Purple Pincher Crab (Coenobita clypeatus)
by JC_Homola

Comment by vtruan:
Great shot. Colorsare nice.

Purple Pincher Crab (Coenobita clypeatus)
by JC_Homola

Comment by channeled:
Terrific composition & lighting effects! 10

Purple Pincher Crab (Coenobita clypeatus)
by JC_Homola

Comment by Simplicity:
terrific....I love the "feel" of this one....

"...out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow... " Macbeth
by JC_Homola

Comment by Ram21:
Great Photograph, love the colors!

"...out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow... " Macbeth
by JC_Homola

Comment by bod:
Nice. The 'star' on the flame is very effective.

"...out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow... " Macbeth
by JC_Homola

Comment by tiktoklock:
Like the blue background......

"...out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow... " Macbeth
by JC_Homola

Comment by GrandmaEMT:
It a little dark but I like the concept.

"...out brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow... " Macbeth
by JC_Homola

Comment by msdelete:
great colors, love Macbeth

Freedom in flames
by JC_Homola

Comment by xhoss:
i like it. nice interpretation of the category. that only thing that i would change is to make it a little brighter and wait just a second or two longer to let more or the flames in the picture...i thought that's what "they" were but couldn't tell for sure until i read the title. I think that they would have more of an impact if the flames were "bigger". nice work. Love the type face effect. very cool.

Fly in Dominican Amber - Tertiary Period (30 million years old)
by JC_Homola

Comment by dsidwell:
Hi JC, I was commenting on this yesterday when a student needed a form signed. Then I had to leave. So here goes.

As usual, you always manage to build an interesting and appropriate mood in your photo. I like the planet-like look to this one. The highlights on the insect really draw my eye to it.

The insect does not seem out of focus, but it does not seem really clear either. Perhaps it's the amber, which is pretty groovy stuff, I might add (if you have any extra chunks lying around, I'll take them off your hands!). If the fly looks clear when you examine it closely and if you're sure it is your camera that's causing the unclarity, make sure you didn't over sharpen it, and make sure you didn't move ever so slightly when taking the shot. Easy to do with such an extreme macro! I imagine that the clarity was the hang up here. It may be that you simply need more light. More light gives you lots of options.

The composition is very nice; with the fly in the upper right third, its little amber world is implied more clearly than if you had centered it.

All in all, a nice photo; I hope you keep giving us bizarre and interesting things to look at!

David