Macro in the animal kingdom

This is a great shot: the delicate touch of the butterfly is nicely conveyed, and the composition is generally good. However, the cluster of flowers in the background is very distracting and, more importantly, the focus is slightly off. At high magnifications any movement of either subject or camera can ruin a shot. Photographing butterflies early in the morning while they’re still warming up can sometimes help.

This shot narrowly missed a place in the Top 10. The contrast between green and red is effective, the light is perfect on the aphid, and the rhythm created by the folds of the rose petals is great. You also get a lovely sense of the size of the aphid, and it’s positioning in the frame – as though it were about to travel along one of the folds – is inspired.

There is a wonderful sense of movement in this picture. We are instantly transported into the beetle’s world as it clamours over the ground. Shooting through the foreground moss with the aperture wide open has transformed the plants into a wash of colour. The focus is perfect too.

Capturing an aspect of behaviour elevates this shot from great to extraordinary. The focus is spot on and the colours complement each other beautifully. The depth of field is well judged as you can still make out the other legs in the background. The size of the fly in relation to the spider is also an eye-opener!

Butterflies are a popular subject with macro photographers, so it’s hard to come up with something fresh. This picture, however, succeeds on all levels. The angle is original, but not at the cost of technique - the composition is well balanced, the focus is spot on, the limited colour palette works well, and the tiny patch of bokeh in the top left adds an extra splash of interest.