It almost looks like a couple of different things. A katydid (no ovipositor, so it would be male), but the body doesn't look long enough. The back legs are too long for it to be an assassin bug. Someone will come along and name it.
As for the photo, if you back up a bit from the bug and position yourself over the leaf he's on so there isn't another plane that the lens will autofocus on, and center the lens on the leaf and the bug, you'll have better luck. And by backing up the lens is more likely to be in focus (digital cameras have a little "tulip" symbol for closeup, and you can use that for a real close shot, but you still have to be careful about the plane you're shooting at).
I figured this shot would work because the bug was at about the same plane as the leaf. I stuck it in because I enjoyed watching this guy on the okra.
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