more mantis...

An interesting question concerning the mantis images:

"My question on these kinds of things is always "How on earth did you get all your settings AND small flashlight AND a reflector into place quickly enough to get the shot?"
Deborah Hosking

Not as complicated as it sounds, actually.
Exposure settings (depth-of-field, shutter speed, ISO) are pretty much set in advance. The reflector is propped up on a stick or held by a Plamp and the flashlight is held in the hand that is not on the remote shutter cord, which also focuses. And the mantis is an inflatable model.
No, only kidding. Mantids are really great subjects--they are really still until they strike and very tolerant. They are often quite territorial and will stay in the same area all summer if the food supply is abundant. Edwin Way Teale writes about a mantis that hung out with him well into autumn and ate hamburger from a toothpick.
ml