A Giant shares its food

[Overread]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3484/3297475317_77193fa213_o.jpg
f13, ISO 200, 1/200sec

Intentions - my attempt with this shot was to capture two things.
1) to have both the butterfly and the smally fly in the same shot - thus having a different viewpoint - no longer is the butterfly the tiny insect show large, its the giant which towers over the others

2) to display the butterfly and insect sharing the same meal - akin to the sights of say larger mammal grazers sharing the same patch of grassland.

In this I think I have half achived both, but the second model was not very cooperative and decided to moon the camera ;) In that I don't know if this shot works anymore for my second intention since once cannot see the other insect feeding (though it does still retain the interaction and indifference of both parties), but I think the first aim has still been met.
I didn't managed to get a better shot where the smaller insect was both in the right plane of focus and facing the camera - the location was just outside a lift door as I recall and it was a very busy butterfly exhibition (busy with people) add that to the heat and the fact that I had nothing to rest the camera on to wait for a better shot.

Finally I am aware that the composition of this shot might be very overly central - partly a failing in my composition at the moment (especailly in macro where I don't have to rely on the AF).

[Hertz van Rental]

You are right, the fly does not appear to be feeding - it's just there.
This highlights the problem with photography of this type (or indeed any photography where some or all of the subject is outside of the photographer's control). If the subject doesn't behave the way you want then you have a problem.
Wildlife photographers have this problem all the time.
The only real solution is patience and perseverance. You have to set everything up and then take a lot of pictures. Look at what you've got and then do it all over again - and keep doing it until you get lucky.
You also have to be a bit flexible and allow leeway - near enough is often the best you can hope for.
In this instance you are the judge of whether this is 'near enough'. Because it is you that will have to set it all up again and try some more if you decide that it isn't.
As for everything else - I would recommend a slightly lighter background. It will help separate the subject from the background a little more. And if you angle it to get a gradation in the lighting (lighter on one side, darker on the other) it will add more visual interest without complicating things. The background is already doing it but you need to push it a bit further.
If you have it lighter on the left it would also balance up the picture. The whole image is getting lighter towards the right side which makes the left (visually) a bit too dominant. Having the background gradient working in opposition the the foreground gradient will balance things.
With this one try shaving about 1/15th of the image width off that side. It will achieve a similar effect but in a different way.
And next time use a professional fly from an established modeling agency.

[Hertz van Rental]

Sorry for the cock up there. I didn't realise no-one but me could see my post. It appears I have to approve my own stuff as well as everyone else's before it can be seen :lol:

[Overread]

hehe Thanks Hertz!
your the first person to pick up on the lighting gradient from right to left in the shot - and it makes sense as that is where the flash was; my overhead position was just not working as the ballhead could not hold the 580M2 up - so I twisted things and set the light from the right - from the left is also an option but its harder to handhold since the collar and flash end up where my hand wants to be.

The background lighting is much more tricky since unless its very close to the subject it tends to head towards a more lowkey look with the settings I tend to use -- I know some people will use a second flash aimed at the background to bring the lighting up more - something that I will keep in mind for the future (when I have second flash to play with).

Thanks for the input :)