Macro Photography | Insects and Spiders ___ 01d_SZN3800-1 copy 2
This is my most serious stab at the art of Arthropod macro photography in quite sometime. I understand that such images are not for everyone. However, the more I capture their images, the more I get to appreciate the complexities, diversities and adaptabilities of their exoskeletons. And really, if one enjoys song birds, one has to be appreciative of the Arthropods many bird species depend on.
Photographing live Arthropods in their natural environment is challenging and technically demanding both gear and skills wise. Challenging because arthropods are surprisingly not that easy to find along local conservation area trails during daylight hours and then once spotted, they may not cooperate with the front element of a macro lens literally hovering right over their faces. The subjects need to remain relatively motionless on substrates such as vegetation that may sway in the wind. The technique requires a good light diffuser from a camera-mounted speedlight (flash), generally handholding the camera even though the dept of field is in as short as 1 to 2 mm which often requires focus stacking of several shots in post-production with subjects that do not necessarily remain entirely motionless even during fast shooting bursts. I have successfully shot erratically-moving birds in flights, photographing arthropods is significantly more difficult and demanding timewise. This photography genre draws in and brings into focus many skills and knowledge gained by other types of photography. There is plenty of room for self improvement in my macro photography. However, these pictures make for a good baseline from which I can progress further.
My first subject was a vigorously struggling Crane Fly (Prionolabis rufibasis), a harmless seemingly hunchbacked, long-legged insect with a tiny head. Adult Crane Flies do not bite; they can’t even eat. Their sole purpose during their days-long life is to mate and lay eggs. It eventually came to rest on a blade of grass giving me an opportunity to shoot it which provided a potential explanation for its prior behaviour. It was carrying several mites on its abdomen and head. I am not sure if the Mites were feeding on the Crane Fly, but literature suggests that mites may not do so but rather are known to hitch rides on winged insects as a mean of dispersing in their environment. In my experience, insects tend to remain in place when caught “in the acts” as illustrated by a pair of the same species of Crane Flies on a fern leaf. Another insect species known as the Sooty Crane Fly was also observed. I then continued to practice on a beetle, a minuscule ant and a dead Glyptotendipes resting on a leaf followed by different species of spiders, yes one found in my basement.
Macro Photography | Insects and Spiders ___ 01d_SZN3800-1 copy 2
This is my most serious stab at the art of Arthropod macro photography in quite sometime. I understand that such images are not for everyone. However, the more I capture their images, the more I get to appreciate the complexities, diversities and adaptabilities of their exoskeletons. And really, if one enjoys song birds, one has to be appreciative of the Arthropods many bird species depend on.
Photographing live Arthropods in their natural environment is challenging and technically demanding both gear and skills wise. Challenging because arthropods are surprisingly not that easy to find along local conservation area trails during daylight hours and then once spotted, they may not cooperate with the front element of a macro lens literally hovering right over their faces. The subjects need to remain relatively motionless on substrates such as vegetation that may sway in the wind. The technique requires a good light diffuser from a camera-mounted speedlight (flash), generally handholding the camera even though the dept of field is in as short as 1 to 2 mm which often requires focus stacking of several shots in post-production with subjects that do not necessarily remain entirely motionless even during fast shooting bursts. I have successfully shot erratically-moving birds in flights, photographing arthropods is significantly more difficult and demanding timewise. This photography genre draws in and brings into focus many skills and knowledge gained by other types of photography. There is plenty of room for self improvement in my macro photography. However, these pictures make for a good baseline from which I can progress further.
My first subject was a vigorously struggling Crane Fly (Prionolabis rufibasis), a harmless seemingly hunchbacked, long-legged insect with a tiny head. Adult Crane Flies do not bite; they can’t even eat. Their sole purpose during their days-long life is to mate and lay eggs. It eventually came to rest on a blade of grass giving me an opportunity to shoot it which provided a potential explanation for its prior behaviour. It was carrying several mites on its abdomen and head. I am not sure if the Mites were feeding on the Crane Fly, but literature suggests that mites may not do so but rather are known to hitch rides on winged insects as a mean of dispersing in their environment. In my experience, insects tend to remain in place when caught “in the acts” as illustrated by a pair of the same species of Crane Flies on a fern leaf. Another insect species known as the Sooty Crane Fly was also observed. I then continued to practice on a beetle, a minuscule ant and a dead Glyptotendipes resting on a leaf followed by different species of spiders, yes one found in my basement.