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Metallus Loscorus, the common Shoehorn Fly
Metallus Loscorus, the common Shoehorn Fly
Yo_Spiff


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: A Bug's Life: Insects, Bugs, Beetle (Basic Editing)
Collection: 2009
Camera: Canon PowerShot S5 IS
Location: A place without many real bugs this time of year
Date: Dec 8, 2009
Aperture: F3.5
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1 Second
Galleries: Humorous
Date Uploaded: Dec 8, 2009

 "Metallus", from the fake Latin for metal
"Loscorus", from the fake latin for low scoring

I haven't done a shoehorn in a while, but inspiration finally flirted with me. I put together the "shoehorn fly" Monday evening, but decided I needed something more bug-like than the original googly eyes. I found some round amber colored magnets an an office supply store.

Got home Tuesday with only a few minutes before dark to shoot it. If I'd had more time, I would have reshot it to improve the DOF, I was concentrating on getting a blurry background with a compact. My shoehorns don't score high anyway. The success of this one will be measured in comments.

Anticipated critiques:
-DOF could have been better
-DNMC
-Bits of hot glue still hanging off
-DNMC
-At it again Steve, eh?
-DNMC
-LOL
-DNMC
-WTF?

[Dec. 9th, 2009 01:04:08 AM]
Wow! Pulling in the mid-6's after 15 votes! I don't think this will keep up, but it would be awesome if it did stay over a 6 and I could cross a goal off my list for '09.

[Dec. 13th, 2009 10:56:38 PM]
Especially considering I expected a low 5 at best, this performance is surprising the heck out of me. Didn't drop lower than a 6.32 after my earlier post, and running at 6.64 right now. Looks like this is on track to being the #2 shot on my profile page. I'm quite pleased.

Post challenge notes:
Wow, this really performed far beyond my expectations!

-A top 10 entry for me, and it wasn't even a real bug. A shoehorn on several levels. Not the highest scoring shoehorn ever, but certainly the highest scoring real shoehorn!

-Crossed off one of my major DPC goals for 2009: "Get a 6 with a humorous entry in a non-humorous challenge"

-Made my #2 highest scoring entry, pushing my rusty car down to #3.

-A new personal record for in-challenge comments. 36!

-A new highest rated entry for the Powershot S5 IS. Again pushing my rusty car down a notch.

It's been a good week for me on DPC. Thanks for all the fun comments and good votes. I enjoyed this one.

Statistics
Place: 8 out of 49
Avg (all users): 6.5984
Avg (commenters): 7.7000
Avg (participants): 5.2759
Avg (non-participants): 6.7767
Views since voting: 4035
Views during voting: 518
Votes: 244
Comments: 56
Favorites: 6 (view)

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AuthorThread
 03/06/2013 02:00:53 PM
Nice work!~
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2011 08:51:03 PM
Lol , thats funny, you nearly had me !
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2011 12:51:57 AM
I've looked at this photo dozens of times and it just hit that this is really a shoehorn. Guess I need to start reading : (
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/13/2011 12:47:33 AM
Awesome shot Steve, this would have been great for now, if you know what I mean.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/15/2010 01:16:36 AM
That's cool. Haha, I like your title.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/10/2010 11:13:07 AM
I can't believe I missed this one! So creative! When is your Book of Shoehorns coming out? :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 01/01/2010 02:34:27 AM
Ha! Well done Steve. I still laugh every time I see this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/23/2009 02:13:57 AM
I haven't seen this creature before.. its so funny :)
btw my bored bug is a boy bug :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/18/2009 07:24:54 PM
I freakin' LOVE this. Rock on Shoehorns!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/17/2009 10:07:34 PM
Totally missed this. Too funny.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 03:28:29 PM
my only 10. u r genius
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 09:31:04 AM
Love your sense of humor! Grats on a top 10!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 08:20:45 AM
You did very well with this! Congratulations on the amazing result.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 05:14:40 AM
It's simple in concept, difficult in execution; get out in the field and shoot a "bug" (or bugs) in its natural environment.

?????
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 02:40:14 AM
Top ten!!! 2nd highest score!! All that in spite of 6 ones. How fun... :o)

Congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 01:23:36 AM
Congratulations for the top 10!

I thought it a real bug during voting. lol
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 12:55:44 AM
ROFL you caught a few out...WD
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 12:24:46 AM
Holy Mackerel! A top-10 and a 6.59 for one of your shoehorns! You can die happy now, right? And this baby's gonna be on your profile page until the end of time... Wonderful! Got a 7 from me, BTW...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 12:20:30 AM
TOTALLY EXCELLENT .. loved it during voting and hoped it would do well .. congrats on 8th place in the challenge and second place on your profile page .. brilliant sense of humour .. :)

Message edited by author 2009-12-16 00:20:46.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/16/2009 12:08:22 AM
you got a 'shoehorn' in the top ten! congrats :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
12/15/2009 09:33:56 PM
What a strange one, interesting and a good shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/15/2009 01:01:05 PM
Incredible detail. What an unusual looking bug. I have never seen anything remotely like that. It's wings look almost look like they're made of glass and it's eyes are amazing....like they are filled with some kind of fluid. I can see why it's called a Shoehorn Fly. I am sure it's related to this insect:
//img215.imageshack.us/img215/7223/staghorniusraritas.jpg
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/15/2009 11:46:41 AM
Not voting yet, just skimming through the thumbnails, but I just had to comment on this one. Great fun and well done!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/13/2009 09:11:51 PM
It this ain't a Spiff, it should be.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/13/2009 06:00:01 PM
What a weird looking creature. Well captured, framed and lit. (Not voting)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/13/2009 03:42:02 PM
Oh that is SO COOL! Perfection, and I love the beautiful blues!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/13/2009 01:21:39 AM
very funny
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/13/2009 01:15:22 AM
Great closeup. His wings looks like glass.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/12/2009 07:34:38 PM
I understand the name of the fly but my what big eyes it has. Great composition and processing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/12/2009 11:20:47 AM
Nice try at inventing a new species of insects. lol
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/11/2009 08:43:22 PM
Ha ha, nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/11/2009 06:35:22 PM
really nicely done 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/11/2009 10:31:29 AM
Nice work
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2009 11:25:53 PM
lol... for a split second, i thought that was a real bug!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2009 09:18:48 PM
I guess this was a case of desperation being the mother of invention. ;-)
Creativ, as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2009 06:53:53 PM
Whoa...genius!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2009 12:06:10 PM
Lol - well found :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2009 11:48:13 AM
Very cute ;-) I thought their natural environment was closets, though!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2009 09:33:08 AM
LOL! LOL! (not voting)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2009 12:48:03 AM
glad to read this is doing well for you :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 09:54:57 PM
Back to comment...

This is stunning in it's detail! It almost looks like a rubber toy with plastic wings! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 09:29:39 PM
haha! cute
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 07:00:41 PM
Crazy looking bug!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 06:18:18 PM
Not sure I've ever seen one of these before, but it does seem somewhat familiar... Great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 04:25:56 PM
LOL!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 03:54:43 PM
That's priceless. Nice bravery and humour. High marks for creativity.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 11:26:02 AM
oh, I have to look twice.... ha-ha-ha
looks like a hard and very creative work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 10:45:10 AM
that is one very, very cool bug...it almost looks like a shoehorn...hmmmm oh, my it is a Shoehorn Fly...lol You my friend have way to much time on your hands...lol
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 10:15:59 AM
Thats a really unusual looking bug!! Great capture! 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 09:16:55 AM
LOL at first glance I thought this was real!!!! Pretty neat and funny.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 09:12:22 AM
OMG!!!! I freaked for a second thinking is that thing really out there somewhere...? said to myself "is there a such thing as a shoehorn fly"...then I looked again...LOLOL...great job! (no vote)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 02:04:09 AM
Lol.. there are only a handful of people this could be. Very funny
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 02:01:33 AM
Now that is one wierd bug, it's man made! Hehe to your title.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 12:42:13 AM
wow! what eyes!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 12:22:15 AM
doesnt look common at all .. more like totally extraordinary ... its an amazing shot .. those eyes look like lightglobes ..
is it even real .. ? .. anyway i'm just looking thru the challenge .. not voting .. :)
few minutes later .. this had me really going .. i googled metallus loscorus and nothing .. and then shoehorn fly .. nothing .. wotever .. whether its real or not its a fantastic image ..:)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2009 12:19:39 AM
This looks so fake! I Love It! Are those light bulbs filled with water? Rubber legs, or plastic wings? lol
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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