CalevPhoto

The bugs are back in town!

Last weekend we had a nice warm spell and I found it fascinating how some of the usual suspects just popped out of nowhere.  Sometimes I really wonder where many of these insects go when the weather is bad – as when it is cold and wet it is nearly impossible to find many of these and once the weather turns good they are everywhere.

I found this ladybug on one of our outdoor chair covers.  I didn’t feel this was the best place for it so I moved it to one of our rose bushes.

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The ladybugs are here, hurrah, hurrah…

Well, at least I think they are here… For sure, if I wanted them to be here they would be.  During the exceptionally warm weekend, I happened to find one while the kids were playing and Nelya was watching them.  I say, I think I found one because, though it certainly looks like it is a lady beetle, there are a number of beetles that look like the beneficial lady bug but are indeed not.  This one I was unable to find in the literature, so I am assuming it is a lady bug specific to the Pacific Northwest, which is never covered in the literature I have.  Perhaps some day after I have taken a lot more pictures I will create my own insect guide to the Pacific Northwest (or more likely just the Puget Sound), but that is the topic for a different conversation.

Here’s the first shot I got of it.

I managed to shoot a number of shots of it as it happily wandered around, searching I assume for small snack sized bugs.  More shots if this little one after the jump.

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Insect photography as art

Recently I have been involved in discussions with some coworkers about insect photography in particular, and nature photography in general.  The statement was that, though technically very challenging, most nature photography is not “artistic”.  This goes back to the old “collectors vs. photographers” debate.  Are you someone who simply finds things and photographs them, or do you attempt to tell a a message with your photography.  The other gripe against insect photography in particular is it lacks the “I want to put it on my wall” phenomenon.  Granted, my photography has not reached this plateau yet, but I strongly differ in opinion with those who do not believe that insect photography can be artful.

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