Bzzzz....Zzzzzz...
March 28, 2010 3:17 PM Subscribe
More from German photographer Martin Amm.
posted by netbros at 3:24 PM on March 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by netbros at 3:24 PM on March 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
And otters?
posted by Navelgazer at 3:27 PM on March 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Navelgazer at 3:27 PM on March 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
I read this as "Sleeping insects covered in mountain dew", and I thought "what an odd way to promote The Dew, I wonder if PETA will get upset."
The actual page are is really keen, thanks!
posted by filthy light thief at 3:27 PM on March 28, 2010 [6 favorites]
The actual page are is really keen, thanks!
posted by filthy light thief at 3:27 PM on March 28, 2010 [6 favorites]
Fantastic.
And thank you Cat Pie Hurts for refraining from using The Daily Mail's really really bad headline.
posted by jonnyploy at 3:29 PM on March 28, 2010
And thank you Cat Pie Hurts for refraining from using The Daily Mail's really really bad headline.
posted by jonnyploy at 3:29 PM on March 28, 2010
Bling is so played out even bugs got it.
Nice shots!
posted by klangklangston at 3:29 PM on March 28, 2010
Nice shots!
posted by klangklangston at 3:29 PM on March 28, 2010
Images that startle even our generation's sour and jaded visual palate,
Views which would have bought tears to the eyes of DaVinci,
Made Darwin gasp,
Detail
Undreamed of by the great artists and naturalists of centuries past,
A privileged glimpse...
A hidden world
Of almost sacred beauty and delicacy
Unimaginable to our foreparents,
A sight, in its way, as breathtaking and humbling as the Hubble Deep Field --
introduced by a headline
with half-witted pun.
posted by Faze at 3:30 PM on March 28, 2010 [5 favorites]
Views which would have bought tears to the eyes of DaVinci,
Made Darwin gasp,
Detail
Undreamed of by the great artists and naturalists of centuries past,
A privileged glimpse...
A hidden world
Of almost sacred beauty and delicacy
Unimaginable to our foreparents,
A sight, in its way, as breathtaking and humbling as the Hubble Deep Field --
introduced by a headline
with half-witted pun.
posted by Faze at 3:30 PM on March 28, 2010 [5 favorites]
That's so beautiful -- now I know what they mean when they say "cute as a bug..."
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 3:30 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 3:30 PM on March 28, 2010
Beautiful shots... but makes me want to reach for the fly swatter.
posted by Neekee at 3:40 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by Neekee at 3:40 PM on March 28, 2010
This is an amazingly fresh idea-- has anyone ever thought of doing this before? I see that Mr Swietek only took up photography two and a half years ago. Kudos to him.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 3:45 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 3:45 PM on March 28, 2010
That is pretty remarkable stuff. I wish there was some more depth there about his technique or process.
posted by mhoye at 3:49 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by mhoye at 3:49 PM on March 28, 2010
Great pictures. The water beads must actually be quite heavy for the insects. I would love to see some slow motion footage of an insect shaking them off in the morning.
posted by molecicco at 3:51 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by molecicco at 3:51 PM on March 28, 2010
That's so beautiful -- now I know what they mean when they say "cute as a bug..."
And the phrase "warts and all".
posted by hal9k at 3:59 PM on March 28, 2010
And the phrase "warts and all".
posted by hal9k at 3:59 PM on March 28, 2010
WHOA. Very cool, thank you.
posted by Sticherbeast at 4:00 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by Sticherbeast at 4:00 PM on March 28, 2010
*gasp*
posted by gomichild at 4:02 PM on March 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by gomichild at 4:02 PM on March 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
Aw, they're so adorable equally horrific when they're sleeping.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 4:06 PM on March 28, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by Horace Rumpole at 4:06 PM on March 28, 2010 [3 favorites]
Absolutely breathtaking! Great post.
posted by empatterson at 4:14 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by empatterson at 4:14 PM on March 28, 2010
Beautiful, yes.
I'm also really glad to see the Big Picture-style photo gallery gaining popularity.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:25 PM on March 28, 2010
I'm also really glad to see the Big Picture-style photo gallery gaining popularity.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:25 PM on March 28, 2010
I am looking for the method of photographing wolf spiders at night, so that you can see their beautiful blue topaz eyes gleaming in the light of your flash.
at night when I come home there are hundreds of tiny blue lights glittering in the yard as my car headlights sweep the ground, but I can't seem to capture that glow in the photo.
so this was beautiful, Cat Pie Hurts - thanks!
posted by toodleydoodley at 4:26 PM on March 28, 2010
at night when I come home there are hundreds of tiny blue lights glittering in the yard as my car headlights sweep the ground, but I can't seem to capture that glow in the photo.
so this was beautiful, Cat Pie Hurts - thanks!
posted by toodleydoodley at 4:26 PM on March 28, 2010
And this is the last thing you will see when the giant insects come for you in the shower!
I never really thought about insects sleeping before. There! I have learned something new.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:39 PM on March 28, 2010
I never really thought about insects sleeping before. There! I have learned something new.
posted by GenjiandProust at 4:39 PM on March 28, 2010
I am looking for the method of photographing wolf spiders at night...
Is that a bit of tire next to the spider? Are you sure that's modern not relative of Shelob? If I were you, I'd be more careful in its lair, especially if you're trying to capture the light in its eyes.
posted by filthy light thief at 5:06 PM on March 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
Is that a bit of tire next to the spider? Are you sure that's modern not relative of Shelob? If I were you, I'd be more careful in its lair, especially if you're trying to capture the light in its eyes.
posted by filthy light thief at 5:06 PM on March 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
at night when I come home there are hundreds of tiny blue lights glittering in the yard as my car headlights sweep the ground
LALALA NOT THINKING OF WHAT 'HUNDREDS' DIVIDED BY 8 MEANS OH GOD
Sorry. Awesome pictures.
posted by Bukvoed at 5:13 PM on March 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
LALALA NOT THINKING OF WHAT 'HUNDREDS' DIVIDED BY 8 MEANS OH GOD
Sorry. Awesome pictures.
posted by Bukvoed at 5:13 PM on March 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
Wow, these are breathtaking.
And insects sleep? Really? Of course they do, but I guess I'd always imagined them not sleeping, without ever realizing that was part of my subconscious image of "insect-ness."
posted by treepour at 5:41 PM on March 28, 2010
And insects sleep? Really? Of course they do, but I guess I'd always imagined them not sleeping, without ever realizing that was part of my subconscious image of "insect-ness."
posted by treepour at 5:41 PM on March 28, 2010
I hear Rahm Emanuel never sleeps. Not like these puny bugs.
posted by elder18 at 5:43 PM on March 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by elder18 at 5:43 PM on March 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
I had exactly the same project in mind a few years ago, except that it was with unwitting Certified Public Accountants.
I didn't get finished.
posted by jimmythefish at 6:07 PM on March 28, 2010
I didn't get finished.
posted by jimmythefish at 6:07 PM on March 28, 2010
I am looking for the method of photographing wolf spiders at night
*clicks on link*
AAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH
DO NOT WANT
IN MY FRONT YARD
OR MY BACK YARD
OR ANY YARD IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MY HOME
(That's what I get for being on MeFi when I really should be prepping a lecture...)
posted by thomas j wise at 6:18 PM on March 28, 2010
*clicks on link*
AAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH
DO NOT WANT
IN MY FRONT YARD
OR MY BACK YARD
OR ANY YARD IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MY HOME
(That's what I get for being on MeFi when I really should be prepping a lecture...)
posted by thomas j wise at 6:18 PM on March 28, 2010
Walk me out in the morning dew, my honey
Walk me out in the morning dew today
Can't walk you out in the morning dew, my honey
I can't walk you out in the morning dew today
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:19 PM on March 28, 2010
Walk me out in the morning dew today
Can't walk you out in the morning dew, my honey
I can't walk you out in the morning dew today
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:19 PM on March 28, 2010
Holy cow these are lovely. They have me completely reassessing my idea of what being a bug is like.
posted by inkytea at 8:04 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by inkytea at 8:04 PM on March 28, 2010
Neat though this is, it's from the Daily Mail. That's like linking an article from the Cretinous Morlock Post.
posted by dunkadunc at 8:19 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by dunkadunc at 8:19 PM on March 28, 2010
They don't look any different when they're asleep, which is disconcerting.
Also, I guess the surfaces of their eyes aren't as sensitive as ours. Compound eyes are weird.
posted by invitapriore at 8:52 PM on March 28, 2010
Also, I guess the surfaces of their eyes aren't as sensitive as ours. Compound eyes are weird.
posted by invitapriore at 8:52 PM on March 28, 2010
dunkadunc: believe me, the last thing I wanted to do was post a daily mail link, but I couldn't find any other sites with this particular collection of images. And being generally lazy, I didn't feel like making individual links. Life gives you shit, but it also gives you corn.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 10:00 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 10:00 PM on March 28, 2010
How terrifying is it that we've had two single-link Daily Mail posts in the same day - and they've both actually been pretty awesome?
posted by strangely stunted trees at 10:40 PM on March 28, 2010
posted by strangely stunted trees at 10:40 PM on March 28, 2010
OK, work with me on this, but I nominate this FPP for classic status for the main link text. Never has the phrase "just like it says right here on the label" been more apt. Shades of cat scans, even.
I read it three times trying to figure out what the weird angle was going to be that would make it anything other than photographs of sleeping insects covered in morning dew. That phrase has an extraordinary poetry to it, as well. It sounds for all the world like the kind of phrase that would become famous in linguistics (perhaps the resonance with ideas sleeping furiously?) as an example of *something,* although I'm not sure quite what. I think it's this: the individual concepts seem so unlikely in their specific combination that some sort of metaphor instinct kicks in. This can't be fucking literal language, right? On Metafilter?
I mean, I thought maybe it was a band name or something.
posted by fourcheesemac at 10:46 PM on March 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
I read it three times trying to figure out what the weird angle was going to be that would make it anything other than photographs of sleeping insects covered in morning dew. That phrase has an extraordinary poetry to it, as well. It sounds for all the world like the kind of phrase that would become famous in linguistics (perhaps the resonance with ideas sleeping furiously?) as an example of *something,* although I'm not sure quite what. I think it's this: the individual concepts seem so unlikely in their specific combination that some sort of metaphor instinct kicks in. This can't be fucking literal language, right? On Metafilter?
I mean, I thought maybe it was a band name or something.
posted by fourcheesemac at 10:46 PM on March 28, 2010 [2 favorites]
Apparently Mr. Swietek took these pictures at 3AM in the field and I find it difficult to believe. The focus is perfect and it twkes a small aperture (long exposure) to achieve that. The slightest movement due to wind would make it impossible.
The 'standard' method ot taking macro pictures of 'dew'-covered insects is to stick them in the freezer for a while. Then when you take them out the condensate looks like dew on their bodies. Sadly thet're not sleeping - they're dead.
Disclamer: I NEVER used this technique but I saw it used by others.
posted by Parsnip at 12:24 AM on March 29, 2010 [2 favorites]
The 'standard' method ot taking macro pictures of 'dew'-covered insects is to stick them in the freezer for a while. Then when you take them out the condensate looks like dew on their bodies. Sadly thet're not sleeping - they're dead.
Disclamer: I NEVER used this technique but I saw it used by others.
posted by Parsnip at 12:24 AM on March 29, 2010 [2 favorites]
Bort: Is your identification positive, or based on color? They have blue dragons in the U.K.
posted by Goofyy at 12:38 AM on March 29, 2010
posted by Goofyy at 12:38 AM on March 29, 2010
Bort: Is your identification positive, or based on color? They have blue dragons in the U.K.
The eyes are not touching, which suggests that they are damselflies (disclaimer: not a biologist).
posted by swordfishtrombones at 3:19 AM on March 29, 2010
The eyes are not touching, which suggests that they are damselflies (disclaimer: not a biologist).
posted by swordfishtrombones at 3:19 AM on March 29, 2010
Parsnip - look at the catchlights in the bugs' eyes - it looks to me like he used a macro flash much like this one. That solves the problem of a small aperture requiring a long exposure.
Still not sure how he would have found the bugs and got himself and his equipment positioned in the dark in the first place - but I wondered if they had been frozen or something too.
posted by kcds at 4:23 AM on March 29, 2010
Still not sure how he would have found the bugs and got himself and his equipment positioned in the dark in the first place - but I wondered if they had been frozen or something too.
posted by kcds at 4:23 AM on March 29, 2010
at night when I come home there are hundreds of tiny blue lights glittering in the yard as my car headlights sweep the ground
A couple of options:
1. Find a burrow, set your camera up on a tripod with a good-quality ring-flash, grab some beer and wait.
2. Kill the spider using some non-destructive method (i.e., not your shoe) then pose it however you like, since it's impossible to tell the difference in a photograph between a live specimen and a dead one.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:28 AM on March 29, 2010
A couple of options:
1. Find a burrow, set your camera up on a tripod with a good-quality ring-flash, grab some beer and wait.
2. Kill the spider using some non-destructive method (i.e., not your shoe) then pose it however you like, since it's impossible to tell the difference in a photograph between a live specimen and a dead one.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:28 AM on March 29, 2010
Bort: Is your identification positive, or based on color? They have blue dragons in the U.K.
Based on the eyes, and general shape of the head. I'm not an expert, but those look just like damselflies to me.
posted by Bort at 8:59 AM on March 29, 2010
Based on the eyes, and general shape of the head. I'm not an expert, but those look just like damselflies to me.
posted by Bort at 8:59 AM on March 29, 2010
A testament to the power of fame (or too much time on Metafilter lately): as beautiful as these photos are, this image popped into my head instantly.
posted by juniper at 10:15 AM on March 30, 2010
posted by juniper at 10:15 AM on March 30, 2010
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posted by Toekneesan at 3:18 PM on March 28, 2010 [3 favorites]