I spend some time around the fig trees in my yard from time to time. Not every day - only when I feel the need to search for insects and other small things to observe and photograph through the macro lens. All I caught around those trees will eventually result in one or more long posts published in the first days of autumn, but ...
(Enlargeable)
... but today, it came to my mind that some of the fig-related material I already accumulated could be published today for this contest. Here, you can see a green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) with lovely red eyes, posing on the upper surface of a fig leaf, next to its own shadow.
(Enlargeable)
In the warm light of late afternoon, when the sun is low on the horizon, a shadow theater show begins among the leaves, which serve as numerous green curtains that project and hold the shadows.
(Enlargeable)
The intricate venation of the leaves, backlit by the setting sun, gives a touch of magic to these scenes.
(Enlargeable)
A leaf, seen through the curtain of another leaf, becomes a shadow of itself.
The insects add a bit of variaty to the world of leafy shapes. The shadow in the center of this photograph belongs to the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys). In the following shot ...
... the same bug is split in two halves, a real insect and a shadowy one. Becouse of the duality and the potential for symbolism it carries, this will be my entry for the contest.
(Enlargeable)
Here you can see a simple, straight shadow created by a twig.
(Enlargeable)
I don't know what to tell you here - just another combination of intricate pattern and a shadow.
(Enlargeable)
This is probably the smallest shadow I have ever photographed. It belongs to an insect from the Cicadellidae family. In the following photograph ...
(Enlargeable)
... you can see the leafhopper responsible for the tiny shadow, posing on the other side of the leaf.
(Enlargeable)
Here you can see a nice wavy shadow combined with elegant veins.
(Enlargeable)
There isn't much to say here - just another combination with shadows and stuff.
(Enlargeable)
In this photograph, you can see another iridescent fly accompanied by its shadow.
(Enlargeable)
This shot is here for your eyes to slowly travel from the shadow to the light ... and back if so you wish. You can also start with the light and go towards the shadow, of course.
(Enlargeable)
And that's it. I think it's time to end this post.
(Enlargeable)
AS ALWAYS HERE ON HIVE, THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE MY WORK.