Do you guys shoot insects dead or alive?

Just wondering something. Do you guys shoot your insects alive or dead? I was under the impression of live shooting. I, personally, would rather just photograph the insects without harming them. But I ran across these two links through another discussion here and they make it sound like it's common practice to shot dead insects.

http://photomacrograph​y.net/forum/viewtopic.​php?t=7279

http://www.photomacrog​raphy.net/forum/viewto​pic.php?t=7122


They talk about freezing, dispatching, keeping insects in the fridge, etc. First I've heard of any of this. They also mention capture insect for shooting, do you guys do that? Or just shoot them in their natural environment?

I took pictures of some and even though I was really scared and shaking I wouldn't dare do anything to them. Isn't it just better to photograph them doing their own thing?

Salma wrote in post #7852913
I wouldn't dare do anything to them. Isn't it just better to photograph them doing their own thing?

My thoughts exactly! I enjoy all creatures and don't want to kill anything just to take a photo of it. I want to shoot them in their environment doing what they do.

I agree, I mean I can understand it must be tough and you need alot of patience since they move around alot and so fast but it's something you have to deal with, freezing and killing? Not very pleasant to take a photo of a dead insect :/

Think most of the macro shooters here just shoot bugs as is. Some might move them to an easier shooting position when this is possible.
There are some photogs that specialise in doing high magnification focus stack bug shots where you do need to kill the bug first normally by freezing.
I try to make sure that my shooting of bugs causes them no harm but do admit to trying fridging a wasp once to slow it down and to also freezing a fly once to use as test target. Must admit I did not particularly enjoy shooting either of these. Half the fun of bug shooting for me is in the "hunt" and difficulty of taking bug shots in their natural surroundings.
I am guilty though of sometimes baiting bugs with honey esp ants

Overall I think most macroshooters are much kinder to bugs than the average person - we reach for a camera instead of a fly swat or can of insectacide and often trap bugs in the house and release them outside rather than kill them.

Brian V.

Namerifrats,
I try to get them alive in there natural settings!

However I have occasionally taken a macro photo of a dead bug, but dead naturally (not from freezing/poisoning by me) like this old one.

“Erosion”

IMAGE LINK: http://johnbdigital.co​m/macro/erosion.htm

Any little creature in front of my lens is safe in its natural environment, and their is a certain sport in mingling within inches of the bees,wasps and other bugs that can bite and sting.
Spiders however (especially those big hairy ones), are taking their lives in their eight hairy little hands when they enter my house uninvited.

LordV wrote in post #7853292
...I am guilty though of sometimes baiting bugs with honey esp ants

Overall I think most macroshooters are much kinder to bugs than the average person - we reach for a camera instead of a fly swat or can of insectacide and often trap bugs in the house and release them outside rather than kill them.

Brian V.

I have caught bugs and put them in a 10 gal aquarium I set up as a terrarium and baiting is perfectly acceptable in my book, but i do not like killing them, nor do I. In fact, I've trained the family to not do away with the spiders but catch them or call me

I agree 100% with Brian, a lot of the fun is find and shooting things in their natural environment. Learning to hunt and shoot things in their environment in your own back yard sets you up for visits to Botanical Gardens, Forests and Parks where must do no harm.

Namerifrats wrote in post #7852905
Just wondering something. Do you guys shoot your insects alive or dead? I was under the impression of live shooting. I, personally, would rather just photograph the insects without harming them. But I ran across these two links through another discussion here and they make it sound like it's common practice to shot dead insects.

http://photomacrograph​y.net/forum/viewtopic.​php?t=7279

http://www.photomacrog​raphy.net/forum/viewto​pic.php?t=7122


They talk about freezing, dispatching, keeping insects in the fridge, etc. First I've heard of any of this. They also mention capture insect for shooting, do you guys do that? Or just shoot them in their natural environment?

I have heard myself of some photographers using a fridge to slow them down a bit, even a fairly successful professional wildlife photographer suggesting this.

I strongly object to such things. Although it is claimed this does them no harm, it must cost the insect energy and reduce their opportunity to feed or find a mate.

This to my mind is completely against responsible wildlife photography. If the subject was a mammal or bird such interference would most likely be illegal here in the UK. For some insects it can be illegal also if it is a rare protected species.

Personally, I prefer to shoot insects where they are found with disturbing them at all if possible. Maximal disturbance might be to turn a leaf over or hold it steady.

The only time I photograph an insect "in studio" (actually the utility room), is if I find the said insect in the house. It is then release to as far as I can guess a safe environment so it has a chance.

Dead, or chilled insects are likely to make poor subjects in my mind, the positions looking wrong.

I too only photograph live insects and as much as possible in their natural environment where I find them. But sometimes, I might move them to a slightly better position, depending on circumstances. I have occasionally put them in a 'studio' environment for a shot, either in a representation of their natural surroundings, or just on a plain card for a more 'portrait' effect. Once I chilled an insect for about 3 minutes in the fridge (i.e. a few degrees above freezing), to restrain it from flying off - I took the pictures quickly and then took the insect outside to warm up again - but I was flamed on here for doing that. It is common advice to photograph insects early in the morning when they are chilled and won't move about. In my opinion this is no different from the effect of a couple of minutes in the fridge, in fact it must slow them down more, because it can be several hours at similar or even lower temperatures. I can see the moral difference that some might point out, that the insect has no choice when out in the cold, whereas I have inflicted the cold in the fridge. Clearly we each draw the line at our own place. I do not believe I harmed the insect, and would certainly never kill one for photography. My line is between those two places.

John_B, that's a pretty cool and pretty gross shot at the same time. I like it!

And as for the OP, I've only shot live insects. I don't see why you'd want to catch and shoot them, that's not any fun!

Madweasel wrote in post #7915141
I too only photograph live insects and as much as possible in their natural environment where I find them. But sometimes, I might move them to a slightly better position, depending on circumstances. I have occasionally put them in a 'studio' environment for a shot, either in a representation of their natural surroundings, or just on a plain card for a more 'portrait' effect. Once I chilled an insect for about 3 minutes in the fridge (i.e. a few degrees above freezing), to restrain it from flying off - I took the pictures quickly and then took the insect outside to warm up again - but I was flamed on here for doing that. It is common advice to photograph insects early in the morning when they are chilled and won't move about. In my opinion this is no different from the effect of a couple of minutes in the fridge, in fact it must slow them down more, because it can be several hours at similar or even lower temperatures. I can see the moral difference that some might point out, that the insect has no choice when out in the cold, whereas I have inflicted the cold in the fridge. Clearly we each draw the line at our own place. I do not believe I harmed the insect, and would certainly never kill one for photography. My line is between those two places.

I understand your point that putting the insect in the fridge at +5C is a similar temperature to a cool night.

However the difference is this interferes with its natural feeding and mating opportunities. Some insects care for young to some extent also. My conclusion from this is it must have an negative impact of the insects fitness in a Darwinian sense, even if this is small.

I agree this is probably less critical with an insect compared to say a bird or small mammal, most of which more finally balanced calorific budgets; in-fact dehydration may be more of a limit for insects.

I shoot dead bugs for practice but I don't kill them to get the shots.

I figure, they are dead anyway...no harm in that.

We kill mosquitoes with a baseball bat in Marshville. Sometimes I take their picture first

Seriously though, frozen and dead insects seem to lose the look of life and are only good for focus and lighting practice. Most insects are welcome subjects but mosquitoes and house flies, both of which carry disease get killed in my house as do the plague of ants. Outdoors, insects are are safe unless they bite me.