Richard, Apologies for the mis-ID. I was sneaking in some list reading and was rushing a bit. Your patience and persistence certainly paid off, and your inching must be very smooth! I've never managed to get that close even without a camera.
If Tiger beetles were the size of dogs ... I'd probably be able to perfect my inching technique (though I'd be moving in an entirely different direction). My setup is very much the same as yours, but w/available light (zx-5n, fa 100/2.8). Serendipity was a huge factor in my shot as I was still in a crouch after having snapped this, http://pug.komkon.org/01feb/blue.html , and turned my head to discover the Monarch working the clump of blue mealy sage directly behind me! Very rewarding morning. Happy shooting, Dan [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Dan, > >Actually, the more traditional spelling of my name is "Richard", but you can >call me "Patrick" if you prefer! > >It was real easy to get the tiger beetle photos. I just spent 15 minutes >lying on my stomach on the path in my local nature reserve, slowly inching >towards them until I could get close enough for the shots (say, 3 or 4 >inches distance). The only difficulty was all the people periodically >walking past on the same path, scaring off the beetles and wondering who >this strange person was! > >Tiger beetles have excellent eyesight, and they're the fastest running of >all insects, but they still have the attention span of an average elementary >school child, so after a while they just ignore you. Still, you've got to >move very, very slowly to get near them. I'm thinking of trying some of >those tips we've been hearing about recently, like putting my hand out for >them to sniff, extending my nose, or blinking several times then looking >away. I'll try it next summer and let the list know how well these >strategies work with beetles! > >I love your Monarch butterfly and bee shot, very serendipitous! What lens >were you using? > >Richard. > >home page: www.richard-seaman.com - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
