A Mosquito Hawk? Nope!
The Crane Fly is also called the Daddy Longlegs.
When I saw a crane fly on my porch, I wanted to catch it. I realized I had a chance to take pictures of it early in the morning, before the crane flew off. The porch screen on our house is black, which creates a striking contrast when an insect sits quietly on it. Of course, black screens can make photographing difficult in low light and capturing the subject on the screen.
These photographs were taken about 20 to 25 minutes before sunrise, with the east side of the house facing the sunrise and the porch facing west. The lighting was low, and I wasn't sure if I could capture any images in the dim light. I took out my iPhone 17 Pro Max flashlight, holding it in one hand while taking pictures with my camera in the other. I snapped many photos, hoping to capture an image of the crane fly on the screen. I liked the pattern on the screen and the position of the crane fly. I was hopeful I could create a contrast between the two despite the low light.
I reviewed the images and edited them in Lightroom. I needed to adjust the exposure because the images were too dark, and I added some sharpening, clarity, texture, and a touch of dehazing to enhance the crane fly. I also used the luminescence feature in Lightroom to reduce noise and retain as much detail as possible. My goal was to capture the feeling of the moment as I took each shot, hoping to offer a new perspective on the crane fly.
The world of macro photography is filled with high-resolution, detailed pictures of insects. I enjoy observing and studying these images to learn how I can photograph our small friends. Sometimes, however, I believe that sacrificing some detail can help capture a shot and add an artistic touch to images of these tiny creatures. I wanted some detail in my photos, but I also aimed to create artistic visuals offering a different view on how our small friends live alongside us.
Now that the story has been shared, here is a little more about the crane cly:
Overall, many people incorrectly nickname crane flies as, "Mosquito Hawks" or "Mosquito Eaters", or even "Giant Mosquitoes". But when it comes down to it, mosquitoes and crane flies couldn't be more different.
Crane flies emerge from damp places (grass, soil, wet logs, etc.) when it's warm, and always after a good rain. Their size is larger than a quarter and way bigger than a mosquito. Most importantly though, crane flies don't bite people, therfore they pose no risk to diseases. The San Gabriel Vally Misquito and Vector District
