Some fast tips on photographing insects and other invertebrates

Insects are a very interesting subject to photograph. Can be useful, however, to have some foresight, to get a better result.

Know your "enemy" insects are an interesting subject to photograph because they are virtually everywhere, but it must be familiar with the biology of the species that interest us, to be able to photograph them. I therefore strongly recommend to buy a small field manual on the entomological fauna of your region, or about the group of insects of you interest. Amazon could be a perfect place to start your search.

Lenses:a good quality macro lens will be worth every penny it cost, but you can get interesting results in other ways. You can take for example the macro ring specific to your lenses, and so you could transform a "standard" lens in a close-up lens.

Best time of the day: insects often animals are fast and can be hard to photograph them during the hottest hours of the day, in direct sunlight or harsh sun. Look for them at dawn or dusk, along the fields or the woods, and take some pictures of them while groggy or sleepy. Use a good tripod to work at the lowest possible ISO values and avoid the camera shake.

Background: If you want a blurred background, set the camera in order to have a shallow depth of field. A value of F3.5, f2 or less Should be fantastic. if you want to show your subject in a specific context, use a value of f5.6 or f8

So... take your camera and explore your garden! Your next subject it's waiting for you!