Nature in Macro

There’s a lot of technical skill involved in this shot of an ant milking honeydew from aphids. First there’s the lighting (when you’re using flash for macro you really need to think about diffusing it), then there’s the challenge of getting close enough to the action (a 50mm lens has been reversed here) and finally there’s the issue of balancing the depth of field so that enough of the ant’s body is included. The photographer has overcome every obstacle here.

This miniature landscape delivers on every level: the subject is fascinating (a wrinkled peach mushroom secreting fluid), the colour palette is pleasing (pinks, oranges and greys) and the composition just feels right. Using a garden kneeling pad (or waterproof trousers) will allow you to get down low and enter the world of miniature subjects, especially plants and fungi, so make sure you add these to your kit bag.

Focus stacking – where a series of shots are taken at slightly different focal depths and combined to produce an image with ‘extended ‘depth of field – has been used to excellent effect here. There’s so much detail in the crab spider’s head that the viewer’s eye goes directly there, despite the bold, orange of the flower. The lighting is perfect (the photographer used a small softbox), giving the spider the full studio portrait experience!