THE DUNE TIGER BEETLE 🌈
(Cicindela maritima)
Absolutely thrilled to be able to show you this beetle! It's taken me weeks of trying various nature reserves to finally be able to find and photograph one of the uks rarest tiger beetles! And I personally enjoy the thrill of a rare and difficult subject like this.
The Dune Tiger Beetle has for the past few decades been in serious decline due to the exploitation of beech and dune areas. It is now classed as extremely endangered throughout its range.
The species inhabits dunes as well as sandy beaches where it may be active along the outer tidal area and the driftline. Adults are active from late April or May until August.
Also I'd like to mention @omsystem.cameras
Whilst rolling around in the sand I'm always confident that my camera and lens are up to the task!
OM systems OM-1
90 mm zuiko lens
@cygnustech diffuser
godox 860 iii
45 & 8 Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
Iso200
F8
ss 1/100th
Stacked in #zerene
Edited in #adobephotoshop
#lightroommobile
#OMSYSTEM #insect_guru #nuts_about_macro__ #cygnustechdiffuser #arthropod_perfection #beautiful_insects_japan #bbcearth #your_macro #macro_tr #soulmademacro
#passion_in_macro
#king_insects #macrofreaks #tigerbeetle #cicindela
#cicindelamaritima
Organic robot 🌳🤖
(Isopod/pill bug)
Armadillidium vulgare
Levitating on moss
I've been after a decent pill bug stack back since I saw @rafisteinles amazing effort way back last year..and I also feel like going into my fourth year it's very easy to over look common subjects that still deserve to be seen up close and personal! Let me know your thoughts on the more common subjects 🤔🤔
The most extensively investigated terrestrial isopod species. It is native to Mediterranean Europe but has accompanied humans throughout their travels and now are found, naturalized in almost all suitable ecosystems.
OM systems OM-1
90 mm zuiko lens
@cygnustech diffuser
godox 860 iii
52 Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
Iso200
F8
ss 1/80th
Stacked in #zerene
Edited in #adobephotoshop
#lightroommobile
#OMSYSTEM #insect_guru #nuts_about_macro__ #cygnustechdiffuser #arthropod_perfection #beautiful_insects_japan #your_macro #macro_tr #soulmademacro
#passion_in_macro
#king_insects #macro_brilliance #macrofreaks #pillbug
#rollypolly
#isopod
A REAL BUGS LIFE 🪲!
(Chinese mantis) pictured,by me.
So about a year ago I received a message request asking me if I'd be interested in shooting some of the stars for a new @disneyplus@natgeo show! I honestly didn't believe it at first,and thought someone was pranking me ! But it turned out to be totally legit 🤯..and so I got to spend two days on set in Bristol,with the production crew,shooting insect portraits while some scenes were being filmed! A special shout-out to the talented and lovely man @mrnathansmall who f looked after me and made sure I had a great time while there..he's also done some amazing footge for the show so be sure to give him a follow for BTS clips ..can't actually wait to see the new show 💯❤️ and hopefully over the next few months I'll be able to share some of the shots I took .🙏🥲
Also I'd like to mention @omsystem.cameras for allowing me to do what I love,with there amazing macro setup 📸
#disneyplus #arealbugslife #natgeo #disney #mantis #dreamscometrue #abugslife #disneyland #natgeoyourshot #natgeocreative
Green Tiger Beetle
(Cicindela campestris)
Well spring is almost here and like ritual it had me chasing around these beetles for hours trying for a stack or two! I managed it in the end but boy do these beetles test your patience 😅😅..
OM systems OM-1
90 mm zuiko lens
Ak diffuser
godox 860 iii
47 Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
Iso200
F8
ss 1/100th
Stacked in zerene
Edited in adobephotoshop
Lightroom mobile
#OMSYSTEM #tigerbeetle
#cicindela #insect_guru
#nuts_about_macro
GIBBA GIBBO 😅...
Humped Orbweb Spider
(Gibbaranea gibbosa).
I've been after a decent portrait of this little beauty for a while now,they tend to launch themselves at the slightest movment 😄..but this handsome chap stayed still for a whole 2 minutes ...found on my first outing with the camera this year! Let's hope spring bring lots of great finds 🤞🏻...
Shot using @omsystem.cameras gear 📸⚙️
Olympus OM-1
90 mm zuiko lens
Ak diffuser
godox flash
71 Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
Stacked and edited in
Zerene & photoshop
#omsystemcamerasuk #OMSYSTEM #humpedorbweaver #Gibbaraneagibbosa #insect_guru
THE GREAT FOX SPIDER
(Alopecosa fabrilis)
Abit of a throwbackto when me and @macrochambers@invertebrain headed down to Surrey to photograph one of the uks rarest spiders,we saw and shot multiple individuals that night,so here's a slightly different shot from the others I've posted ...
With excellent eyesight, camouflage and speed, the Great Fox-Spider Alopecosa fabrilis is one of the largest of the Wolf-Spider Lycosidae family of spiders. An opportunistic predator which hunts at night it is named for its wolf-like habit of chasing down its prey, across sandy terrain, over gravel and rocks before pouncing and capturing insects on the run.
Shot using @omsystem.cameras gear 📸⚙️
Olympus OM-1
90 mm zuiko lens
Ak diffuser
godox flash
77 Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
Stacked and edited in
Zerene & photoshop
#greatfoxspider #Alopecosafabrilis #OMSYSTEM
TWO IN A BED 🛌 😴 😌
(eucera longicornis)
Well this shots definitely sat on my phone for a while now! Not entirely sure why I didn't post it? From my first trip to spain in 24 ,this was a super find one evening two beautiful sleeping bees in the same poppy
Equipment @omsystem.cameras 📸
OM systems OM-1
90 mm zuiko lens
@ak_diffuser
godox 860 iii
51 Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
@bbcearth
Edited in @photoshop
#OMSYSTEM #eucera #sleeping
Leistus ferrugineus
(Ground beetle)
I just love ❤️ shooting beetles ,there's something truly fascinating about them for me,and ill never get tired of all the unique species and variations .this particular one isn't rare or colourful, but still has a beautiful look..
OM systems OM-1
90 mm zuiko lens
Ak diffuser
godox 860 iii
Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
Iso200
F8
ss 1/100th
Stacked in zerene
Edited in adobephotoshop
Lightroom mobile
#OMSYSTEM #groundbeetle
#leistus
LONGHORNS HORNS pt 2
(Golden bloomed longhorn)
Here's another shot of the very obliging longhorn I found last year,showing off those antenna again but with a top down this time...
Shot using @omsystem.cameras
OM systems OM-1
90 mm zuiko
@ak_diffuser
godox 860 iii
23 Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
Iso200
F8
ss 1/100th
Stacked in zerene
Edited in adobephotoshop
lightroommobile
#OMSYSTEM #longhornbeetle #goldenbloomedlonghorn
TIGER BEETLE
(Southern dune)
So there's one thing im very excited to shoot again this year and its my favourite beetle of course! Taken late last year its a different individual to my other 2 portraits and slightly different colour variation..
Tiger beetle species often exhibit color polymorphism, where individuals of the same species display a wide spectrum of hues like red, green, blue, and black. These variations primarily stem from structural coloration, where microscopic layers in the beetle's shell (cuticle) reflect specific light wavelengths.
Main Drivers of variation.
OM systems OM-1
90 mm zuiko lens
Ak diffuser
godox 860 iii
47 Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
Iso200
F8
ss 1/100th
Stacked in zerene
Edited in adobephotoshop
Lightroom mobile
#OMSYSTEM #tigerbeetle
#cindelamaritima
The faller offer 😅
(Possibly elephant weevil)
Found this little dude in Thailand last year,and after this stack it immediately played dead rolled off the leaf and I spent the next 20 mins looking for it thinking "it can't be far" 😅😅 how wrong I was ...
Shot using @omsystem.cameras 📸🥷🏻
OM systems OM-1
90 mm zuiko lens
@ak_diffuser
godox 860 iii
15 Stacked images
Hand held
Alive in situ
Iso200
F8
ss 1/100th
#weevilwednesday #OMSYSTEM #elephantweevil
