Perfect Male Model, Pt. 3 - _TNY_9655

This male marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) and I struck up a perfect partnership when I found him on this on a Maltese-cross (Silene chalcedonica) in my mother-in-law's garden outside Härnösand, Sweden.

 

He really was the perfect model and when I left him (still on the same plant), I had taken four or five shots of him - each and every one of them in my opinion equally great, both in composition as in placement of focus and exposure.

 

This species is a bit special in that it is very confident at hovering - for longer periods of time than most other hoverflies. This to the point that I on several occasions have managed to photograph them hovering in mid-air - like here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/43828564261/

 

The flower is known under several intriguing names and is sometimes also known as the scarlet lychnis, flower of Bristol, Jerusalem cross and nonesuch.

 

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53921216043/

 

Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53971106290/

Done