Macro Photography: springtime nature photography page 3, top tips on macro bug shots

Top Tips

Successful macro bug shots!

1 Attract your subjects

Make your garden attractive to bees and insects. Plant lots of flowers and choose varieties that attract wildlife, such as Buddleia and Sunflowers.

2 Visit public gardens

If you don’t have a garden visit your local park, and landscaped gardens open to the public such as those run by the National Trust.

3 Make sure the voltage is safe

Scour boot sales and local papers for small flashguns, but check the voltage before fitting one to your digital camera to ensure it's compatible – www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html lists the voltages for most old flashguns.

4 Try slave flash

For more adventurous lighting try placing a flashgun on a slave trigger (easily obtainable from photo retailers) mounted on a support near the plant and firing it via the on-camera flash.

5 Keep your eyes peeled

Look under rocks, fallen logs and so forth for suitable subject matter. Keep your eyes open for interesting creepy crawlies in your garden.