Oh, the irony... I was attracted to HIM thinking about the WA theme, "attraction" and how this wasp was attracted to my hummingbird feeder, when all of a sudden I uncomfortably found him attracted to ME! Got too close. He stopped eating and brazenly moved to the edge of the feeder to make his ''attraction' clear, underscoring it with this menacing stance and glare. Unable to resist this new photo-op, I braved a few clicks before backing away. He then resumed his happy feast. Just a few moments before, a bee had dared to try to drink from the same spot; this guy grabbed the bee and hurled him out of the way. You don't mess with these guys!
Steve, I'm allergic to them, too (though not life-threatening). I think I had a drop of sweat on my forehead as I backed away. If he'd come at me I'd have screamed so loud and run so far I wouldn't have even been able to post this till Monday cause I'd still be runnning. ;-)
Hi Beverly. Great shot!
This picture has superb clarity and an excellent composition.
Boy, what a look on his face, there’s no doubt of the attraction to the proximity of your warm blood; you’re a very lucky photographer!
Perfect timing…
What an amazing shot. Is it OK to ask what lens you used. I'm still learning the protocol for this site but I would love to know what equipment you were working with. The composition is pure artistry. Thea
MARK: Thank you, and sorry he makes you uncomfortable; I can totally relate to that.
JOHN: Appreciate the feedback! I felt lucky he allowed me to take his picture without tossing me around like that bee, yes. :-)
THEA: Thanks! You can always ask people about their photo. We're all here to learn and share. I used my Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 1:1 lens, 1/250 at f7 It was very bright in the shade so I could use a fast shutter to compensate for hand-held (trembling hands actually)! Ordinarily I use a tripod with remote and mirror lock-up, but I was not keen on setting up near him. Wanted to be able to make a fast getaway. :-) This lens (and 5D sensor) is really awesome. The ONLY sharpening on this image is just a touch on his face/eyes.
This is an incredible shot Beverly, and your post processing is making it magic!!!!
No doubt the most interesting bee/wasp shot I've seen.
would you care to describe briefly your selective color technique?? It's fabulous.
just great...i can't say enough.....................!!
Peter
Great shot Beverly! Focus is nailed. Composition is wonderful, I love the B&W background. You have captgured an agressive stance at very close range. Nice shot!
canandaigua ph wrote:
would you care to describe briefly your selective color technique??
Peter, I'm blown away by your wonderful feedback, thanks! Makes it all worth the risk. ha
My technique for selective color is basically to have my original layer under a BW conversion layer and apply a layer mask to the BW layer. [Your layer mask will be white, so you will use BLACK paint to mask out areas and WHITE paint to restore or erase any mistakes.] Using various brush sizes at various softness/hardness (to match sharper or softer areas of the image) I paint the BW areas on the mask to reveal the color layer beneath. Start out with 100% opacity and if there are some areas you want the color to fade, as I did on his right wing, use a larger brush at lower opacity with WHITE paint and paint that area to reveal more of the BW layer again. Zoom in, of course, for precision work. A handy keyboard shortcut: to toggle between black and white paint, press the letter X key.
jimiwheels wrote:
Great shot Beverly! Focus is nailed. Composition is wonderful, I love the B&W background. You have captgured an agressive stance at very close range. Nice shot!
JIMIWHEELS! You always make me feel great, thank you sooooo much. Every click of the shutter is a learning experience. Appreciate your feedback.
Philly Rains wrote:
Yikes! My most hated insect, and so close it made my skin crawl! Beverly, the capture is stunning, so I have no stinging criticism. Har Har
Finalist!!
PHILLY! No stinging criticism? Thanks! For months these wasps and bees have been buzzing around and I've taken various pics of them. This is the first time I've ever had one get annoyed and actually make a move towards me. I was so shocked I stood there like a deer in headlights for a moment. Then my instinctive reaction was not to RUN, but to click the shutter! (I should probably never be allowed to shoot a charging elephant.) He must have been having a really bad day, or was one wasp with a really bad attitude.
THANKS so much. I'm so flattered, truly.... and you realize now you've jinxed my photo! lol That's how it works. Do I smell sabotage here?! Naw....just happy to have time to participate. Best to you both.
I'll be on pins and needles seeing how you do Endre, such a great image you have submitted.
That's a fabulous shot, Bev. Great use of selective colouring and composition. What lens did you use? I don't know why I'm asking that, because I don't do really close macro and have no intention.... There's something about shooting these critters' faces that freaks me out, and I can't do it. But I'm full of admiration for people who pull it off, because it 'aint easy, period, let alone do so well.
suse wrote:
That's a fabulous shot, Bev. Great use of selective colouring and composition. What lens did you use? I don't know why I'm asking that, because I don't do really close macro and have no intention.... There's something about shooting these critters' faces that freaks me out, and I can't do it. But I'm full of admiration for people who pull it off, because it 'aint easy, period, let alone do so well.
Thanks sooooo much for the wonderful feedback and compliment. You are so right, it's not easy capturing their faces, they just don't hold still, nor do they stare at you... unless you catch them in a grouchy mood as I did. ha Someone else asked about the lens, too. I can't say enough good things about this lens: Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 1:1 lens it is comparable to any Canon lens and possibly rivals many. I shot the wasp hand-held at 1/250 at f7. I never shoot macro w/out a tripod, but this was a rare exception. Thanks again!!
What can be said - it's perfect! Brilliant! Awe-inspiring! Bravo! 
There's something about shooting these critters' faces that freaks me out, and I can't do it. But I'm full of admiration for people who pull it off, because it 'aint easy, period, let alone do so well.