Do you prefer to take photos alone or with others?
Normally I prefer to shoot alone, to move at my own pace and shoot whatever catches my eye at a given moment. However, there are advantages to working side-by-side with another photographer. The other person can serve as a spotter and point out opportunities and subject that you might have otherwise missed. It’s also interesting and instructive after a shoot is done to compare images and see the same scene through another set of eyes.
Friday late in the afternoon, I noticed that my neighbor, friend, and photography mentor, Cindy Dyer, was out in her garden taking photos of her beautiful flowers. Cindy, a noted photographer, has been a constant influence on my photography this past year, encouraging me and inspiring me. She loves this time of the year, when nature explodes with color, and her blog is full of beautiful images of flowers of all varieties (and lots of other cool photos too).
When I started shooting with Cindy, I was shooting a lot of flowers and a few insects, but gradually moved to shooting more insects than flowers. Somehow my eyes are attracted to insects. Shortly after joining Cindy in her garden with my camera and tripod, I spotted what I thought was an interesting looking insect. Upon closer examination, it turned out to be a pair of mating moths, that together were about one inch long (2.5 centimeters). They were positioned in such a way that the only way to capture them was to shoot from directly overhead. I had real problems with depth of field as I got my macro lens as close as it would let me get.
I challenged Cindy (in a friendly way) to photograph this couple and she took up the challenge and posted an image in her blog. It was an interesting challenge pitting Nikon against Canon and teacher against student as we explored the limits of our macro lenses and photography skills.
This little incident helped to remind me of the benefits of shooting with someone else, especially someone who gently pushes me forward. It usually works best for me when we travel somewhere and shoot side-by-side part of the time and wander on our own the rest of the time—the best of both worlds.
Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved
Mike Powell 
Usually I like to wander with camera in hand on my own at my own pace but there are advantages to going with someone else if they are happy to spend some moments together and then do their own thing.. pretty much what makes a good travelling companion!
I hadn’t really thought about the similarities with a traveling companion, but the more I think about it, the more I realize how alike they are. There are some people that want to see only the big sights and others that prefer the small, out-of-the-way places. With only one other person, compromise is easier, but it’s almost impossible for me to be really happy traveling (or taking photos) with a big group.
One of Cindy’s friends on Facebook has tentatively identified these as Orange Mint moths (Pyrausta orphisalis). Thanks, Jane.
That’s something you don’t see very often! Nice shot.
Interesting differences in the two photos (yours and Cindy’s), but each is good in its own way. The antennae folded back over the head is unusual for insects (or moths) – must be characteristic of this group.
Thanks, Sue. Cindy and I approach things a little differently and sometimes it really shows (she goes manual a lot more than I do, for example, in both exposure and focus). I was really struck by the folded antennae too. Now that spring is here, I am really rediscovering my love of macro shots.
Interesting to see the differences in the two photos. They could easily be mistaken for different times. Bottom line – good work!
Thanks. They were shot within a few minutes of each other, but Cindy and I shot from slightly different angles. I think the biggest difference might be the post-processing, which tends to magnify the differences with this kind of macro work.
Good work in taking advantage of a nice opportunity. I like your composition a bit better, and the fact that you didn’t use so much after-capture sharpening.