Visions and Nature Stag Beetles series
Stag Beetles Series
by Kristel Schneider
Stag Beetles (Lucanidae) are robust insects with black or reddish brown colouration.
The smaller ones even have a bluish sheen. The males have greatly enlarged, toothed mandibles; females are often smaller. The antennae are elbowed or bent in the middle.
More info about this wonderful insect click here.
For my Beetle photo shoot I wanted to get some soft focus images and some general detailed ones. The insects were wandering around on and in the tree trunk, the males didn’t really fight but where just getting in the defense ‘position’ what was nice for a background. The morning light provided me with some nice soft (background) light.
I tried some different angles and depth of fields and worked with my Canon 5DMark II and Canon 40D with different lenses (300mm + extension tube and the 150 macro lens).
Visions and Nature 
These are amazing beetles. I saw one once when I was a kid and I wish to see them again since then. All photos are gret but the first one is my favourite for the composition light and colours.
One Response to Stag Beetles_male3
kirsten says:
June 22, 2011 at 10:02 pm (Edit)
lovely picture: the beetles look like they’re greeting the rising sun or each other.. I love the color and the repetition of the silhouette. But most of all: the precisely positioned sharp area… the master at work.