The depth of field is very shallow in this image and we need more to show this beautiful creature in all its glory. Good diffusion will help with controlling the highlights created by the shiny exoskeletons of our bug buddies. Ambient light is also lessened, so a combination of artificial light and focus stacking will give great results.Ī great flashgun with a speedy recycling time will be your best friend when shooting macro images handheld. The downside is that working distance is reduced, and this in turn reduces the depth of field. These work by increasing the distance between the lens and the camera sensor, so we can focus much closer. I would recommend at least 90mm for insect photography. The longer the focal length, the further from our subject we can be and still achieve maximum magnification. Macro lenses are my favourite invention! Being designed especially for close-up work, they will achieve 1:1 magnification. This also avoids the light shining directly into the eyes of my subjects. My flash and 30cm diffuser is mounted directly above my lens pointing downwards to achieve soft lighting and nice shadows. Diffused flash will give us complete control of our lighting and help reduce camera shake, especially when shooting handheld. A ground-level tripod may be useful, while a centre column that tilts horizontally will stop the tripod legs from getting in your way. My camera has seven stops of in-camera stability, enabling me to shoot handheld. Photo: Geraint Radfordĭawn and dusk are ideal shooting times as the cooler temperatures make creatures easier to approach and they’re less likely to move. Olympus E-M1X, 60mm, Viltrox Extension Tubes, 1/160sec at f/5, ISO 200. The keep rate can be low, but thankfully there are some things we can do that will increase our odds of success.įocus stacking enables us to produce high-quality images with a greater depth of field. Photographing living beings means we won’t have the opportunity to shoot hundreds of frames. For a successful stack, exposure must be consistent and neither we nor the subject can move. Sounds perfect, but there are a few caveats. Using this technique, we can shoot a sequence of images at different focusing distances and use software to blend the sharp areas together into a single file with greater depth of field and better image quality.īy focus stacking, we can use wider apertures with lower ISO numbers to maintain a decent shutter speed. What is focus stacking?įocus stacking is a great solution to this dilemma. The smaller apertures needed to achieve extra depth of field can impact picture quality through diffraction and reduce the faster shutter speeds we need to maintain image sharpness. When working close to our subjects, the depth of field reduces considerably. I love to photograph live wild insects, yet discourage the use of any practices that could harm these tiny important beings. Find him at photography lets us explore the magical world of mini beasts, flora and fauna. He regularly posts videos and tips on Instagram. He hopes that his images may inspire others to care for insects. Geraint is an Olympus ambassador with a love for macro photography.
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