Although close to one million species of insects have been identified to date, many more are out there and just have not been scientifically identified. The Royal Entomological Society of the United Kingdom estimates there are probably about 10 million actual species of insects in the world. Found on every continent including Antarctica, insects vary in size, shape, color, and texture. From the tiny western flower thrip to the atlas moth to the 350,000 species of beetles to the native mining bee (Andrena sp.) on a wild coneflower pictured above, it is easy to see that this class of animals is full of prolific subject material.
So how do we capture images of these bountiful bugs best?
Since we know there are insects right at our front door, I will start with gear selection. A dedicated macro lens is best; however, some telephoto lenses have macro-like capabilities that allow for a miniscule minimum focus distance (the distance your sensor needs to be away from your target subject). An example of this is the Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD lens for Sony E-mount (bhpho.to/3mDENQr). Between the 50mm and 70mm range, the lens has a 1:2 magnification ratio and a minimum focus distance of only 24.9 centimeters/9.8 inches. In the field, this means that, on the Sony A1 body (bhpho.to/421LrjO) with my lens hood attached to the end of the lens, my target subject can essentially be touching the lens hood and I will be able to focus on it.
Understanding the minimum focal distance of your chosen lens is very important when it comes to macro or close-up photography, as is understanding depth of field. Unlike more “iconic” or “traditional” wildlife images that are usually photographed using an aperture of f/4 to f/8, working with macro lenses requires a bit more finesse. In true macro lenses, the depth of field that is covered by, say, an f/6.3 is going to be much smaller than if you were working with a telephoto lens because your subject is so much closer to the camera. It’s a bee 10 inches/25 centimeters from the camera, not a bear at 100 yards/90 meters.
When dealing with both such small subjects and sensitive depths of field, we want to position ourselves close to our subject. Frequently I take a portable stool into the garden with me so I can comfortably sit at flower level. This means being patient and waiting for insects to come to you or being more observant in which insects are within range. I was absolutely floored when I took the time to sit in my garden, as young and small as it is, and see how many different species I could find on a daily basis.
One day while waiting for insects like queen butterflies to come within range of my lens, the above long-legged fly (species unknown) caught a hint of light while on a vitex leaf. This is actually a two-image panorama, as I wanted to make sure there was spacing on either side of the fly in order to give viewers a better sense of scale on the leaf.
I’m not saying not to use a shallower depth of field, but be aware that if you are trying to get the entire insect in focus from antenna to stinger and the insect is facing you, you will need something deeper than an f/4. The easiest position for an insect to be in (relative to our front element) is parallel. What this does is place the entire broadside of our subject on the same focal plane, allowing us to use a wider aperture and still have our subject in focus with a soft background.
This grass skipper below (species unknown), neither a moth nor a butterfly, shows off its long proboscis as it sips from the blooms of my Gregg’s blue mistflower. With an aperture of f/6.3, you can see that the depth of field is sufficient to capture the head and wing closest to the lens in focus, but then it drops off quickly as the wing further from the camera is already showing softness and the flowers in the background have become impressionistic.
Speaking of background, I constantly evaluate the backgrounds available around me. Usually I pick a spot that has several types of flowers to give a varied subject perch, but then I make sure that I know where the distracting elements are — for example, white flowers or overly dark leaves or stems that are behind these perches. By noting these potential distractions, I can create images that have simpler and cleaner backgrounds.
Due to the wide array of colors and the shiny exoskeletons many insects have, photographing in open shade is usually the best lighting condition for creating this type of wildlife image. The consistent lighting allows for capturing highlights without blowing out details like wing scales or texture on the abdomen. If you don’t have a shaded spot when you have time to photograph, consider carrying a wide-brimmed hat or small diffuser with you to create your own open shade wherever you go.
Finally, do remember that this is wildlife, and therefore, you want to make sure you have a shutter speed that is appropriate for the subject’s behavior. Active flying pollinators tend to require a much faster shutter speed than a praying mantis lying in wait for its next meal to come by. Utilize higher ISOs in order to achieve proper exposure with a high enough shutter speed to capture your subject sharply.
I hope you can use this information to help you with this month’s photo contest! Check out journalofwildlifephotography.
Until next week, when we will discuss a bit about backyard birds.