Spring is in the air, and you are itching to get out and photograph something. That's great! You say you have a bee in your bonnet to try shooting something different; that you want to sink your fangs into a new subject. Even better! Let me suggest you explore macrophotography of insects and spiders.
Insects are everywhere. Scientists figure there are 10 quintillion individual insects alive worldwide. Yikes, that's 1 followed by 19 zeroes. Fortunately, there are plenty of spiders to keep this bug population in check since arachnologists reckon there are more than 11,000 spiders per acre here in the United States. In short, you will find plenty to photograph.
Many of you may now be humming I don't like spiders and snakes from the old Jim Stafford song, or you may be reaching for the bug spray. I say, grab your macro lens, instead. Early morning is generally the best time to photograph because the critters are sluggish from the cool overnight temperatures. Start in your backyard or visit a local park. Look closely at tree trunks and fence posts, peek inside flowers, and get down on your knees to peer closely at plant and weed stalks. If you are lucky, you will find dew-covered critters.
Once you have located a good subject, here is what to do: Set your camera to aperture priority. I will talk in a moment about what aperture to use. A sturdy tripod and a cable/remote release are essential. I recommend using a reflector versus flash because the light has a more natural look. If you do want to use full flash, you will need an off-camera unit because the built-in flash on your camera provides insufficient light when you use a macro lens. Note that you can use your built-in flash for the occasional fill flash.
Just as you would do when photographing any other living creature, focus on the eyes. Since the insects are so small, the depth of field that will produce sharp focus is quite narrow. Moreover, this narrow depth of field will often challenge your camera's autofocus function. Therefore, check focus by using your depth of field preview button. (See the article my friend Rod Barbee wrote about using the DOF preview button: www.barbeephoto.com/articles). If adjustments are necessary, switch to manual focus; zoom your lens in and out to make the necessary minute adjustments; re-check focus using your DOF preview button; and press the cable release. A second method is to set your camera to manual focus and move the entire camera back and forth until the eyes or other key elements are tack-sharp. If you use Arca Swiss-type quick release plates, you simply loosen the ball head, carefully move your camera back and forth on the tripod ballhead, and lock the ballhead once your subject is in sharp focus. If you use fixed focal length macro lenses or diopters, then you may want to consider a product called a focusing rail. A third method for those of us with severe astigmatism and myopia is to manually bracket your DOF. I find this technique necessary when I want to get both the eyes and the pedipalps on a spider in sharp focus. Once you upload the images to your PC, simply choose the sharpest image.
The second key thing to ensure sharp focus and maximum depth of field is to set your camera parallel to the plane of the insect or spider. In short, take care to set your camera on the same level as the critter rather than shooting it at an angle.
Your choice of background is critical and will be a key factor in deciding what aperture to use. Look for a plain background that has no hotspots, distracting patterns or intruding shapes. Select an aperture that will provide sharp focus for the critter's eyes, pedipalps, pincher, proboscis, etc. as well as permit you to blur the background. Once the critter becomes more active, you will have to adjust your aperture so that you have sufficient shutter speed to freeze any motion ... or you will have to boost your ISO to freeze motion.
Other thoughts about and recommendations for insect photography:
- Watch for and capture behavior, such as defensive postures.
- Do not be cruel. Do not capture an insect or spider and put it into your refrigerator to slow down its movements.
- It is okay to fashion a more photogenic setting such as coaxing a beetle to move from a dull brown leaf to a colorful autumn leaf.
- Be able to identify any critters in your area that may cause serious risk. For example, if you live in Louisiana or Texas, can you identify the brown recluse spider?
- After you have created environmental images that feature the entire critter, get creative. For example, shoot abstract images of the geometric patterns and colorful markings you often find on butterflies or use a narrow DOF to accentuate a spider's eyes.
- Be sure to check local gardens and museums that feature live butterfly and insect displays. They often provide special admission times for photographers.
See more of David on his websites, David Muse Photography and Baltimore Photo Safari.
