Finally caught that green grass hopper.
This guy was one real challenge! When I chill bugs in the refrigerator they usually warm up slowly and give me a chance to pose them by moving their feet and straightening antenna and such. When they first come out of the fridge they're usually comatose and look dead. They have to warm up enough to get control of their feet/legs before they make interesting pictures. Not this guy. As soon as he gained consciousness he started moving. Not fast but constantly. Soon after his jumping legs activated and he landed 6' away, still too cold to move quickly but quick enough to make a chase around the living room!
He's about 2" long, so 6' is 36 times his body length. How'd you like to be able to jump 200' at a time?
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This is gorgeous. Really beautiful, right down to the corn husk.
Thanks for sharing!
I am a fairly good technician but there are so many others here with true creativity.
There is nothing I do that can't be taught in a few hours.
That said, don't stop the wonderful compliments
Just a gear question ... Are you shooting an M1 or an M5?? I have an M10 but it 's focus stacking ability is really limited. Only 3 frames and you get to choose wide or close.
They need to upgrade the software so you focus your near. then far , then pick how many frames you want to shoot.
Next time you get to talk with on Oly rep, offer that suggestion.
Also ... love the catch light 
The 5 mkii stacks a preset 7 exposures but you can change the focus range. The 1 mkii up to 15. Both will focus bracket for later combining in post up to 99 exposures. 
BTW the 5 mkii is on sale body only for $550.
If I have the chance I'll pass on your idea, it's great!
If you note the middle leg on the near side, the only middle leg visible, you'll see the 'toes' are pointed up a bit. It sorta looks like that one foot is resting on it's 'heel' with the 'toes' up in the air. That doesn't happen in the wild, they have sharp claws on the very ends of their feet that lock into whatever they sit on. Had I noticed and had I the time and had he put up with it I MIGHT have been able to use a toothpick to push the 'toes' down.
There was a saying in my sales days that summed it all up, "Sometimes you just have to shoot the engineer and go into production." That's kinda what happens when I get involved in controlling every aspect of a shoot.
The plains Indians, particularly the Arapaho, believed that mortal man cannot create a perfect thing unless evil spirits are helping. So every creation, be it pot or blanket, has a flaw to allow the spirits to escape. Thankfully, there are no evil spirits in any of my images 
