No, it’s not Photoshop. Though the praying mantises photographed by a Malaysian photographer really do look like that.
Living close to the tropical jungle, Pang Way is in the perfect place to find these critters. Appearing to be caught in a series of dramatic Flamenco-style dance poses, the exotic insects are a riot of color and beauty.
“I’m too lucky to live in Malaysia,” Mr. Way, 43, from Kuala Lumpur, told The Epoch Times.
He cites the nature-rich state of Pahang as the best place for him to find his favorite subjects, which he says come in a seemingly infinite array of sizes, patterns, and colors.
In order to successfully capture a species that can be as tiny as a minuscule 1 centimeter (0.39 inches), Mr. Way specializes in macro photography and has a great deal of patience. He also needs lots of luck, he says. Long periods of waiting in the jungle are worth it, just to explore the fascinating behavior of these intriguing camouflaged insects.
As they were his favorite insects as a child, it was natural for Mr. Way to focus on the praying mantis when he started learning macro photography ten years ago. After his interest was sparked by seeing the work of other artists on social media, Mr. Way and a small group of friends set about learning everything they could about this very technical skill.
Mr. Way, who works as a mobile phone technician, has now won several awards for his photography work.
He has more than 100 species of praying mantis in his portfolio and hopes his work reveals the beauty and details of small insects to a wide audience. Some of his most treasured favorites include the walking flower mantis, or pink orchid mantis. Native to Southeast Asia and resembling an orchid flower, the pink orchid mantis can grow up to around 8 centimeters (approx. 3 inches), its four walking legs looking like petals.
Another favorite is the spiny flower mantis, which comes from South Africa. Way’s friends gifted him one for his birthday one year, and he snapped the butterfly-like mantis, which has spine-like structures on its body, using studio lighting. The majority are photographed in the wild, though he does sometimes experiment in artificial settings.
Admittedly, Mr. Way does apply some light post-processing techniques to his work, such as playing with highlights and shadows for a sharper result. But even without any alteration, his dancing praying mantises are amongst the most curious creations in the natural kingdom, and he intends to spend his life discovering and revealing them.
“For me, they are so unique, colorful, and the most successful camouflage insect in the insect world,” he said.
