Bugs, bugs, bugs!

The micro madness all started in Feb when I got my Nikon Micro 105 VR lens (Macro)...

Not only is it a fantastic portrait lens, but it has allowed my to further open my eyes in a different kind of way when looking for things to photograph. So, if you see me crouching down, staring into a bush, I haven't gone crazy, I am looking for bugs! This tiny butterfly was up at Ryukyu Mura. They are very flitty, so I was lucky to capture him! I Love the striped antennae!

I never imagined I would find so many cool creatures to capture photographically out here. It's a new passion (along with the sunsets, the people and oh, just about anything!!!)...One of my fav's so far, the bubble blowing fly...

This wet butterfly was actually in this position all night and I got the image in the morning up at Okuma. This was Feb.

Here's another of the rained on butterfly...

Oi, what's all that noise out there. Yep, summer is here in Okinawa when the cicada's start singing! It's loud, but I kind of like it!

Punk Rocker Caterpillar...This guy was on the move! My neighbour brought me another (bigger) one over in a jar, but before I could photograph it, it had made a cocoon! Texture courtesy of the brilliant Skeletel Mess!

These guys are really cool. They are black and white polka dots. It was funny because the day I took this photo (at the start of summer), I had bumped into a friend and said I want to take some bug pics, and this thing landed right on the wall as we were coming up the stairs to the house. April kept watch on it as I instructed her to 'not let it fly away' as I ran in the house to get the camera!!! I just found out it is called an 'Asian longhorn beetle' Thanks to PhotOkinawa! Come on in if you are in Okinawa!

This next one was at Okuma too. The kids found him for me. I think this was the first macro use of my new lens! Sometimes I feel like I've walked into an Eric Carle book!

Front view! Wassssup!

More bugs coming in a later post. I am super behind on all the blogs I want to get done! The Nikon 105 isn't cheap. Before this I was using my 55-200 VR zoom (about $200 but IMHO a decent lens) with a nikon 'close up lens' attachment (about $20). I have gotten some great images with that combo too, especially of sakura. So, even if you can't fork out $800 plus for a lens right now (trust me, it took me a while to save and DECIDE) you can still go macro/micro for less and if you have a passion for macro you can finally get a dedicated macro! These are all handheld in good light and zoomed to 200% on the computer for sharpness in the eyes. Trust me I got lots of blurry shots! Thank God for digital! One day I will go out with the tripod!