Photographer Pete Burford earned a Finalist spot in Close Up Photographer of the Year's 'Death & Decay' challenge with his image Bee Meal. The image is a visual feast for the viewer – and another for the flower crab spider (Thomisus onustus) as it feeds on a bee.
Near the beach in Crete, Burford discovered flowers inhabited by the spiders. He explains, "They can change color to match their surroundings, and bees were visiting the flowers for nectar, giving the spiders the perfect opportunity to ambush any that ventured too close."
Burford is an award-winning macro photographer and OM System ambassador, relying on a "secret weapon" for wildlife and macro work – a MFT camera that rivals full-frame sensors for ISO noise and surpasses them in dynamic range – paired with DCW's favorite macro lens for MFT systems.
Finalist 'Bee Meal'
Shot info
Gear: OM System OM-D E-M1 II + Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro
Accessories: Godox V350 flash with Cygnustech diffuser, background card
Exposure: 1/200sec, f/5.6, ISO 200
Post-processing: Focus stack processed in Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise for cleanup
"When I found this particular spider feeding on a bee, I wanted to capture the moment from the bee's point of view as most crab spider predation shots focus on the spider, not the prey.
"Because both spider and bee were hanging downward, I flipped out my LCD screen and positioned the camera directly underneath, shooting upward to frame the bee head-on.
"The Cretan sunlight was so intense it blew out the background completely, so I used a card behind the flower to control the backdrop. Focus stacking was challenging in the sea breeze, and I had to time each burst carefully between gusts."
The CUPOTY competition
The main Close Up Photographer of the Year competition invites photographers from all levels and corners of the globe to showcase their finest close-up work, captured with any camera, camera phone, or even microscope.
Next to this annual competition, the CUPOTY runs themed challenges with a specific theme, like 'Death & Decay'. For more information and to discover more winning images, visit the CUPOTY website.
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If you are into macro photography, check our guide to the best camera for macro photography and best macro lenses. We also have supporting tutorials like how to use natural lighting effects to introduce drama to your macro photography scenes, or 4 macro hacks for your camera, lens and phone.
Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 global photo contests now open for entries from April to July.
