Posts Tagged ‘Insect Photography’

When you think about wildlife photography, most people would think of visiting a wildlife reserve, national park, or just getting out in the wilds. However, you can take great wildlife photos much closer to home.

Just as with standard photography, getting lighting right for macro photography isn't easy. The main issue is often the lack of light, especially when working at magnifications of 1:1 or above. The extension used by a lens to allow it focus closely, plus any additional extension you add means that not as much light reaches the camera's image sensor.

As well as this factor, you often need to get very close to the subject, which can result in yourself blocking some of the light. And many subjects grow or live in shaded areas, just compounding the lack of light even more.

Bruco di Antheraea Mylitta by Herman Rhoids on flickr (licensed CC-BY-SA)

If you are interested in purchasing a macro lens, you have probably noticed that there are a range of focal lengths available, ranging from about 60mm to 200mm. So why would you choose a long focal length macro lens over a short focal length, or vice versa?

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) Butterfly by David Kennard Photography - taken with a 100mm macro lens