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Essentials for successful garden wildlife macro photography - part 1 of 1 2 3

by Michelle Whitmore Published 01/12/2012

"A wildlife photographer, I bet you go to some fascinating places and see lots of interesting animals." I still find it amusing to watch people's reaction's when I tell them I find the vast majority of subjects I shoot are in my own private nature reserve, formally known as my garden. Not only am I a photographer but I am also an avid gardener with a passion for flowers, plants and the array of wildlife that chooses to visit and make their homes in my little sanctuary makes it all worthwhile.

There is a very fine line between real macro photography and close-up photography; what defines macro photography is the 1:1 reproduction ratio which means that the subject is the same size as the image on the sensor. You can watch a whole new world open up on your camera's viewfinder. The results of macro photography can leave you giving an involuntary, sharp intake of breath as you see the patterns of a damselfly's eye really close-up for the first time or the spikey hairs of a vapourer moth caterpillar....I still do it even now.

It's worth spending a little time getting to know your species, whether through books, the internet or simply by observing them as they go about their daily business. The more you know about your subject the more you will be able to anticipate their movements, and if you have been observing them the chances are that they have routine or a route they follow every day or they may have a favourite type of flower which enables you to select your spot and set up your equipment well in advance. Bees in particular are known for using the same flight-path and communicating back to the rest of the colony the source of good pollen so you'll never be short of volunteer subjects.

The time of year plays a big part in what insects are about and when. Many species hibernate or have died off during the winter but it's worth planting winter-flowering mahonia or a pot of winter-flowering heathers for the odd insect that doesn't hibernate fully or rises early from its slumber on a sunny winter's day.

• Essentials for successful garden wildlife macro photography page 1
  
• Essentials for successful garden wildlife macro photography page 2
  
• Essentials for successful garden wildlife macro photography page 3
  

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