Tips on shooting bees

[Dalantech]

For more text see my blog post (http://nocroppingzone.blogspot.com/2007/09/shooting-bees.html). This is going to be more of a photo essay.

Bees drive me insane, but they are some of the coolest insects to photograph if you can nail the composition and the focus. Here are a few of the techniques I've tried along with photos using them.

The "lie in wait" approach: Compose the image and then wait for the bee to get into the frame. Easy to do if you watch how they feed -they get into some pretty predictable patterns.

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/170759259-L.jpg

Paparazzi macro: Set your magnification, wait for the bee to start feeding, and then quickly move in for the shot. Often I don't even stop moving -as soon as the area of sharp focus is where I want it I press the shutter.

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/142343549-L.jpg

Catch them when they're cold: Storms in the early spring often bring sudden changes in temperature so go looking for them after it rains.

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/140836567-L.jpg

Go out early: Look for them early in the day when they are still trying to thaw out and wake up.

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/178126490-L.jpg


Back off. Some aggressive species don't like it when you stick a lot of gear in their face, so go for closeups and skip the macro shots.

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/180625253-L.jpg

Look for unusual opportunities. These girls had to stop and clean the pollen off and all I had to do was follow them to where they landed.

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/183121001-L.jpg

Befriend a bee keeper. I'm going back next spring to shoot the males and all I had to do for the privilege was to share some of my images.

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/188057447-L.jpg

Push your luck. If the bees are "tame" then ramp up the magnification and move in -slowley...

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/188563892-L.jpg

[LordV]

Lovely series John and useful tips. You are right bees are one of the harder macro subjects simply because they don't tend to stop moving but are often unfortunately one of the first subjects newbies try simply because they are so common.

Brian V.

[Dalantech]

Lovely series John and useful tips. You are right bees are one of the harder macro subjects simply because they don't tend to stop moving but are often unfortunately one of the first subjects newbies try simply because they are so common.

Brian V.

:lol: -guilty as charged! Bees where one of the first critters I tried to shoot. Fortunately the experience didn't turn me off to shooting macro ;)

[lance v]

You forgot the

Just happen to BEE(lol) in the right place at the right time:D

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2117/2100407762_448cac28b3_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2030/2100408384_f6f9c282ec_o.jpg

[Photogirl2007]

WOW!! What terrific shots you guys have posted here. Very, very useful info too. But I think Lance nailed it...."Be in the right place at the right time". I probably use all of the above...but I have got to get another camera!! I will write to Santa. LOL!!

[Dalantech]

You forgot the

Just happen to BEE(lol) in the right place at the right time:D


:lol: -Good one!

[Dalantech]

WOW!! What terrific shots you guys have posted here. Very, very useful info too. But I think Lance nailed it...."Be in the right place at the right time". I probably use all of the above...but I have got to get another camera!! I will write to Santa. LOL!!

Very true Joan -sometimes I just happen to "bee" where I need to "bee" :)

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/191941739-L.jpg

[lance v]

:lol: -Good one!

haha thanks, i try:)

WOW!! What terrific shots you guys have posted here. Very, very useful info too. But I think Lance nailed it...."Be in the right place at the right time". I probably use all of the above...but I have got to get another camera!! I will write to Santa. LOL!!

OOOO anotha Xmas camera aye;) what would you wish for?

[Cleverlie]

Awesome shots!

[Dalantech]

Awesome shots!

Thanks :cool:

[Photogirl2007]

John......super shot with the drop of water....bee careful not to bee too close!! LOL!!

Lance.....I think I am going for the 400D!! Do you think Santa has one lying around somewhere??

[Dalantech]

John......super shot with the drop of water....bee careful not to bee too close!! LOL!!


:lol: -Thanks Joan!

[lance v]

John......super shot with the drop of water....bee careful not to bee too close!! LOL!!

Lance.....I think I am going for the 400D!! Do you think Santa has one lying around somewhere??


Lol im not sure but im hoping he has my upgrade lying around too:D

[Photogirl2007]

Ah! You have talk nicely to the wife and bring her flowers, that way you are sure of getting your Christmas wishes. Women can always convince Santa better than men with our sweet words and nice smiles. LOL!!

[lance v]

Ah! You have talk nicely to the wife and bring her flowers, that way you are sure of getting your Christmas wishes. Women can always convince Santa better than men with our sweet words and nice smiles. LOL!!

Wife? hahah im only 20! no wife here:p

[Greg_C]

You'd have to Bee nuts to do this, but I guess I am. Lovely shots John & Lance.

Ok, I'll join in also. Bees are one of my Favourite Macro subjects. I totally agree with Brian, because they are so common they attract the newbie.

A subset of the Bee are the BIF (Bees in Flight) and I love these. These really test you skill and patience.

For most of the BIF shots I do I try to predict where they were likely to go next and pre-focus on the flower and then move over to the Bee as it approaches. I have my shutter half pressed and the camera set on AI Servo so it locks focus as I moved onto the Bee. All this means is that the focus elements in the lens move very little when you move over to the Bee so you get focus very quickly. Still a bit hit and miss though. I don't subscribe to the spray and pray method of shooting, I have the drive set to One Shot and patiently try to get the shot. Another important aspect is the angle, BIF work best from side on - so position yourself to shoot this. Then again as can be seen from no5 a rear end shot sometimes works also. Start with a set of rules and then break them. You will get LOTS of bee bum shots.

My weapons of choice here were the 40D + Canon 180 Macro and MR14 Ring Light. AI Servo isn't crucial but helps a little, but the big thing is a fast focusing macro lens. I haven't been able to do BIFs with my Sigma 105. Strange to use AI Servo and AutoFocus in Macro shot but I've found it works for me. When I try to get Bees stationary on flowers I tend to shoot them in a more conventional way - manual focus and quickly move in to get the shot.


No.1
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image21446.jpg

No.2
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image22656.jpg

No.3 Sugarbag (Stingless) Bee (5mm long) Here in Australia the most commonly seen bee is the European Honey Bee, but if you look a little closer you'll find some of our Native Bees. We have something like 1500 species of Native Bees.

http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image24076.jpg

No.4 Side on seems to work best for BIFs
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image25662.jpg

No.5
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image27295.jpg

No.6
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image27298.jpg

No.7
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image27922.jpg

[Photogirl2007]

Okay then "Mother" "girlfriend" "lover" any of those will do. LOL!!

[lance v]

Okay then "Mother" "girlfriend" "lover" any of those will do. LOL!!

lol http://www.clicksmilies.com/s1106/huepfen/jumping-smiley-017.gif

[lance v]

No.4 Side on seems to work best for BIFs
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image25662.jpg



And ants in the background:p

[Dalantech]

You'd have to Bee nuts to do this, but I guess I am. Lovely shots John & Lance.

Ok, I'll join in also. Bees are one of my Favourite Macro subjects. I totally agree with Brian, because they are so common they attract the newbie.

A subset of the Bee are the BIF (Bees in Flight) and I love these. These really test you skill and patience.


Well done Greg! You've got some interesting bees in your neck of the woods!

I played with BiF shots this year, but my technique was different. If I staked out a flower the bees wouldn't come near it -way too many flowers for them to choose from, so they'd just avoid me and my gear. So I set the focus ring for the composition that I wanted and then backed off and waited for a bee to make it's approach. When the bee got into the zone that I had the lens focused for I'd move in and take the shot. I'm sooooooooooo glad I shoot digital because I probably took around 300 frames to get a dozen decent images...

I used a flash to freeze the motion -the area I was shooting in was in shade.

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/154433385-L-3.jpg

[Attic]

Nice series and great info John, thanks ;)

[Dalantech]

Nice series and great info John, thanks ;)

Thank you Alby!

[Bill Pham]

great series. i love shooting wasps myself. and thx for the tips gonna have to remember that next spring.

Bill

[Dalantech]

great series. i love shooting wasps myself. and thx for the tips gonna have to remember that next spring.

Bill

Glad to help Bill! :)

Here's a group shot I took this year -the bee keeper let an outdoor faucet drip so the bees could get water and the wasps would drink with them. Oddly enough I never did see a fight break out -good news for the drastically out numbered wasps...

http://dalantech.smugmug.com/photos/188562201-L.jpg

[lcpete]

Hi Brillaint series and great advice
You are right they can be tricky I had a go at the end of the summer a few times.
I will have another go next summer. I will be pleased if I get any half as good as your shots :D
I had the most luck on cool mornings when they were not so active
I've never managed a shot with a busy bee :D
Pete

[Dalantech]

Hi Brillaint series and great advice
You are right they can be tricky I had a go at the end of the summer a few times.
I will have another go next summer. I will be pleased if I get any half as good as your shots :D
I had the most luck on cool mornings when they were not so active
I've never managed a shot with a busy bee :D
Pete

Thanks Pete! It just takes practice and a lot of patience.

[Jay Lowery]

i hate bees for that reason. but they give up the goods sometimes.

[Dalantech]

i hate bees for that reason. but they give up the goods sometimes.

It just takes practice :)