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May Fly


May Fly
Photo Information
Copyright: patrick neuberg (pat) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 87 W: 0 N: 125] (414)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-05-20
Categories: Insects
Camera: Nikon D70, Sigma EX 50mm F2.8 DG Macro
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/125 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2006-05-21 5:19
Viewed: 4099
Points: 14
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This May fly, presumably Ephemera danica, is photographed sitting on low branches of a tree near a small waterfall. It was a windy day and time close to sunset. This Ephemerid was more concerned by holding firmly on this leaf, not to be shaken of by the wind, so it didn’t bother about my “strange” macro-lens approaching it.

There are 3 close species of the genus Ephemera in central Europe, the very similar E. vulgata, nevertheless is around still and clear water, not so around breaches, like the species on the picture. Like its common name tells, the imagines are seen in late May and on the first week of June. They have an interesting lifecycle : from the larvae, living in the water, emerges a winged sub-imago living only one day. The adult (imago) emerges after a final moulting, and lives several days, entirely concentrated on reproduction. The photo shows a male, with the forceps like appendices on its abdomen, with which it holds the female during the reproductive act.
What looks like its antennae are its long forelegs which it extends and holds up. Its real antennae are small, as can be seen.

Photo taken with the 50mm Sigma macro lens, on my D70 Nikon body. The Metz flash 44AF-4iN used in i-TTL mode. The flash was used in combination with a set a home made reflectors and diffusers

Camera settings:
size/quality : large, Jpeg fine ; Sharpness +1 ; iso [email protected] ; white balance : flash

PP done with Photoshop7: slight crop ; level adjustments (burn tool for highlights on abdomen), USM + smart-blur filter, clone stamp for some dust correction ; resize for site.

Thanks for looking :-)
phlr, jmp, metcher has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To phlr: May-flypat 1 05-21 05:37
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • phlr Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1237 W: 130 N: 882] (2821)
  • [2006-05-21 5:21]
  • [+]

Very good Patrick!
Excellent photo of this litle insect!
Are these the ones that only live for a few hours?
Very good DOF and details!
Excellent POV too!
5* and TFS!

  • Great 
  • jmp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1659 W: 95 N: 2273] (8415)
  • [2006-05-21 5:26]

Hi Patrick,
Good photo and note of this rare insect.
José M.

Hello Pat, Great details, DOF, POV, colors, are all great, Great Job, TFS Kyle

Hi Patrick,
Nice close-up.
Very good details and sharpness.
TFS Malgosia

Very interesting insect and what a wonderful pose. Excellent sharpness and DOF.

  • Great 
  • hekcik Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 291 W: 15 N: 305] (1827)
  • [2006-05-21 17:39]

Hi Patrick,

Very goos close-up.
Excellent sharp, details, colors, POV and DOF.
Well done!

TFS :-)
Norbert

bonjour patrick
tres bonne macro, a t'elle servie pour la peche ensuite?
merci pour le partage.
laurent

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