Of all the photographic genres I have tried, I think macro is the one I love the most. Insects and arachnids deserve our interest and protection - not only because without them our own survival will be brief. They live incredibly complex lives, engaged in brutal life and death struggles virtually unnoticed by humans most of the time.
From top left to right: 1. Harlequin Ladybird; 2. Marmalade Hoverfly; 3. Garden Spider and prey; 4. Flesh Fly; 5. Carder Bee; 6. Garden Spider; 7. Jumping Spider; 8. Common Furrow Bee (?)
Buff-Tailed Bumblebee (?)
Southern Hawker Dragonfly
My hit rate for a decent photo is probably 1 in 100, but you expect that when working with such fine margins of exposure, depth of field and focus. But when a shot 'works', it is a joy. I shoot both with and without flash, using both full frame and micro four-thirds cameras, and invested in macro lenses to maximise the image size. It took a while to get anything like a decent photo, but you can practice in your back garden or anywhere there is insect life. Some of the life down in the grass is more violent than the Serengeti...
