Ladybird Macro
Feb, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was shot was taken in my back garden. I don't usually shoot in my garden but spotted the opportunity and ran to get my camera.Time
I took the photo in the middle of a summers day. We have lots of plants and trees which brings all kinds of small wildlife most of the year round. I'm not a nature photographer and we get lots of ladybirds that I've never really felt the need to shoot before, but the fact that this one had found its way into a groove on our fence, and the contrast that created between the colours and textures, made me pay attention and set-up quickly.Lighting
Due to the spontaneous nature of the shot, all lighting is natural. The Sun was in a position that reduced shadows almost completely. Had the Sun been higher in the sky the ladybird would have been in shadow so I'm thankful that the light was pretty much perfect for me.Equipment
This shot was taken with a Nikon D5200. I used a Nikon 40mm DX Macro Lens and a lightweight Hama tripod. I also used my wireless Nikon trigger to avoid camera shake and inadvertently altering the focus.Inspiration
I was inspired to take this photo after initially noticing the contrast of the red against the pale, textured wood. As I looked closer and noticed how spotless and reflective the ladybirds wings were I felt that all the elements together would make for an interesting image. I opted to put the subject to the left of the frame, mainly due to the direction the lady bird was facing but also to create leading lines through the image using the groove.Editing
I increased the contrast and clarity slightly to make the texture of the wood 'pop'. I also bumped the saturation level of the Red in the image to further emphasise the contrast between the subject and the background.In my camera bag
When I shot this image I was in my first year of photography and had started with the Nikon D5200 and some cheaper DX lenses. I have since upgraded to a Nikon D800 and usually have a Nikon 24mm f/2.8, Nikon 50mm f/1.8 and a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens in my bag along with a remote shutter release and my Nikon SB-910 Speedlight. I also generally take my Vanguard Tripod everywhere as I enjoy experimenting with long exposures.Feedback
A tripod is an absolute must for this type of shot as the depth of field is so small that the slightest movement can render your subject out of focus. A remote shutter release also assists with this as it removes the need to touch the camera once you are happy with the focus and composition. If neither is an option, continuous auto focusing and a fast shutter speed can be a suitable substitute, even if this requires increasing the ISO. A focused photograph with noise is always better than one that is out of focus or blurry.
