Yesterday, I posted some photographs of three of my cameras. (This is the photographic equivalent of the movie musical where the characters decide to put on a show). Today I was planning to show you some art references for comics taken with these cameras. But then I let the dogs out before supper yesterday evening and saw this magnificent katydid innocently washing its feet on top of the cement Easter Island head sculpture beside the back door …
There was nothing to do about it but to swap the portrait lens for the macro lens on the Pentax as quickly as I could and photographically harass this large insect until it got annoyed enough with me snapping the shutter at it that it flew away. It was actually a very good model, lasting for almost a hundred shots in a variety of poses before its patience was exhausted. Its texture was notably leafy.
These photographs aren’t just good references for a bug character, whether realistic or cartoony, but with a little imagination they might be useful for an alien, or even a giant monster. Look at those buggy little yellow eyes. This character could be scary if he was big enough, but he will always be a little goofy.
(for photo nerds only: Pentax K-5iis “Kilo”+ Pentax DFA 100mm f/2.8 WR macro. Image 1: 1/200 at f/9, 0 EV, ISO 2000. Image 2: 1/125 at f/11, -.7 EV, ISO 1600.)
a cartoonist in Kekionga 