How can I temporarily contain insects or spiders for macro photos without ruining image quality?
Asked 10/5/2016
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I'm starting to shoot macro photos of insects and arachnids using extension tubes. When they're not staying still in their natural habitat, I'd like a way to contain them briefly for photography without harming them. Regular glass jars and plastic bags cause poor optical quality and reflections. Is there a better container or setup for photographing an arthropod from the top, sides, and possibly the underside?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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You could use something like a glass-bottom culture dish, which will provide better optical quality. Even then, the trick is to get the large amount of light required for macro shots into the container, and on the subject, without bouncing it off of the outside surface you're shooting through. This can require some creativity and experimentation. It's probably easier to avoid shooting through glass unless it's the only way to get a ventral view (and honestly, the easiest way to get a ventral shot of Latrodectus is to find a web in a low place, since they like to hang upside down).
If you're going as far as putting the critter in a jar, you may want to try refrigerating it for a short while, as many people who photograph arthropods do, in order to induce a temporary dormancy. You could then more easily photograph them outside of a container. I personally think it's more fun to try to photograph them where I find 'em, though.
Originally by user37649. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user37649
9y ago
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A glass-bottom culture dish or similar flat, optically better container can work better than jars or plastic bags, especially if you need a view from below. But for image quality, it’s usually easiest to avoid shooting through glass unless you specifically need a ventral view.
The bigger challenge in macro is lighting. Stopping down to around f/11–f/16 improves depth of field, but you’ll need much more light. An external flash is very helpful, ideally diffused or a macro-flash style setup to soften shadows and reduce harsh reflections from the container.
Manual control also helps: use manual exposure and manual focus, then fine-tune focus either with the focus ring or by moving the camera slightly.
If the subject won’t stay still, some arthropod photographers briefly refrigerate the animal to induce temporary dormancy before shooting. If you try that, keep it short and handle the animal carefully.
So: use a flatter, higher-quality glass container only when necessary, prioritize strong diffused light, and use stopped-down manual macro technique.
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