Monday, May 28, 2007

Small Serengeti


Small Serengeti 2, originally uploaded by imarsman.

I love this shot. Wish I'd had the flash up a bit more to get at detail for the ants close into the wood louse, but there's plenty there to tell a good story, nonetheless. The wonderful level of activity and interaction one can find just by looking down as one treads a path is awe inspiring. These Acrobat Ants were gathered around a wood louse, slowly picking it apart until I imagine they'd cooperatively carry it away. The one on top with her back arched is displaying in response to a threatened approach by an ant from another species. Besides lighting, focus was the most challenging aspect of this shot, as limited depth of field forced me to choose carefully what parts of the frame to highlight. I opted for the carapace of the wood louse and as many of the gathered ants as possible.