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04/07/2010 08:35:12 AM · #1
Post your comments, questions, and reviews for...

'Insect Photography'
by DrAchoo

View this tutorial here.
04/07/2010 08:45:25 AM · #2
Your pics made me think of this one:


I can't wait for this bug season. I have my extension tubes ready.
04/07/2010 09:25:51 AM · #3
Thanks for the tutorial. I've never tried cooling the bugs, but it's a great idea. I think I'll go bug hunting today.
04/07/2010 09:53:12 AM · #4
Thanks for the tutorial! I do have one question though, when you said "fridge/freezer" which one do you normally put them in? I would love to go out and catch me an insect today to try it... In fact I think I will! Thanks again for the tutorial!!!
04/07/2010 11:07:35 AM · #5
Originally posted by mbrutus2009:

Thanks for the tutorial! I do have one question though, when you said "fridge/freezer" which one do you normally put them in? I would love to go out and catch me an insect today to try it... In fact I think I will! Thanks again for the tutorial!!!


It depends on how fragile I think the bug is. The larger/hardier it is, the sooner I will go to the freezer just to speed things up. But if you want to avoid killing them and want some experience first with how long to put them in, I'd use the fridge.

Message edited by author 2010-04-07 13:11:36.
04/07/2010 12:40:20 PM · #6
It's really difficult to kill them in a refrigerator. In the freezer, however, I would think that 10 minutes would be too long. At night in a lot of places, the temperature goes down to 35 degrees F and the bugs just stop moving until it warms up. I accidentally left a butterfly in the refrigerator for 2 days and it was fine when it warmed up.

Bees/wasps are really cool. When they are cold they barely move. It's like slow motion, but then they start to do things to get them selves warmed up. They run in tight circles and buzz their wings. That's when it's time to get them boxed up and get them back outside.

I have a small plastic cage with a lid with a screen on it. I think I got it on vacation when my daughter wanted hermit crabs. It's perfect. My wife doesn't like seeing bugs in the fridge, so now I am careful to wait near the fridge for the cooling period.
04/07/2010 02:06:25 PM · #7
Originally posted by DrAchoo:

Originally posted by mbrutus2009:

Thanks for the tutorial! I do have one question though, when you said "fridge/freezer" which one do you normally put them in? I would love to go out and catch me an insect today to try it... In fact I think I will! Thanks again for the tutorial!!!


It depends on how fragile I think the bug is. The larger/hardier it is, the sooner I will go to the freezer just to speed things up. But if you want to avoid killing them and want some experience first with how long to put them in, I'd use the fridge.


Looks like I will be searching for bugs today then! Thanks again for the tutorial! :)
04/08/2010 08:02:44 PM · #8
Yaaay, it's bug season again! Nice tutorial, thanks. Inspirational for the new season. Might I add that ring flashes are a lot of fun, adds the light so you can stop down for depth of field and higher shutter speeds-


04/08/2010 08:22:10 PM · #9
Great tutorial Doc. What a coincidence...I was just looking through your portfolio after seeing your team logo suggestion (not likely to happen and quite ridiculous) and found this post on the home page afterwards. I was admiring and showing off your bugs and reptiles.

Message edited by author 2010-04-08 20:22:56.
07/11/2012 12:25:22 PM · #10
There are some great tips on bug photography in this tutorial.

I'm definitely going to try the "ant island" idea. I had been wondering how you keep bugs in place, and water seems like a perfect solution. I wanted to photograph a June Bug last week, but the dang things fly around so much I couldn't conceive of a way to do it. I'll bet a few minutes time out in the fridge would have helped! Now I just need to find a June Bug and a tupperware bowl.

Thank you for the great tutorial!
05/09/2014 01:38:42 AM · #11
Very much aesthetic shot of insects.
05/09/2014 03:07:02 AM · #12
It's more challenging when the bugs are in their natural environment






05/09/2014 03:43:02 AM · #13
This is my first attempt at doing insect photography. I just wish I have a really reliable lens to get the nice quality of the images in this thread, but I'm not sure - I might be doing something wrong. I used reverse ring technique using duct tape on two of my lenses to get this. The result is good magnification but a very limited dof and the quality is terrible. The orig is too grainy and so I think this is overprocessed. My subject is < quarter of an inch small and I thought it had a really good expression on this shot.

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