Time for your close-up praying mantis

While out watering the hedge in my backyard in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the sudden water shower revealed this sizable praying mantis! I put down the hose and went inside to grab my camera which fortunately already had on my Sony 90mm f/2.8 G macro lens. Not wanting to get attacked by the mantis, but still wanting to get as up close as possible, I eased into making photos of the mantis getting a bit close each shot until finally she/he looked right into the lens as you can see above! It was nice to use my macro lens for this kind of shot, as I mostly use it as my headshot lens.