“Convergent Evolution”

Some insects are as big as small birds.

“The hummingbird hawk-moth” is a species of hawk moth found across temperate regions of Eurasia. The species is named for its similarity to hummingbirds, as they feed on the nectar of tube-shaped flowers using their long proboscis while hovering in the air; this resemblance is an example of convergent evolution.

3 July, 2022

Gujral Nagar, Jalandhar, Punjab

OMD EM1X 300f4

1/2500, f5, ISO 6400

#arthropod #arthropod_perfection #arthropodsofinstagram #arthropodsanonymous #insect #insects_macro #insectphotography #insectguru #insectsofinstagram

#insectart

#insectworld #insects_of_our_world #macro #macromood #macroclique #macro_kings #macro_brilliance #macro_perfection #macro_captures #macro_vision #macro_highlight

#60mmmacro #indian_macro_lens #insectencounters #macro_indian

#macronature

Geminid Meteor Shower 2012 was super active - there were streaks everywhere, several a minute. I just wish there was some dark sky in Indiana. I went down to the Hoosier National Forrest for the best sky watching we have to offer. It was cold, real cold… :-) I caught 5 streaks in around 3 hours of shooting. This is a combined composite image of all the falling stars.

Stitched Panorama

A few shots from our recent Michigan City vacation

We were treated to a powerful storm that thrashed Chicago and kicked up huge waves for the next two days. This was a complicated shot, composed of about 20 individual images of different lightning strikes. The camera ran most of the night.

McCormick's Creek State Park in southern Indiana after the blizzard of 2012. (It wasn’t really a blizzard), but it left behind some beautiful snow.

Greenwood Indiana, Grassy Creek

Stitched Panorama

I haven’t had time to ID this amazing caterpillar. When I carefully opened the taco shaped leaf, I expected to see a spider. I first glance I thought I had found a small tree frog. :-) NEAT!!!!

McCormick's Creek State Park in southern Indiana after the blizzard of 2012. (It wasn’t really a blizzard), but it left behind some beautiful snow.

I’ve tried several of these HDR panoramas over the years; this is the first one that came out like I wanted. This is 11 groups of 2 HDR processed images…

Thanks for looking. :-)

I took some of my old shots and pumped them through Fractalius. The results are straight out of another dimension. :-) If you look through my photo stream, I bet you can find the “Before” shots.

Woman on the Rocks - Uninvited Guests (B&W): Caught in the balance between basking in the solar glow and the irritating realization that the bugs have arrived for breakfast.

Summit Lake State Park, Indiana

The Prairie trail (Trail # 1) offers just about every environment a bug hunter could want.

I took some of my old shots and pumped them through Fractalius. The results are straight out of another dimension. :-) If you look through my photo stream, I bet you can find the “Before” shots.

(Recently Deceased)

I haven’t had time to ID this amazing caterpillar. When I carefully opened the taco shaped leaf, I expected to see a spider. I first glance I thought I had found a small tree frog. :-) NEAT!!!!

My 35th birthday – I had an amazing adventure. :-)

Thanks for looking!!!!

I haven’t had time to ID this amazing caterpillar. When I carefully opened the taco shaped leaf, I expected to see a spider. I first glance I thought I had found a small tree frog. :-) NEAT!!!!

Loving my new Sigma 10-20mm

She is by far the largest spider I’ve seen running wild in Indiana, a couple inches stem to stern…

I finally got free for a couple hours and hunted a small creek by my office. (It’s really hard to find time with a newborn in the house)… :-)

Thanks for looking!!!!

First time back after a horrible muscle enzyme problem that had me down for about 2 weeks. (Never quit your cholesterol medicine cold turkey!)

This is my first test with my brand new macro focusing rails. This is only a 5 shot stack, but this little guy was TINY. I threw it together in a few minutes and shot it with a reversed 28MM and about 12 inches of extension tubes. I can’t wait to set up my normal macro rig on these rails!!! (It's Winter here and there are NO subjects around). I’ll keep turning over rocks until I find SOMETHING to shoot… :-)

Working on some deep focus stacking, this is not easy to do. :-)

In case you were wondering, just buying a set of cheap focusing rails does not automatically make you John Hallmen.

Mad props to the master if you happen to read this. :-)

I forgot this one - a whole 13 shot stack, just forgotten. :-)

What a bone head.

Shades “of Death” State Park – Indiana

The Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens has finally brought their wonderful Butterfly exhibit back!!!! I had it on good authority that the zoo was renovating that space and turning it into a bunch of flashing lights to hypnotize all the little zombie children. I’m so happy, after a year absence, we have butterflies again.

The Indianapolis Zoo and White River Gardens has finally brought their wonderful Butterfly exhibit back!!!! I had it on good authority that the zoo was renovating that space and turning it into a bunch of flashing lights to hypnotize all the little zombie children. I’m so happy, after a year absence, we have butterflies again.

I hiked the Yellowwood Lake loop in the Yellowwood State Forrest. Southern Indiana is quite hilly, and it was very hot. This 5 mile trail was a serious challenge for my “out of shape” ass. I really need to lay off the cheeseburgers. :-) I managed to get a few shots along the way.

I shot this a couple weeks back at Red River Gorge.

My first bug hunting trip of the year. I found a couple, yay!!!

Working on some deep focus stacking, this is not easy to do. :-)

In case you were wondering, just buying a set of cheap focusing rails does not automatically make you John Hallmen.

Mad props to the master if you happen to read this. :-)