391 W: 32 N: 1350] (3982)
  • [2005-06-20 2:29]

Hello Gerhard,
An excellent macro.
Very impressive sharp detail,great lighting from the flash.
Nice one,very well done.

  • Great 
  • sAner Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1490 W: 72 N: 1427] (4744)
  • [2005-06-20 3:58]

Unbelievable nice capture Gerhard!! The light in this picture is marvelous; colors are so warm. Details are excellent and composition, POV & DOF are great. This is wonderful. Well done & TFS!

Regards,
Pieter

wow:)

what a beauty photo:) this animal is strange for me:) I have never seen it before:) great job:)

Malgosia

Great photo, Gerhard!
Details and color are excellent.
Did you really shoot this with a telephoto lens 100-400mm? Wow!
Congratulations on crossing over, and thank you for sharing it with us.

Gerhard, Great shot! Fantastic sharpness, DOF and details with your tube..Excellent POV and use of flash (what flash did you use?). The dark BG sets-off the moth nicely also..Excellent note - Very well done my friend! P.S. Raw is all that I use now. It does use alot more space on your hard drive when you start saving TIFF files..I use an external 200GB maxtor add-on that connects via USB. You can get one for about $100.00 here in the states...As you know, shooting raw can give you up to 16 layers of P.P. adjustment to fine tune your photo's...

Hello Gerhard!
Wonderful work again.Lighting,details,sharpness and composition are excellent.Thanks for sharing.

Great deatils on this interesting hawk moth. Good POV and DOF. Lighting is great too.

Awesome capture Gerhard,
Superb details, sharpness and colors. Nicely composed and great lighting. DOF and POV are excellent.
Thanks for posting

This is the strangest moth I have ever seen. It looks like a flying, extremely large eyed mouse! What a fantastic capture, especially good contrast against the dark background.

Thanks for posting,

Alli

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1873 W: 304 N: 4300] (14729)
  • [2005-06-23 22:31]

Hello Gerhard!
Personal assessment of the photo: excellent.
Strong visual impact.
Aptness of the photo for the site: excellent.
Personal assessment of the note: complete.
Thank you very much for sharing this very special insect MF.

Gerhard,
Such fine detail and fine focus. I like the eyes on this thing! As always you left great notes to explain a unbelievable photograph.
Nice to have such top notch photographers on here. I feel privilaged.
Scott

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