a little bat

Elaine

My husband found this little bat (about 3 inches long) on the side of our house yesterday evening. It was so still we wondered if it had just croaked in our little heat wave (tomorrow will be our third day in a row of 100+). I climbed a ladder and used my macro lens and pop-up flash to get this shot, and it stayed very still for many shots. About 45 minutes later, my son checked on it and it was gone, probably off eating bugs with all the other bats in the neighborhood.
I must admit, getting this close to a bat was a little creepy for me. I took a couple shots directly under it and had visions of it dropping right onto my lens...which would lead to me freaking out and dropping my camera. I made sure to put the strap around my neck!
I was hand holding my 100 macro, so I had to use ISO 3200, f/2.8, 1/40, so the DOF is very shallow.

WildWally

Very cool !!!
Be glad it was not a Fruit Bat . as they have viscious looking teeth and are much bigger !!!!

pyry

I would have given the little guy a :poke and then remembered that even the small ones can bite (and then cue "oops, did they carry rabies..."). So I think you went close enough but not over the limit, good job there

...but, um, you've missed the focus, I think the dof should reach the face. Do you have any variations with it's little head in focus, or enough for a stack?

Nice find

Elaine

WildWally wrote:

Very cool !!!
Be glad it was not a Fruit Bat . as they have viscious looking teeth and are much bigger !!!!

Yikes! If it had been much bigger, I don't think I would have been this close!

Elaine

pyry wrote:

I would have given the little guy a :poke and then remembered that even the small ones can bite (and then cue "oops, did they carry rabies..."). So I think you went close enough but not over the limit, good job there

...but, um, you've missed the focus, I think the dof should reach the face. Do you have any variations with it's little head in focus, or enough for a stack?

Nice find

Yeah, he looked kinda soft, but we didn't dare touch him. I liked how the focus showed the folds of the wing here, but I may have a couple other interesting views. If so, I'll try and post 'em here. Thanks!

pyry

Elaine wrote:

Yeah, he looked kinda soft, but we didn't dare touch him. I liked how the focus showed the folds of the wing here, but I may have a couple other interesting views. If so, I'll try and post 'em here. Thanks!

You do have a point there with the wing, but the rest looks too much like a hairball without the face.

Here's a thought though: crop that to the limit around the wing and enter in mini-9

Giphsub

Very cool shot Elaine I love little bats, they are so cute!

Maestro

Excellent shot of animal we don't get see much. That is one insect eater I would love in my yard! I think you are the only person I know that has used a macro lens on a bat! thumb