Explore the tricks of the wildlife photography trade with eight established photographers as they share how they captured their favorite images of insects.
Insects account for an astonishing 80% of our planet’s species. According to some studies, there could be as many as 10 to 30 million different species of insects on Earth, but only about 1.5 million are known and named by science. In many ways, we owe our existence to bugs; without them, the food chain would fall apart, plants would die from a lack of pollination, and animals (including people) would eventually starve.
Unfortunately, insect populations around the globe now face the possibility of extinction due to climate change and other factors like deforestation. Even monarch butterflies, some of the most beloved and recognizable critters around, are in decline. Now more than ever, we must celebrate insects great and small in hopes of conserving them for generations to come.
We interviewed eight photographers from different countries, fields, and backgrounds, and they shared some of their favorite memories of working with tiny but extraordinary creatures. From butterflies to bees, beetles to dragonflies, and spiders to treehoppers, they brought us face-to-face with a few of the millions of insect species who make our world go round.
1. “Treat them with the respect they deserve; they are very important in our circle of life.”
Peter Reijners
Image by Peter Reijners. Gear: Canon 5D Mark III camera, Canon 100mm 2.8 lens. Settings: Exposure 1/40 sec; f8; ISO 250.
What’s the story behind this photo?
I love exploring nature, especially hunting for butterflies, dragonflies, or other little bugs. As they are very active during the day, it’s almost impossible to take a nice shot of them, so in the spring or summer, we wake up very early (sometimes 3:00 AM) to go to the fields looking for our models.
A big advantage to working during this time of day is that the bugs are cold and covered with dew drops so they can’t fly away. This particular morning, our goal was to find banded darters, one of the most beautiful dragonfly species in the Netherlands. After searching and moving step-by-step using a flashlight, we found several of them, and, as it was very cold, they were covered with a lot of dew drops. This gave me the time to take a lot of photos from different angles.
Shooting against the light will give you a nice background with a lot of bokeh. To make this photo a bit more special, I played with the white balance settings in RAW, which resulted in a nice purple background.
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Pro Tip
Don’t be lazy; wake up early. The light is at its most beautiful when the sun rises. The dew drops will give your photo a nice boost, and you don’t have to run after the insects during this time.
Just be careful when you walk through fields and grass. After a cold night, there’s the possibility that creatures are deep in the grass hiding from the cold, so watch your step. We like to photograph them, not step on them. Another important thing is not to touch the animals, even a small one like an insect. Treat them with the respect they deserve; they are very important in our circle of life.
2. “The best time for macro photography is early morning at sunrise during the golden hour.”
Priyank Dhami
Image by Priyank Dhami. Gear: Canon 1200d camera, 55-250mm lens along with AF Macro extension tube. Settings: Focal length 90mm; exposure 1/50 sec; f6.3; ISO 200.
What’s the story behind this photo?
This is a photo I took of a Horned Treehopper. It was a cloudy Sunday morning, and I went with my friend to a nursery located near a water reservoir. There, we saw a Babul (Acacia Arabica) plant, and we found many a Horned Treehopper. The babul plant has thorns, and this bug was almost camouflaged because of the horn-like extension on its head. We waited a long time and studied its behavior. I used a tripod for maximum stabilization and details.
Image by Priyank Dhami
Pro Tip
The best time for macro photography is early morning at sunrise during the golden hour. When you are taking photos of insects, study their behavior patterns. The majority of insects are seasonal. Always try to photograph insects or bugs in their natural positions. Never disturb or handle any insect or bug for the sake of a better frame.
In macro photography, good daylight is essential, but sometimes you’ll find yourself in a monsoon or in another cloudy environment. In that case, I would suggest using an external flash along with a diffuser. Always use a diffuser with any flash because a direct flash can damage the insect’s vision.
3. “Have patience. It often takes hours to catch these small, fast creatures.”
Eileen Kumpf
Image by Eileen Kumpf. Gear: Canon EOS D70 camera, Sigma 150mm 1: 2.8 APO Macro DG HSM lens. Settings: Exposure 1/125 sec; f11; ISO 250.
What’s the story behind this photo?
Early in the morning, when I go for a walk with my dog, I always have my camera with me, and I always discover something. In this case, it was a blue butterfly. Still lazy from the cool night, these creatures wait on the grass and flowers until the first rays of sunshine.
Image by Eileen Kumpf
Pro Tip
Have patience. It often takes hours to catch these small, fast creatures. Most insects are very shy, so avoid sudden movements. The mere shadow of a movement is sometimes enough to make them disappear. Sometimes, I approach on all fours so as not to frighten my subjects.
The saying “the early bird catches the worm” holds true. I am often out and about in the early morning hours, as many insects are still sluggish during this time, and they become active with the first rays of sunshine. Also, you should make sure that you’re photographing on relatively windless days. Especially with macro photography, the smallest movements can lead to fuzzy results.
4. “A macro lens is essential if you want to take truly close-up shots.”
SIMON SHIM
Image by SIMON SHIM. Gear: Nikon D7000 camera, Tamron SP 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 lens. Settings: Exposure 1/200 sec; f20; ISO 125.
What’s the story behind this photo?
This beetle is a Chrysochroa Fulminans, part of the Jewel Beetle family. They tend to be rather skittish creatures, and they are quick to fly away or drop to the ground when disturbed. I photographed a different jewel beetle a couple of years ago; however, those were much bigger. I spotted this jewel beetle on a tree trunk at about the height of my shoulder, and I was lucky enough to get a photograph of it. What I love about the jewel beetle is their metallic green color, hence their name.
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Pro Tip
Insects are small and intricate and therefore require attention to detail. A macro lens is essential if you want to take truly close-up shots. Your camera may be handheld or used with a tripod, but be as quiet as you can to prevent scaring the insect away.
Early mornings are probably the best times to photograph insects, as it’s cooler out and they’re less active. In my experience, photographing insects during the day is the worst time to choose. That’s when insects are most active, and this will make it difficult to approach them.
Be as slow and as still as possible. Keeping an insect in focus is very tough if you are using a macro lens and handholding the camera, so you should always use a tripod to avoid blur, and use the smallest aperture possible. As for larger insects, focus on the head. There are many insects out there in varying colors, shapes, and sizes.
You need to be patient since insects are hard to spot and they can move around quickly. Some insects, like butterflies and even bees, can move quite quickly and erratically, and so they require some patience to photograph. But there are plenty of other subjects, like snails and spiders, that will quite happily hang out and pose for your camera!
If you’re using a flashgun, you can often end up with bright highlights or unwanted reflections. The simple way around this is to use a diffuser to soften the light from your flashgun. Using a homemade diffuser makes the light diffuse enough that there’s detail even in the shadows.
Last but not least, respect the insects. Never harm the insect you are photographing. Every living creature, no matter how small, should be respected.
5. “If an insect is not willing to be part of your shoot, leave them alone.”
Pavel_Voitukovic
Image by Pavel_Voitukovic. Gear: Nikon D7200 camera, Sigma 105mm, f2.8 macro lens. Settings: Exposure 1/100 sec; f8; ISO 500.
What’s the story behind this photo?
This is a beautiful bumblebee. Usually, they are extremely active and won’t stop even for one second. However, I was able to find a model who posed for me for a moment. I took this photo in Ravensdale Forest Park in County Louth, Ireland.
Image by Pavel_Voitukovic
Pro Tip
Patience, patience, patience! Once you get into insect photography, you may spend days or even weeks on getting a nice shot. Sometimes, I come back from a walk with over 500 images, and all of them will go in the bin. There are, however, a few tips I follow, and one of them is to wake up as early as I can. Insects are less active on early mornings. They are also usually covered with dew, which can make a photo outstanding.
My second piece of advice is to search for models who like photography. Yes, it’s true! Some insects don’t want to pose, while some can stay steady for a long time. If an insect is not willing to be part of your shoot, leave them alone. Search for models who want to be in your photo. Do not touch or disturb your models. Look after nature and take care of it; if you need to move a flower or a blade of grass, use a pin and put it back where it was once you are done.
6. “Do not let your shadow fall on them; that’s when they’ll start to feel insecure or get distracted and fly away.”
Robert Ross
Image by Robert Ross. Gear: Canon 600D camera, Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II lens. Settings: Focal length 200mm; exposure 1/250 sec; f5.6; ISO 400.
What’s the story behind this photo?
I ventured into the woods in hopes of capturing a nice little butterfly. It was a pleasant day, but unfortunately, there were only a few butterflies hovering around the flowers. I waited patiently but did not succeed, and I was about to return home with a heavy heart when suddenly my eyes fell on this colorful butterfly wondering about.
I slowly and steadily followed it in the direction it was moving, but as fate would have it, this butterfly was hardly resting on any plants and was giving me a tough time. Still, I continued to move slowly and patiently until this cute little butterfly finally rested on this tiny flower. By the way, I did not use my macro lens, but I was able to get close with my 250mm lens from a distance, as I did not want to cast a shadow on the butterfly.
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Pro Tip
When it comes to shooting bugs and insects, especially butterflies, one must respect the privacy of these delicate creatures. It is said that patience is a virtue, and this certainly holds true in wildlife photography. Always be prepared to wait. Photographing butterflies is not as easy as shooting other subjects, because we cannot make them move or pose. Photographing butterflies also sometimes requires observation from a distance since their surroundings can be dangerous.
Always be sure to use a tripod to keep the camera steady, and wait for your subject to land and then go ahead with the shot. Do not let your shadow fall on them; that’s when they’ll start to feel insecure or get distracted and fly away. Remember: extreme close-ups can only be achieved with a macro lens.
7. “Use a tripod and manually focus on the bug.”
Karen Grigoryan
Image by Karen Grigoryan. Gear: Fujifilm X-H1 camera, Rokinon 100mm Macro lens. Settings: Exposure 1/250 sec; f16; ISO 200.
What’s the story behind this photo?
I noticed this very small spider in our backyard. I ran back home, grabbed my camera and lens, and took this shot!
Image by Karen Grigoryan
Pro Tip
Make sure you are never touching any insects since it may cause harm. Any macro lens (even adapted) should work just fine since you will need to stop it down to F11-F16 anyway to get acceptable DOF (depth of field).
Use a tripod and manually focus on the bug. Most of the time, you will have to set a minimum distance and move the camera back and forth to get a perfect shot. Try to use an off-camera flash with a mini softbox similar to Lumiquest. They work for bugs like huge studio softboxes do for models! Have patience, and shoot a lot of frames since the DOF is very shallow.
8. “The way to get a detailed macro photo is to use focus stacking.”
guraydere
Image by guraydere. Gear: Sony A7II camera, Newport 423 micrometer driven manual linear stage for focus stacking, Pentax bellows, reversed Raynox DCR-150 as a tube lens to work with infinity corrected microscope lenses, an M42 external diaphragm, Mitutoyo Plan Apo 5X microscope lens, a number of adapters to connect them all together. Settings: 171 photos stacked, each with 2-sec exposure and ISO 320. Focal length and F-number unknown being a microscope lens, but the last one of the 171 photos has a closed external aperture of approximately 5 stops.
What’s the story behind this photo?
Tiger beetles are notorious predatory beetles with impressive beauty and awesome speeds. Every macro photographer wants to work on one of them. I believed for years that these animals lived in distant countries. I thought it was some kind of grasshopper, fleeing fast across the sand by the sea. It was impossible for me to get closer than more than a few meters away from them. That is, until I found one dead. I took it and photographed it from a variety of angles using a 5X magnification microscope lens to expose its colorful patterns and huge jaws. 171 photos were used to create this image, each one focused a little bit forward, and the focus step size is exactly 10 microns.
Image by guraydere
Pro Tip
The way to get a detailed macro photo is to use focus stacking. For this, a large number of photographs, each focused on different regions of the insect, are combined to create a sharp photo. Sometimes, you may need to take hundreds of pictures. It takes hours to create a single photo, but the result is worth it.
During this process, the insect must be completely still, and the ambient light should never change. For that reason, this process is easier to do at home using insects who were found dead. Especially when we go to high magnifications with microscope lenses, we may prefer to work on a dead bug. But photographing a live beetle in its natural environment is always more satisfying. It is possible to do focus stacking on a live bug, although it is quite difficult. Insects cannot move during the early hours around sunrise. They’re in some kind of sleep, so we can sometimes set up our photo gear during this time and take enough photos to do focus stacking without disturbing them.
To avoid swaying in the wind while shooting, you can use a tripod and a clamp to secure the branch or leaf where the insect sleeps. The most appropriate way to photograph insects is to find them in the sleeping position at sunrise or at dusk. They are always there; just lean in and look carefully. And if you look closely enough, you will certainly see some details that will surprise you.
Top Image by Robert Ross
