Practice with your point-and-shoot camera. If you’re more interested in finding a new hobby than you are getting images published in National Geographic, there is no shame in starting off with whatever camera you have available. Grab your camera, go outdoors, and start snapping away. Practice finding bugs, getting as close as you can, focusing in tightly, and keeping a steady hand. Many point-and-shoot cameras have a “macro mode,” which can give you additional practice with the extreme close-ups used in insect photography. Add a lens to your phone’s camera. What if you’re not prepared to invest in an expensive new camera and equipment but want to delve a bit deeper into insect photography? As a compromise, you can buy specialized lenses that will attach right to your smartphone. There are numerous clip-on lenses available for iPhones, for example, which range in price from roughly $30 - $200 (U.S.).[1] X Research source For insect photography in particular, choose an add-on macro lens, which will provide the necessary magnification level to capture fine insect details. High-quality options are available for around $150 (U.S.). Enhance your SLR camera for insect

photography. A Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera — or its digital counterpart (DSLR) — is a basic necessity for pro-quality insect photography. To truly get the detailed close-ups you’ll be seeking, though, you’ll need to enhance the zoom capabilities of your SLR / DSLR. An extension tube is, as it sounds, a tube that further separates your camera lens from the camera itself. Extension tubes are an affordable entry point into extreme close-up photography.[2] X Research source You can also utilize magnifying filters, alone or in combination with extension tubes.[3] X Research source Reverse focus rings offer the neat trick of letting you put the lens on your camera backwards. If you’ve ever looked through the wrong end of a pair of binoculars, you’ll get the idea of how this method can provide substantial magnification.[4] X Research source Move up to a macro lens. Virtually everyone who develops a sincere passion for insect photography ends up utilizing macro lenses on their SLR / DSLR cameras. While the term gets thrown about a bit haphazardly, a “true macro” lens provides a magnification level of at least 1:1. This means that, for a film SLR camera, the actual image

projected onto the film plane will be at least the same size as the object itself (the insect). The major camera manufacturers produce numerous models of macro lenses within the 50mm to 200mm focal range and at magnification ratios of 1:1 or above (2:1, etc.). The greater the focal range, the further away you can be from the subject and still capture a life-size (1:1) shot. Digital cameras don’t use film and have no film plane on which to project an image, of course. However, DSLR macro lenses produce a similar type of magnification output. Use a sturdy tripod or a steady hand. Even experienced insect photographers will end up with plenty of blurry images. Moving in so closely limits the depth of field, making it difficult to maintain focus even if the little critter isn’t moving at all. Even slight movements on your part can cause blurring in these conditions, so consider setting up the camera on a sturdy tripod with a remote shutter (so you don’t have to touch the camera to snap the photo).[5] X Research source Of course, if you’re trying to capture bugs in their native elements and in action, the tripod may not be very convenient. Work on your technique — that is, just

keep on practicing — so that you can catch good shots with the camera in your hands.[6] X Research source Ensure adequate lighting. Extreme magnification results in less light reaching the sensor, so you’ll need to enhance your lighting set-up in practically any situation other than outdoors on a bright, sunny day. Especially when working indoors, practice setting up two or more external strobes that you can manually adjust; eventually, you’ll find the angles and settings that produce the light you need.[7] X Research source Especially when outdoors, you can try a ring-light flash, which is donut-shaped and fits like a collar around the end of your lens. Bringing the light this close to the subject can help reduce shadows.[8] X Research source Choose your photo environment. The indoors vs. outdoors debate basically boils down to one question: Do you want to emphasize the minute details of the insect itself, or do you want to capture it as a living creature in its habitat? Only you can decide, and of course there’s no rule that says you can’t take pictures both indoors and outdoors. Indoor photography gives you near-total control over positioning, lighting, color

contrasts, background details, and so on. With the compliance of the bug (either by fortune or by force), you can essentially capture the precise shot you’ve envisioned beforehand.[9] X Research source Outdoor photography takes many of these potential variables out of your hands, but even a blurred natural environment backing your image of the insect can impart a sense of vitality, motion, and even personality.[10] X Research source Capture bugs dead, lethargic, or alive. Bugs are even worse than small children when it comes to sitting still for pictures. As a result, some insect photographers prefer to work with bugs that are deceased, whether found that way or brought to their demise for this purpose. Others, however, prefer live subjects and may find it abhorrent to kill a living creature to take a picture of it. To make living bugs a bit less lively, some photographers will chill them in the refrigerator for twenty minutes or so first. This can be particularly effective with flying insects; however, some people see this as an inhumane practice as well.[11] X Research source If you prefer the thrill and challenge of catching shots of a lively insect, don’t mind lots of

failed attempts, and prefer not to make your living subject uncomfortable (or dead), shooting active bugs in nature may be for you. Think about color and contrast. Obviously, you want the fine details of your subject insect to stand out as much as possible. For some photographers, this means staging shots on monochrome backgrounds — for instance, placing the bug in a bright white casserole dish.[12] X Research source Black backgrounds can also be very striking. Especially when outdoors, look for vivid contrasting colors, like a pale blue butterfly perched on a deep pink flower. This is an effective backdrop even if the flower becomes blurred with the focus on the bug.[13] X Research source Get as close as possible. No matter what equipment you have, no matter where you take the photo, and no matter what insect you’re shooting, you simply have to get close — really close — to take effective pictures. Proximity is the most reliable form of magnification there is. If you’re taking pictures of bugs in action outdoors, you’ll have to work on your stalking skills. Yes, this will entail quietly creeping in close, possibly while crawling through tall weeds or scrub grass. Think

of it as part of the adventure.[14] X Research source Adjust the aperture to suit your shot. Every camera has a wide array of settings you can adjust. Generally speaking, however, there are three main setting categories to understand when photographing insects: aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Aperture involves the size of the opening through which light enters the camera. It’s measured in “f-stops” like f/2.0 or f/8.0, with larger numbers equaling a smaller opening. A smaller aperture (bigger number) will bring more of the background into focus, while a larger aperture (smaller number) enhances detail in lower light.[15] X Research source Balance image quality with available light by adjusting ISO. ISO measures your camera’s sensitivity to light, with higher ISO settings (100, 200, 400, etc.) increasing the sensitivity level. Using the lowest ISO setting possible provides the best image quality, but only if there is substantial light available; otherwise, increase the ISO until you find the sweet spot.[16] X Research source Choose automatic or manual shutter speed options. Shutter speed is measured in fractions of a second (1/500, 1/1000, etc.) and equals the amount of

time in which light is permitted to enter the aperture. A higher shutter speed lets in more light, but a lower one reduces blurring. You can adjust shutter speed manually, or just set your camera to “auto” or “aperture priority” (in which you set the aperture) and let it adjust shutter speed automatically.[17] X Research source Find the best focus settings for your shot. Because of the limited depth of field created by extreme magnification, obtaining and maintaining optimal focus on your subject insect will be an ongoing challenge. Use a small aperture, and play around with the auto and manual focus options on your camera to see what combinations work best for you.[18] X Research source The depth of field can be so limited that, when dealing with larger insects, you’ll actually have to focus on a particular part of the bug. Sharp focus on the eyes or the wings can produce dramatic imagery, for instance. Study your subject’s habits and movements. While it’s a good idea to snap away for practice and fun, take your time before you attempt to take high-quality shots of an insect. Watch the insect move about with your own two eyes, and eventually through your lens. Learn

where it likes to go, how it likes to perch on a leaf, the cues it gives before taking flight, and so on. Studying beforehand will enhance your ability to anticipate and capture a great shot, instead of missing your chance. Highlight motion and flight in your images. Moving insects present a challenge, but this movement can be captured in a still frame and give life to your subject. To catch ants at work, for example, you may want to choose a larger aperture (to blur the background) and a fill-in flash (to enhance detail even when outdoors) in order to bring this sense of movement to the forefront.[19] X Research source For insects in flight, use a tripod and remote shutter (to prevent blurring from camera movement), and use a shutter speed at or above 1/250s (to capture wing details). If you’re clicking away with your iPhone, use a slow shutter app to increase exposure time, set up on a tripod, and use burst mode to capture many images in rapid succession.[20] X Research source Be patient and accept many poor results. When it comes to insect photography, if you can’t take pleasure in the journey, you won’t get as much joy out of the destination. Think of the practice, the

setups, the stalking, the missed chances, the blurred images, and the unwilling subjects as all part of the process toward achieving amazing images of insects. In truth, even your shots that are out of focus or off target can make for interesting images that reveal something about both insects and insect photography.