# Violin Nymphs Hatching! (video + photos)



## Precarious (Feb 19, 2011)

Another lucky catch with the camcorder.

Music by Precarious :walkman: 

Caught some pics too...







They look like an Alien chest burster when they first emerge.






Then the dam broke...





















This one dropped off his thread, but I was able to hold him by the little harness while he expanded.


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## Precarious (Feb 19, 2011)

Too many babies!






But so adorable...


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## Katnapper (Feb 19, 2011)

Excellent, excellent!! I absolutely LOVE the detail you were able to capture in the video. And the 2 "adorable" pics are just that.  Thank you much for sharing these with us... I thoroughly enjoyed!


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## Precarious (Feb 19, 2011)

How did I get these shots?

This is my ghetto setup...






I got tired of shooting video through the side of a deli cup. It really destroys the contrast and causes reflection problems when shooting macro. So this time when I saw them beginning to hatch I carefully took off the lid and placed it on the edges of two video cassettes (I knew I was holding onto these VHS tapes for something) and threw some excelsior below for the nymphs to drop onto. I just threw this together when I saw it happening. Way more punk rock than hi-tech, but whatever works. unk: 

I wouldn't try this with every ooth, but the Violins are big enough I could easily keep track of them, and they are very docile nymphs anyway. They don't scatter like some species.



Katnapper said:


> Excellent, excellent!! I absolutely LOVE the detail you were able to capture in the video. And the 2 "adorable" pics are just that.  Thank you much for sharing these with us... I thoroughly enjoyed!


Thank you! I'll try to get my hairy knuckles in the next one just for you. :clown:


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## jcal (Feb 19, 2011)

your media is the reason i frequent the forums. you are the master.


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## animalexplorer (Feb 19, 2011)

Pretty cool! What camcorder are you using? and are the images video stills?


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## Precarious (Feb 19, 2011)

jcal said:


> your media is the reason i frequent the forums. you are the master.


Wow, thanks for the compliment.



animalexplorer said:


> Pretty cool! What camcorder are you using? and are the images video stills?


I'm using the Canon Vixia HF200 for video. Great little camcorder that shoots true hi-def and has good macro capabilities right out of the box. I got it for $400 refurbished. Paid another $40 for a 10x diopter magnifying filter.

The stills are from the Canon EOS Rebel T2i with EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens. I used to use frame grabs from the video, but there really is no comparison to a real DSLR camera with a high quality macro lens. I just added the top of the line macro flash, Canon MT-24EX, to my setup which I'm still figuring out, and a Canon 250D closeup filter which adds another .4x magnification taking the EF100's capabilities up to 1:1.4. So much to know with photography and I'm only a novice. I learn something every time I shoot.

...

I'd like to thank everyone here for all the encouragement. Hard for me to spend money on equipment. Knowing others get enjoyment from the results gives me that little push I need.


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## tier (Feb 19, 2011)

Maybe the most impressive shots of a _Gongylus_ hatch that I have ever seen. The two pictures of the whole batch with the dark background are the best, great colours.


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## dgerndt (Feb 19, 2011)

Wow, I never get tired of watching an ooth hatch, or checking out your amazing videos and pictures! Another great job, Precarious!

By the way... if you have "too many babies", you can always send some my way! :lol:


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## Mr.Mantid (Feb 19, 2011)

Nice vids Precarious! Do you go to film school? What kind of videa' editing software do you use?


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## Precarious (Feb 19, 2011)

Mr.Mantid said:


> Nice vids Precarious! Do you go to film school? What kind of videa' editing software do you use?


Nah, I just teach myself. Cheaper that way. And probably more productive.

I'm using Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10. Also use the NewBlue Film Look plugin to polish things up. I should learn Adobe Premier. I guess that's a little more professional.


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## angelofdeathzz (Feb 19, 2011)

Woooohoo, nice shots man, it's better than when I watched them with my own eyes hatching right in front of me!!! B) 

your close ups are amazing, can't wait to see some of your ring light shots.

And why now am I suddenly hungry for shrimp???


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## Mr.Mantid (Feb 19, 2011)

Precarious said:


> Nah, I just teach myself. Cheaper that way. And probably more productive.
> 
> I'm using Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10. Also use the NewBlue Film Look plugin to polish things up. I should learn Adobe Premier. I guess that's a little more professional.


Yeah film/video production schools are pretty pricey. I learned the hard way. I prefer final cut pro, I haven't really messed around with any other programs.


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## Precarious (Feb 19, 2011)

Mr.Mantid said:


> Yeah film/video production schools are pretty pricey. I learned the hard way. I prefer final cut pro, I haven't really messed around with any other programs.


Ah, I see. Good to know there are others here interested in production.

I'm a very hands-on kind of guy. If I really want to do something I just figure it out myself. I'm maybe too impatient to learn much technical data that doesn't directly apply to my desired intention. The downside is I am master of nothing, in the broad sense. The upside is, after a little stumbling around, I find my way to more instant gratification, and my mind remains uncluttered. At least, that's my poetic vision of my methodology.  

I'm all PC so I never had a chance to check out Final Cut.


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## Mr.Mantid (Feb 20, 2011)

Precarious said:


> Ah, I see. Good to know there are others here interested in production.
> 
> I'm a very hands-on kind of guy. If I really want to do something I just figure it out myself. I'm maybe too impatient to learn much technical data that doesn't directly apply to my desired intention. The downside is I am master of nothing, in the broad sense. The upside is, after a little stumbling around, I find my way to more instant gratification, and my mind remains uncluttered. At least, that's my poetic vision of my methodology.
> 
> I'm all PC so I never had a chance to check out Final Cut.


I've been itching for a camera and software; I have been out on video production for a few years now. Can't VVait.


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## twolfe (Feb 20, 2011)

Wow! Amazing shots and a lot of babies!


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## Katnapper (Feb 21, 2011)

Precarious said:


> How did I get these shots?
> 
> This is my ghetto setup...
> 
> ...


Love the setup for the shooting. I've done similar for still shots, but don't have a video camcorder capable of producing good macro video. Sharing the photo/video tips with others is great, and can only help us all in capturing amazing stuff to share  . Not sure if I'm looking forward to future hairy knuckle shots or not.... :blink: :lol:


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## Mex_Ghost (Feb 22, 2011)

When I read "video" I think about you :lol: , what a great Video, like Queen said .... is a kind of magic!!!!!, your music also complement very well the vid.

Your shots the first one I liked the most... so clean.


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## yen_saw (Feb 22, 2011)

Boy the hatching nymphs do look like the Alien!  Very nice video and pics Henry!


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## [email protected] (Feb 22, 2011)

Those are the most amazing shots I have ever seen!


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## leviatan (Feb 22, 2011)

Amazing photos dude ! It's a great pleasure to watch such a great video and pics. Congr


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## Precarious (Feb 22, 2011)

Leeann said:


> Those are the most amazing shots I have ever seen!


Jeebus! You guys are gonna give me a big head!

Thanks so much.  

Posting Creobroter gemmatus mating photos in a few minutes...


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## dgerndt (Feb 23, 2011)

I wonder why we all enjoy watching mantids "do the nasty" so much. :lol: lol!


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## angelofdeathzz (Feb 23, 2011)

Speaking for all the guys out there "I think it's all in our Heads" :tt2: :lol: (some pun intended)


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## minty (Feb 27, 2011)

ur a pro!!!


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## Slinkytreekreeper (Mar 1, 2011)

The nymph pics are great man, always a sucker for first instar pics but videos too totally rocks, please don't stop posting them up. Sublime work.

I reckon the light could maybe show more form if you dropped the power of one just slightly.

How far back/away from the lens can you move the twin lights and how far can you turn them up at full mag before you get blown highlights?

Cheers dude


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## Precarious (Mar 1, 2011)

Slinkytreekreeper said:


> I reckon the light could maybe show more form if you dropped the power of one just slightly.
> 
> How far back/away from the lens can you move the twin lights and how far can you turn them up at full mag before you get blown highlights?


I didn't have the flash when I did these. Maybe next time.


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## Mr.Mantid (Mar 2, 2011)

Hey Precarious,

Do you know of any prosumer end HD cameras that are able to do macroshots? Is there better macro lens out there then the one you own? Man, watching the qualitiy of your videos, I really just want to start shooting and editing the same types of video.

Thanks,

Mr. Mantid

p.s.

What program do you use to make you musics?


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## Precarious (Mar 2, 2011)

Mr.Mantid said:


> Do you know of any prosumer end HD cameras that are able to do macroshots? Is there better macro lens out there then the one you own? Man, watching the qualitiy of your videos, I really just want to start shooting and editing the same types of video.
> 
> What program do you use to make you musics?


I think most camcorders can do macro now. Mine is the Canon HF200.

I did a whole lot of research and there are very few choices when it comes to lenses for camcorders. You are limited to magnifying diopter filters, which invariably distort along the edges and diffuse highlights when really zoomed in. There are filters that cost about twice what I paid for mine ($40) but with them you get a vignette unless you are zoomed in far enough, and they still cause distortion. I didn't think they were worth the money or the trouble of constantly removing the filter to avoid the vignetting.

So unfortunately you really can't get much better footage than this unless you get a really high end video camera. Of course, you can just use a good DSLR camera with HD capabilities. Then you'll have the ability to add high quality lenses. Eventually I'll probably switch over to using my T2i for video, but there is a pretty big difference from using a product made exclusively for video. Big difference in weight and functionality. Plus I can get in closer with the camcorder. I can get the T2i up to 1:1.4 since I added the 250D Close-Up Lens, which is perfect for photos. Not quite enough magnification to compete with the camcorder.

My main music software is Ableton Live 8. I really love it. Perfect for how I make music. I use a lot of VST plugins for effects and instrumentation. Plus I have a studio filled with a great mix of digital and analog synths. The ambient pieces in many of the videos were made using Camel Audio's Alchemy softsynth. Really amazing app with great presets.


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## PRicardo (Mar 2, 2011)

WoW!  Amazing video and shots! Also grats on the hatchlings! With these skills you should make a mantid video about their life or something, just send it to BBC and harvest the big money  Absolutely Pro!


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## Krissim Klaw (Mar 2, 2011)

So adorable and lovely shots.

Funny that you should post a picture of one of the Alien chest-bursters. As a kid the Alien movies were some of my favorites because I thought the Aliens were so adorable. I even have a bunch of the Alien figurines that I played with versus the hideous Barbie dolls all the other little girls my age played with.


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## Precarious (Mar 2, 2011)

Krissim Klaw said:


> Funny that you should post a picture of one of the Alien chest-bursters. As a kid the Alien movies were some of my favorites because I thought the Aliens were so adorable. I even have a bunch of the Alien figurines that I played with versus the hideous Barbie dolls all the other little girls my age played with.


I still have all my Alien toys, including the original 18" Alien figure.

HR Giger, the designer of the creature in Alien, is one of my favorite artists. His biomechanical themes really tie in with mantids when you see them up close. You can even see ribbed tubes in their necks!

Looks to me like a lot of Japanese Anime biomechanoid monsters/heroes are influenced by mantids as well. The idea of armored plates with exposed muscle, tendons, and tubes in the joints between is all over Anime.


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## Mr.Mantid (Mar 3, 2011)

Precarious said:


> I still have all my Alien toys, including the original 18" Alien figure.


Is that Guyver? I remember my brother and I watching the live-action movies as a kid.


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## Precarious (Mar 3, 2011)

Mr.Mantid said:


> Is that Guyver? I remember my brother and I watching the live-action movies as a kid.


Yup...

Jimmy Walker and Mark Hamill. What were they thinking? :no:


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## Malakyoma (Nov 23, 2012)

Just saw the video. they're really cute when they're so young. Makes me want some lol.


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