Bug-eyed beauties

April 4, 2006 11:25 PM

Meet punk, Don, Kawaii, Satan's Little Helper, and the incredibly colorful cast of characters that populate photographer Igor Siwanowicz's world. (via Mira y Calla)
posted by madamjujujive (19 comments total)

It's an ugly planet.....a bug planet.
posted by quite unimportant at 11:40 PM on April 4, 2006

These are incredible - I particularly liked this one. Wonderful detail on its compound eyes, plus it (like all of them) has a real sense of character about it.
posted by greycap at 11:41 PM on April 4, 2006

It's hard not to anthropomorphize these insects.

"I swear to god, it was THIS big!"
posted by Citizen Premier at 12:18 AM on April 5, 2006

Wow. those are great snaps. I like the portrait style aapproach to these photographs, though of course Mantids are incredibly photogenic. I think this guy should take photos of Jumping spiders next.
posted by dhruva at 12:19 AM on April 5, 2006

and Mira y Calla is a great blog. Thanks MJJ.
posted by dhruva at 1:04 AM on April 5, 2006

These are terrific shots, but I still think my favorite bug shot is this flickr tough guy, who looks like a "Bowery Boys" extra.
posted by rob511 at 2:06 AM on April 5, 2006

I came across this myself the other day and promptly bookmarked it. I take a lot of buggy/froggy photos myself (I's partial to dragonflies, they come in such wild color schemes), but these are super.
posted by Gator at 3:12 AM on April 5, 2006

Thanks, MJJ. I'm no photographer or entomologist, but these really are amazing. The detail and clarity, along with the portrait-style framing, pretty much forces you to project personality onto the bugs. Don made me laugh out loud-- Wonderland's Caterpillar by way of Marlon Brando. This one is pretty clearly a Duke of Hell, and I couldn't even believe this shot-- it looks like a chess game to decide the fate of a planet.
posted by Faint of Butt at 3:13 AM on April 5, 2006

These all made me itch terribly...
I need a shower.
posted by piratebowling at 6:05 AM on April 5, 2006

I'm partial to slim!
posted by OmieWise at 6:11 AM on April 5, 2006

If only they were made out of marzipan.
posted by emelenjr at 6:20 AM on April 5, 2006

This one looks quietly amused.
posted by LarryC at 6:26 AM on April 5, 2006

I saw a video a few months ago of a guy who pits small rodents against his mantis in a caged death match. It took several hours, but the mantis killed the mouse. I remember him saying something like "he's 12-0". Pretty gruesome to watch.
posted by sluglicker at 6:40 AM on April 5, 2006

Incredibly beautiful portraits. A+ and a gold star for you, MJJ.
posted by Devils Slide at 6:48 AM on April 5, 2006

Ditto. Thanks MJJ.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 7:32 AM on April 5, 2006

Great shots. Great personalities, projected or not. Thanks again, mjjj!
posted by soyjoy at 8:51 AM on April 5, 2006

These are awesome. I fear that Don is quietly plotting revenge.
posted by amro at 10:01 AM on April 5, 2006

Damn. I'm going to go put my camera in a drawer and not take it out for a while. This guy's good.
posted by elr at 11:48 AM on April 5, 2006

- You broke the internets - -
posted by growabrain at 10:18 PM on April 5, 2006