The house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) originates from the Mediterranean but it is now widespread. They range through much of the U.S., and homeowners generally really hate them with a passion. But they are actually rather nice once you get to know them.
So I recently set out to focus stack a centipede that visited our living room, and here it is. This is what I consider the best of several stacks.
To make this picture, a live centipede was placed on our dining room table on a shiny piece of black plastic. It was contained under a clear plastic cup, and when settled, the cup was removed and pictures were taken in burst mode with a Canon 5dmiii and 100mm macro lens mounted on a tripod. Focus bracketing was done with the Helicon Fb tube, and the pictures were merged in ZS.
I was pleasantly surprise at how well the centipede cooperated. For most attempts, it sat perfectly still. On one occasion when it ran off, it ran up my arm and onto my back. The wife was not happy helping me retrieve it.
Focus stacking a live house centipede
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- MarkSturtevant
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Focus stacking a live house centipede
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters
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- MarkSturtevant
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- rjlittlefield
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Very nicely done!
These beasts don't seem to live in my area (it's very dry here), but I've encountered them while visiting family in Minnesota. The very first one I ever saw live was especially confusing because it was actually two of them, the one on the bottom dead and being eaten by the live one on top. Photos and discussion at https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... php?t=5485 .
--Rik
These beasts don't seem to live in my area (it's very dry here), but I've encountered them while visiting family in Minnesota. The very first one I ever saw live was especially confusing because it was actually two of them, the one on the bottom dead and being eaten by the live one on top. Photos and discussion at https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... php?t=5485 .
--Rik
- MarkSturtevant
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Thank you. Their nature is to sit still for extended periods of time. The little plastic cup contained it. Naturally, the centipede tried to find a way out for a while, then it settled down, snuggling along an edge of the cup. The plastic platform was sitting on a small 'lazy Susan' device that I made with Legos, and this allowed me to carefully rotate the platform so the centipede was presented to the camera field of view. Then the cup was very carefully raised. She really just sat there, and I was surprised too.
Mark Sturtevant
Dept. of Still Waters
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House centipede
Amazing shots, especially in light of how fast these beggars can run.
Mike
Mike
Michael Reese Much FRMS EMS Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA