NATURE'S PATTERNS

The peak of the winter may seem an unusual time to begin a regular column on macro photography since the flowers and insect life have long past their best.  However, unlike some other photographic disciplines, which may be seasonal, macro photography is not. Of course, the choice of subject material changes as the season’s progress, but this is what I enjoy about the miniature world, the diversity that nature has to offer throughout the year. Winter is, of course, that bit more challenging; the cold and unpredictability of the weather along with reduced daylight hours naturally affect one’s enthusiasm to leave the comfort of the house. Many photographers at this time of the year enter what I call “seasonal dormancy” or “diapause” – emerging again in spring when the nights are brighter and the weather warmer. The downside to this of course is the fact that you loose a certain degree of familiarity with the workings of your equipment. Any progress that you have made in terms of fieldcraft or refining your techniques is, in some ways, compromised due to inactivity and lack of practice. After all, you would not expect a professional footballer to play 90 minute’s on the field if he had spent the last few months lying about. This is equally true in photography; it is important to keep up your interest during the less productive months; it keeps you in touch with your equipment, techniques and fieldcraft skills. Remember the camera is the last link in the photographic process – knowledge and fieldcraft are the tools that create the opportunity.

To read the full pdf article from Wild Planet Photo Magazine click on the link. Nature’s Patterns.