Couple Cicadas

gluwater

If you don't know about the Cicadas, see Davids thread here. They are basically an insect that lives underground for 17 years and then pops up, mates, and dies within a month. But when the 17 year cicadas come up there are billions of them all at once. Here are a couple quick shots I took 30 minutes ago. Note to self, it is really hard to focus and hold a flashlight at the same time, the sun doesn't come up for another hour. I'll probably be posting more soon so if you like them you'll have more soon.

Tech specs -
30D
580EX + Light Sphere
RRS flash bracket

Just out of the ground and making it's way to a tree.


Poped out of it's shell and in adult form. The shell is to the right.

Dalantech

Excellent shots Nick! Any chance to get an emergence shot?

Skippy

gluwater wrote:

If you don't know about the Cicadas, see Davids thread here. They are basically an insect that lives underground for 17 years and then pops up, mates, and dies within a month. But when the 17 year cicadas come up there are billions of them all at once. Here are a couple quick shots I took 30 minutes ago. Note to self, it is really hard to focus and hold a flashlight at the same time, the sun doesn't come up for another hour. I'll probably be posting more soon so if you like them you'll have more soon.
Tech specs -
30D
580EX + Light Sphere
RRS flash bracket
Just out of the ground and making it's way to a tree.

Poped out of it's shell and in adult form. The shell is to the right.

These look great Nick, I have never seen one trying to emerge,
see them after, and also the casing that is left behind.

Your Second shot is a beauty ... Skippy
.

Lord Vetinari

Excellent captures.
Brian V.

gluwater

Dalantech wrote:

Excellent shots Nick! Any chance to get an emergence shot?

I'll be at work for a couple hours longer but I'll see what I can find when I get home. I really want a shot of that also.

gluwater

Skippy wrote:

These look great Nick, I have never seen one trying to emerge,
see them after, and also the casing that is left behind.

Your Second shot is a beauty ... Skippy
.

Thanks Skippy! I'm going to try and find more tonight and maybe tomorrow. It's kind of wierd shooting at night in the backyard. I wonder what the neighbors think :crazy.

gluwater

Lord Vetinari wrote:

Excellent captures.
Brian V.

Thanks Brian, maybe I'll try stacking tonight. Their eyes stick off their head a bit so I need a little more DOF. These were at f/9 and I don't really want to shoot much more closed down.

David_S85

You got the closup of their glowing red eyeballs that I was wanting! These are awesome, Nick! (and you said you didn't have any cicadas ). I just added a couple more shots to my thread a few minutes ago. 4th night and the masses continue to emerge. I am taking today off from cicada photos.

Isn't manual focus in total darkness with a tiny flashlight (held somehow) on the subject and at 1/2 second handheld fun? I am amazed I have any keepers at all.