After thawing a frozen bag of grasshoppers, I examine them under a microscope to see which one is the most intact. I want to make sure that the antennae are all present, the legs are complete, and the abdomen is in good condition. Once I pin the chosen grasshopper, I give it a bath in a jewelry cleaner machine filled with vinegar. I allow it to dry and change the position of its legs, wings, and antennae while they are still malleable. I then transfer the specimen to our photography station, where I make sure that its distance and angle from the camera are both favorable. The computer that is connected to the camera allows me to adjust the focus and lighting for the grasshopper; when everything looks good, I take numerous photos that have different body parts in focus. I can stack all of these photos to get one photograph in which the whole grasshopper is in focus. Future modifications, such as placing the insect on a black background or removing minuscule dust particles can be done in photoshop.
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