View allAll Photos Tagged InsectPhotography
Early in the morning it is common for bees to feel the heat coming off of my hand and climb onto it. This Sweat Bee is warming up on my finger. I was resting the lens on my hand to keep the scene steady, and so I could control where the depth of field was going to fall in the frame.
Possibly Halictus sexcinctus.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F14, 1/250, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI and Clarity in that order.
I found this Cricket foraging on a Dandelion at the Monte Orlando Nature Preserve in Gaeta, Italy. Shot in the late morning this critter was more hungry than afraid.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/125, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order. I dragged the shutter to expose for the natural light in the background while keeping the subject in the shade.
I found this Sweat Bee snoozing in a Poppy Flower and shot it as it was waking up.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (around 3x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order.
I went out to my sister in law's place in the mountains above Itri, Italy at 5:30AM to photograph the Bumblebees in her Lavender. There were several that were already awake and foraging in the 17C (62F) temperature.
Bombus hortorum
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F14, 1/200, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to about 2x) + a diffused MT26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI and Clarity in that order. I used an artificial flower to keep the background from being black.
nice detail on this member of the snipe fly family, rhagionidae - probably chrysopilus modestus
i need to read up on snipe flies, as there are likely more around me that i’ve been observing than i was aware of, not being familiar w/ them until just recently
was incorrectly identified originally as belonging to the long-legged fly family
backyard capture in chesterfield
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”
~ Charles Darwin
Last year I found this European Wool Carder Bee (Anthidium florentinum) snoozing in one of my Sunflowers. That Sunflower acted as a dark yellow reflector for the flash and made the image really warm. I've been working on my post processing so I decided to edited this one and see how it would turn out.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI and Clarity in that order.
I bought a kit so I could raise a few Swallowtail Butterflies (Papilio machaon) and this is a frame with the Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens set to roughly 2.5x.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order.
Gestern war ich im Garten der Schmetterlinge Schloss Sayn bei Bendorf 📷
Soo viele schöne Falter dort , aber die Lichtbedingungen zum Fotografieren sind schlecht ,man darf kein Blitz verwenden , deshalb die Bilder hier mit hoher ISO .
Aber ich finde die Kamera hat das ganz gut hinbekommen 💯
An early morning shot of a European Wool Carder Bee. Normally I don't see many insects with dew on them, but that morning it was very damp. This one was semi-active and when it would pause I'd look for a new composition.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (about 3.5x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC, second curtain sync). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. I'm holding on to the stem of the flower with my left hand, and resting the lens on that same hand to keep the scene steady.
This is an emerging male Red Mason Bee (Osmia bicornis) chewing his way out of a cocoon.
This image took second place in the Bugslife Bug Photography Flies, Bees, Ants, and Wasps category.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/200, ISO 200 due to Highlight Tone Priority) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to about 2.5x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT, E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC, second curtain sync). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held.
I bought a kit so I could raise a few Swallowtail Butterflies (Papilio machaon) and this is the first one to emerge from a cocoon.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 4x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order.
I didn't think I would have any luck today because it wasn't cool enough, but the sun went behind the clouds and a most of the critters slowed down. I managed to shoot this male European Blue Mason Bee covered in Dandelion pollen, but not for long. It was pretty easy for him to get his metabolism going and take off.
Tech Specs: Canon 90D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to 3x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT, E-TTL metering, -1 FEC. This is a single frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order.
If I may steal a quote from the movie, The Fly . . . "HELP ME!" Not sure what kind of green fly this is . . . any entomologists onboard?
A visitor on the side of my home. It was patient enough to let me inch toward it to get a couple of shots before flying off.
There wasn't enough wind so this Sweat Bee felt me grab onto the stem of the Sourgrass Flower that it was foraging in and climbed to the top of it to investigate. But when it did it was facing away from me. So I carefully turned the flower so that the critter was facing the camera. Gotta be gentle, cause I didn't want to spook the bee into taking off and I didn't want to damage the flower. I managed to get the shot and leave the Sourgrass unharmed.
Sweat Bees in Sourgrass Deconstruction
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (3x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC, second curtain sync). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order.
I found this mating pair of 22 Spot Ladybugs on my zucchini after I watered the garden. The specular reflections in the water drops are barely noticeable due to how well my new diffuser design is working (I didn't do anything to tone down those highlights in post). If you zoom in you can even see texture in the surface of the water drop on the male.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (3x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering with -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order.
Our task must be to free ourselves...by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.
~ Albert Einstein
bangaw- Tagalog for fly
I was trying to get some head shots at five times life size of this lethargic Sawfly when it woke up and started feeding. The framing was just too tight at 5x to get the critter's mouth parts, so this is one of the better shots.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (5x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, +1/3 FEC, second curtain sync). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held.
Cool partly cloudy weather makes the best conditions for shooting small solitary bees. I found a male European Blue Mason Bee semi-active on a Dandelion.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (around 3x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI and Clarity in that order.
Cool weather and partly cloudy skies create a stop and go environment for most solitary bees. This European Wool Carder Bee was semi-active so I was able to get a shot without its mandibles clamped onto a plant stem. Notice the red "thread". This species builds its nests out of plant fibers, so odds are this is a female.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (over 3x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, +1/3 FEC, second curtain sync). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held.
The European Wool Carder Bees are still sleeping in my Lavender. It's so warm, at sunrise, that all I have to do is look at them and they get active. This one is female -their antennas only have 12 segments (males have 13).
Tech Specs: Canon 90D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to just under 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT, E-TTL metering, -1 FEC). This is a single frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order.
To look backward for a while is to refresh the eye, to restore it, and to render it the more fit for its prime function of looking forward.
~Margaret Fairless Barber
I used a syringe to inject Agave Nectar into a flower so this Honeybee would have a reason to let me get close.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/25, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (1x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC, second curtain sync). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order. I dragged the shutter to expose for the natural light in the background, and the flash froze most of the subject's movement.
An image from my recent YouTube video on photographing insects. It's not often you find an insect in the perfect location. This on landed in such a spot that I could get a clear background, and even get the tripod in!
A Hairy Footed Bee was a rare visitor to my yard when I lived in Bacoli, Italy and I have yet to see them in Lago Patria. Image taken in March of 2020.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (3x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering with -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI and Clarity in that order.
I tracked this 22 Spot Ladybug with the camera as it was walking across a zucchini leaf.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to around 3x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order.
The way I took this shot of these mating 22 Spot Ladybugs in a single frame was to focus on the eyes of the female and then twist my wrist to lay the area of acceptable focus over the male. With a scene like that one the eyes of both critters must be in focus, or the composition won't work. Tricky to do since the female would occasionally move and the male will sometimes wiggle his backside. Not gonna lie, I missed focus a few times cause he made me laugh :)
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to about 2.5x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering with -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI and Clarity in that order.
I spotted this European Wool Carder Bee snoozing in some flowers around sundown and waited until the next morning to photograph it. But it was 23C (73F) and it didn't take long for it to wake up and fly off.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to roughly 2x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order.
You'll have to excuse the black background in this Digger Wasp shot. I took it in the field in an area where there was no significant natural light in the background and nothing behind the critter to reflect the light from the flash. Had to get a shot though cause I rarely see them.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 200) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (2x) + a diffused MT-26EX RT (E-TTL metering). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, and Clarity in that order.
The genus Hamadryas, or Cracker Butterflies, are common throughout Latin America, with 9 species in Costa Rica. They earned their name by the male's behavior of making a cracking sound with their wings. They spend the daytime camouflaged on tree bark. (source: Wikipedia)
There are a lot of jumping spiders patrolling the wall that separates my place from the next villa, and I wondered why until I saw one of them feeding. Seems that the flies like to perch on the wall and it gives the spiders plenty of targets.
Salticus scenicus. Zebra jumping spider.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F11, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (2x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Denoise AI and Clarity in that order.
I spotted this European Wool Carder Bees (Anthidium florentinum) noozing in my Lavender last night but waited until early this morning to photograph it hoping the cooler temperature would give me more time to shoot it. It was so warm that I only managed about seven frames before it took off.
Tech Specs: Canon 80D (F14, 1/250, ISO 100) + a Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens (set to almost 3x) + a diffused MT-26EX-RT with a Kaiser adjustable flash shoe on the "A" head (the key), E-TTL metering, -1/3 FEC). This is a single, uncropped, frame taken hand held. In post I used Topaz Sharpen AI and Clarity in that order. I used an artificial flower to keep the background from being black. I focused on the leading edge of the bee's mandible and then twisted my wrist to lay the area of accpetable focus over its face.