Ladybug takeoff

 
After observing this ladybug exploring a shrub in the forest I positioned myself at the leaf where it was headed to capture its moment of flight. I used an aperture of f/20 to maximize depth of field and a flash to isolate it from the background. This photo was taken as the ladybug spread its wings and elytra, a fancy word for wing covers. A single leg is raised in readiness for liftoff. There is a hint of motion blur to indicate the moment it takes to the air