Robber fly infested by fungus

[magty]

I would like to have some feedback on whether this is considered to be a good enough macro shot - I would have wanted the entire robber fly to be in focus but I thought the focus on the subject's eyes in this case was interesting. C&C welcome!

Nikon D90 with 105mm Sigma Macro Lens; F14; 1/3s; ISO500

[mrteacherdude]

Welcome to DPS. I notice this is your first post. It took me quite awhile before I was ready to post here as well.

When you ask if this is a "good enough macro shot," I find myself wanting to ask "Good enough for what?" That is, if you had something particular in mind when you shot the photo, what were they? Were you trying to deliver a particular message? Evoke an emotional response? Or did you just notice something neat and wanted to capture an image of it?

I've looked at this image several times now since you posted it, and have found myself wanting to respond, but not sure what I want to say. While the image itself appears to be a very good quality image from what I can see, I'm also finding it a little confusing. That is, I know what I'm looking at because you indicated what it is, but the visual information is conflicting with that somehow.

While you've indicated that you felt the eyes of the fly were important to focus on in the image, I'm finding it difficult to focus on them. I can see the eyes of the fly, but my eye wants to go to the fungus growing out of the thorax, and that's where I'm looking for the head of the fly. Logically I know it's not there and is in fact discolored and drooping down below the fungal growth, but my brain continues to search in those areas of the insect that we would normally see a head and eyes. Also, strangely, the fungal growth looks similar to antennae which causes me to look in that general area for the head and eyes. Tighter framing and a slightly different angle, more head on and from beneath perhaps, may help with some of the apparent confusion that my brain is experiencing.

You indicated that you wanted to include the entire fly in the image even though the DOF will not support maintaining focus from head to end of abdomen, and I can certainly appreciate that as I would have a strong tendency to do the same thing. However, I don't know if it is helping out this particular image. There is a twig or something (more fungus?) that is extending up out of the bottom of the frame and extending up into the frame behind (or into) the end portion of the fly's abdomen, and it is having a strong tendency to pull my eye away from the subject. The wing is also quite bright and drawing me away from where the action is in the photo. Again, I'm thinking tighter framing and a different angle may help emphasize what you wanted to show, which is actually very, very cool

I'm curious though... I noticed that the lens you used was a macro lens. Was the lens set to macro mode? I only ask because if this is a 100% crop image, then the fly is pretty small (about 12mm?). This is not a problem at all, I'm just trying to remember how small the robber flies are that I've seen.

[magty]

thanks mrteacherdude for your reply. I really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I think you nailed it in your reply as I was also trying out to figure out whether I actually like or dislike the shot

what I had in mind at the time of the shot was to show the "agony" if I was this robber fly instead - hope I make sense in stating this....I was deliberating if this photo communciated that. thanks for asking as your question got me thinking too

except for the green twig that extended from the frame end to end, all the other "extensions" are the fungi growth from the robber fly. regarding the lens, I was on macro mode & added a raynox macro adapter to get close to the subject. it helped that the poor guy was not moving at all for the entire time.

thanks again for taking the time to reply & advice on taking a better shot.