Taken with a Nikon CP900 digital camera. Spot metering. 35-mm equivalent settings 38-115 mm @ 115 mm, macro mode. 1/113 sec. 1:3.6. Hand held. Evening light. Camera pointing vertically downward over a close to flat section of a large wasps nest.

I'm not sure of the merits of the image. My eye was caught by the subtle colour variations. The right hand side was cropped from the original image to emphasize the acending diagonal pattern.

Your comments would be welcomed.

-- Garry Schaefer (schaefer@pangea.ca), September 15, 1998

Answers

Hopefully I'll learn to get these correct the first time.

-- Garry Schaefer (schaefer@pangea.ca), September 15, 1998.

Nice image. The composition works very well and is pleasing to look at. I like abstracts in general and, in particular, ones which give an unusual/interesting view of something familiar - where I have a grasp of the bigger picture/context (which I don't have in this case). I'll have a closer look at the next wasp nest I see - maybe then the image works even better for me. I think I'd also like it better if the contrast was higher.

Luckily you used a spot meter ;-)

-- Ralf Hafner (hafner@physics.ox.ac.uk), September 15, 1998.

The light just doesn't work for me...to flat. The subtle colors are attractive but I think better light would help. I do like the diagonal pattern. Your composition works ok, except that small object in the bottom left corner seems to keep pulling my eye. An image like this has to be razor sharp and on my monitor, it is just to grainy.

Cheers

-- Bill (Bill.Wyman@utas.edu.au), September 15, 1998.

Thank you for the comments. I've created a modified image in which the brightness and contrast have each been enhanced using my image editor. I've also cropped the left side just to the right of the dark imperfection in the wasps handiwork which appears in the lower left corner of the original. I think the results are improved. You may want to take a look at http://www.pangea.ca/~schaefer/Abstract_by_Wasps-2.jpg.

-- Garry Schaefer (schaefer@pangea.ca), September 16, 1998.

I like the compostion. I like the way a familiar object is protrayed as a closeup. However, I agree that the flat light takes away from what appears to be some very beautiful texture in the nest. Perhaps some fill flash from the side might have sparked it a bit. It might be worth a try the next time.

Do you care to pass along your thoughts on the Nikon CP900 camera and digital photography in general, in the regular (non nature) section of photo.net?

-- Stanley McManus (Stanshooter@mailexcite.com), September 16, 1998.

Your cropped shot is much better, If only you had a little light..

Cheers

-- Bill (Bill.Wyman@utas.edu.au), September 16, 1998.

In response to Stanley's request I have posted a commentary on my personal home page at http://www.pangea.ca/~schaefer/ for those who may be interested. I've also invited readers to view some of my early results on linked photo pages. As suggested a note to that effect will also be posted with photo.net.

-- Garry Schaefer (schaefer@pangea.ca), September 17, 1998.

In order to make room available on my web site I have removed the original of the above image. The modified image can still be seen as noted above.

Thanks again.

-- Garry Schaefer (schaefer@pangea.ca), October 12, 1998.