Recent Shoots

Going Small

Slow birding days in the field aren't always a bad thing. Sometimes we have to just be flexible, ready to switch gears, in an attempt to turn lemons into lemonade. There is always something to photograph, whether we are out in the field, or in the backyard, or stuck in our house during a power outage. I recently purchased a photo for my wall that was taken one dreary night when the photographer was stuck in his house without electricity during a storm. He lit a few candles, set up a Bible scene with a pair of reading glasses and fired away! He may have never taken that photo if things hadn't been slow.

Looking for God's tinier creations can be a fun way to pass the day when the birding turns slow. Whenever I “go macro”, I always learn. I take photos of species that I would typically overlook. Then when I get home I identify them and try to learn about their life cycles. I have never had a wasted day in the field.

I like to play around with the macro lenses in my bag, but I also find it beneficial to shoot a lot of the smaller subjects with telephoto lenses. Often I will place extension tubes behind my 300mm and even my 600mm to achieve a really nice “macro” type effect. The tubes decrease the minimum focusing distance. Flash can be an important adjunct, because many of the smaller creatures have colors that just won't show up unless they are illuminated.

I like to use a monopod if I have to follow the subject from flower to flower, or cattail to cattail. Although I prefer tripods as a general rule, there are times when a tripod is too cumbersome. Ground pods are also nice if you don't mind getting a little dirty. I use the ground pod frequently for shore birds, and it works equally well for insects in certain situations. The Praying Mantis in the FEATURED PHOTO was shot from a ground pod.

I will pass on to you a hot tip that was passed on to me. The ground pod snaps perfectly into the frisbee that is sold by Petsmart. Doing this allows the ground pod to be scooted along the ground with ease, and keeps the edges from digging into the sand and dirt.

Click on the thumbnail image for a larger view. For slower modems, please allow 15 -20 seconds for the full-size image to appear.

Dragonfly at Anahuac NWR	A bee in a water lily doing what bees do best-- pollinating	Mercer Arboretum
Gulf Fritillary		This lubber is quickly devouring the fruit of this American Beauty Bush.
Orb Weaver with its meal	A cicada emeging from its exoskeleton	Orb Weaver
Praying Mantis eating a grasshopper-- down to the juicy part	Praying Mantis	Praying Mantis eating a grasshopper

Macro Photography - Reference Books
John Shaw's Closeups in Nature
The Complete Guide to Close Up & Macro Photography

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