<< Previous Next >>

Overlooked on the Sand


Overlooked on the Sand
Photo Information
Copyright: Ivan Kruys (Argus) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-11-19
Categories: Insects
Camera: Canon 400D, Canon EF 300 f4L + Canon 1.4 converter
Exposure: f/11, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Orthoptera of Europe incl. Turkey-1 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-01-17 1:42
Viewed: 4311
Points: 54
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Canary Island Grasshopper (Possibly Sphingonotus rubescens.)

There are a total of 38 species of crickets and grasshoppers on the Canary Islands and as most of them have evolved relatively recently since the islands started to form about 20 million years ago. This means that the differences between them can be small and some are difficult to identify and differentiate from each other.

In Europe some of the same species of grasshopper are known to vary considerably in colour and pattern. This is also therefore possible in the Canary Islands.

Being the driest and with sparse vegetation, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura have only a few species. Most of them are camouflaged by being coloured according to their habitat.

This species was found on the sand dunes along the SE coast of Lanzarote and was only spotted when it jumped and flew a few meters. The two seed capsules on either side of it are probably eatern by Trumpeter Finches that were seen in this sandy area.
It seems to vary in colour according to habitat; those being found where the volcanic gravel is reddish are of that colour and pattern to match. This is why more study is required to identify species, possibly by gene examination.

I took a shot of another differently coloured individual that could be the same species but I’m not sure. See WORKSHOP,

This was taken with my long lens and camera hand-held at a distance of about 1.8 meters (6 ft). After moderate cropping and size reduction the image was selectively sharpened.

This is the first time this species is shown on TN.
red45, siggi, LordPotty, ramthakur, Morigann, jusninasirun, boreocypriensis, maurydv, anel, crs, eqshannon, valy67, nglen, peter_stoeckl, eng55, jaycee, Noisette, ferranjlloret, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekNature members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekNature members may write critiques.
Discussions
None
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2636 W: 74 N: 9091] (31094)
  • [2009-01-17 2:04]

Hi Ivan!

Very distant picture from our cold and snowy North :-) Hot microdesert with very well camouflaged grasshopper. Different specie, but very similiar looking to our local one, which in fact is emigrant from Southern regions. Well taken, detailed and in good desert colours.

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3097 W: 109 N: 12399] (52850)
  • [2009-01-17 2:05]

Hello Ivan.
This is excellent macro-shot.Nice composition with perfect sharpness.Beautiful colours and details.This Canary Island Grasshopper has really interesting colours drawing on body.
Well done,very nice work.Best regards Sigggi

Hi Ivan,
You did an amazing job of shooting this handheld at such a distance!
The details are incredible,especially in that eye.
I can see why you chose to sharpen selectively.It worked out well resulting in a great first image on TN of a Canary Islands Grasshopper.
Nice one.
Cheers
Steve.

(Those little spiny aliens closing in on it are kinda freaky though)

Hi Ivan, great example of camouflage, fantastic details and splendid sharpness, very well done, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

Despite the similar colour of the background, the Grasshopper can be seen distinctly in this picture, Ivan.
Some kind of dried up seed pods (?) on either side of it make this composition more interesting.
Thanks and regards.
Ram

Hello Ivan,
This is a beautiful picture of this Canary Island Grasshopperl well-camouflaged on the ground, with fine details and good DOF.
Regards
Pierre

Hi Ivan,
you had very good eyes to see this guy with his good protection. The colour is matching perfect to the sand. Excellent shot, I love the lightpoints in the eye.
Bye and enjoy the weekend
Sabine - wishnugaruda

Hi Ivan,

The camouflage works really well and you manage to spot it. I like the details of the glazy compound eyes with the exposure well controlled. Excellent catch from Spain and TFS.

Regards,
Jusni

wonderful shot!
perfect sharp , very fine details and great natural colours ,
well done !
septimiu

Hi my dear Dostum Ivan, an excellent macro capture of this well-camouflaged beautiful grasshopper found in Canary islands with great details and sharpness.
TFS and İyi hafta sonlari dostum!

Bayram

Ciao Ivan,
an excellent capture of this well camouflaged grasshopper; great sharpness and excellent details; i recollect my grasshopper in the sand.
TFS. Best regards.
Maurizio

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 3053 W: 3 N: 8715] (40574)
  • [2009-01-17 6:55]

Hello Ivan,
Very interesting shots of Canary Island Grasshoppers. Amazing how they are well camouflaged in this dry landscape. I like both pictures you present.
Interesting note too.
Un grand merci
Bonne fin de semaine
Anne

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2009-01-17 7:56]

Hi Ivan,
Wonderful shot of this Grasshopper perfectly camouflaged with the sand. Very impressive sharpness and clarity and you have handled the lighting conditions well. Excellent POV, DOF and composition.
TFS.
Sumon

  • Great 
  • crs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 469 W: 0 N: 922] (3551)
  • [2009-01-17 9:52]

Hallo Ivan,

The seed capsules look very interesting in your fine and sharp image. The insect is sharply shown and the colors are very good. It is nice to see the way insect's colors blend with sands colors.

Thank you for sharing,
Cristian

This is a bit more like the ones I see here in the US...in colour that is...similar but not the same probability, unless we somehow imported them..but these I have seen, although not as well imaged in the sand as you did here..Makes for a unique mixture of textures...
Bob

  • Great 
  • valy67 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1727 W: 59 N: 3060] (9219)
  • [2009-01-17 10:58]

Hello Ivan !
It must have been hard to see this one, he's giot such a good camouflage ! I like the warm natural colors of this picture, the composition (with the grasshopper sitting in the middle of two thorny things) and all the details you managed to bring out on the insect. Very well done !
Valerie.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2009-01-17 12:07]

Hi Ivan. Well done for a first on TN with this well camouflaged Grasshopper. It blends in with the sand so well i am surprised you even saw it . Such natural colours. Very good for hand held. TFs.
Nick..

Hello Ivan,
perfectly well camouflaged, indeed!
Impressing documentation of very hard conditions to survive.
I like the image's concentration on very few details, its clear details within a short depth of field, and the grasshopper so nicely placed between those two spiny seeds.
Thank you! With best regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1256 W: 42 N: 1976] (5892)
  • [2009-01-17 12:12]

Hi Ivan,
Lovely close up.I liked cross framing,camauflage,sharpness,clarity and details a lot.
Thanks for posting.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2009-01-17 12:18]

Hi Ivan,

I wouldn't expect to find a grasshopper on a desert! He is so well camouflaged I doubt he would be seen if not for movement. Colors and details of his beautifully patterned body are wonderful. The eyes are amazing. I'm glad you explained what the two objects next to him are - seed capsules. Great shot.

Jane

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2009-01-17 12:29]

Hello Ivan,
Great photo of this Grasshopper in beautiful camouflaged colours. Excellent sharpness, details and composition. Very good DOF.
Regards,
Peter

hello Ivan
very good camouflage for this grasshopper in his natural environment, superb sharpness and great composition
very well done

Hola Ivan, perfecto trabajo realizado, buena captura de éste mimético saltamontes, te ha quedado de primera. Greetings. Ferran.

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 6595 W: 89 N: 15659] (65489)
  • [2009-01-17 16:50]

Hi Ivan,fantastic work,not easy to have grasshopper's details like that in this terrible background whit the same color,a top class pic,great choice of the point of view too,My best compliments,have a nice Sunday,Luciano

hello Ivan

excellent photography of the Grasshopper well camouflaged
with his environement on both images, this one and the one in the WS,
both shot with fine POV and framing, but if i compare
this one with the one of the WS, i love much more the one
on the WS because of the excellent contrast, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 988 W: 4 N: 3277] (14761)
  • [2009-01-18 8:31]

Hello Ivan, The shot is superb and with a beautiful BG. Lovely sorroundings and with superb composition. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 0 N: 6696] (25839)
  • [2009-01-30 5:43]

Hi Ivan,
well camouflaged grasshopper on the sand. But you show it very well in clarity and sharpness. Excellent depth of field that covers a parrallel of areas to be highlighted only.
Excellent technicality of the photo.

Regards,
Foozi

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF