Ladybugs and goldenrods should be the most common and familiar insects around us. Especially ladybugs, when we were young in literacy books or drawing books, we got to know ladybugs known as "Big Sister Flowers".
Canon 100 micro, manual: f/8, 1/100 shooting, seven-star ladybug
Goldenrods (also known as leaf beetles) should also be familiar. For example, in the petals of melon leaves and melon vines of some melon plants, some goldenrods can be seen. The golden flower insects of these melon plants also have a special name "XX Shou Melon", which may be named because of the melon plants that forage for food, just like the following: Black Shou Melon.
Black bulbophyllum (Goldenrodidae), head , dorsal plate of the forebreast , orange-yellow abdomen , yellowish brown of each foot and antennae , black wing sheath. Commonly found in melons foraging on the foliar flowers of melons
Ladybirds and goldenrods belong to the Family Ofees and the Family of Goldenrods, respectively. There are many similarities between the two in terms of appearance and body color markings. We can distinguish ladybugs and goldenrods from their antennae and hexapods.
Ladybirds are mostly semi-spherical (some slightly oval) in shape. The body color is bright and diverse, and the marking pattern on the body will also change depending on the type. Such as the following several ladybugs
Cell phone shoot, little thirteen star ladybug
Canon 100 Micro, Manual: F/8, 1/80 shooting, Red Star Ladybird
Canon 100 micro, manual panoramic filming (group of two) shooting, turtle pattern ladybird
The appearance of ladybugs has two major characteristics: First, the antennae are thin and short. The second is six-legged short. This makes the ladybug walk, looking a little strange, as if crawling against the ground.
100 micro lens, manual panoramic filming (a group of 3 photos) shooting, ten big ladybugs
The thin and short antennae of ladybugs and the short six-legged features of the ladybug's appearance are the basis for distinguishing ladybugs from goldenrods. As shown in the following illustration.
Ladybugs, with thin and short antennae and short six legs, shrink under the body
The goldenrod is the opposite of the ladybird. The antennae of the goldenrod are slender, filamentous or quasi-rosary, usually 11 segments (individual 9 or 10 segments). Hexadecids are also longer (relative to ladybugs). As shown in the following legend
Thirteen-star fat-footed goldenrod, antennae approximately rosary, 11 knots. Six legs are also longer. The body size is similar to that of ladybugs
Many of the goldenrods have antennae that change to other colors (mostly dark black), making it easier to distinguish the goldenrods from the ladybugs.
(Some kind of) glowworm. The antennae are slender, 11 segments, and the terminal segments are dark black
Shooting techniques for ladybugs and goldenrods
Ladybugs and goldenrods, most of them belong to small insects (within 10mm), so shooting ladybugs and goldenrods, it is best to use macro lenses, or conventional lenses + close-up accessories (such as: close-up circles or close-up lenses) for shooting.
100 micro lens, light u f/11 (1/125, ISO: 200) shooting, black shou melon
Camera settings can be set to light or fast, or manual according to personal preferences and specific shooting conditions. Regardless of the shooting mode, the aperture should be kept between the small and medium apertures (f/5.6-11) as much as possible to ensure that the use of the lens is the best imaging aperture. Personally, I like to use an aperture of around f/8.
100 micro lens, manual: f/8, 1/30, ISO: 400 shooting, fourteen star naked ladybug
Mobile phone shooting: Make full use of the "close range + appropriate (digital) zoom" as much as possible, and the thousand-dollar mobile phone (Android version) can also shoot ladybugs and goldenrods without attaching any external lenses.
Cell phone shot, (some kind) of a goldfly
Personally, I think that compared to ladybugs, it seems that goldenrods are more photogenic and easier to shoot for fun. This may be related to the fact that the goldenrod worm has a longer six-legged leg and is better at walking. Perhaps, the compound eyes of the golden flower worm are more prominent than the compound eyes of the ladybug, and they are more cute.
Canon 100 micro, manual: f/8, 1/40 shooting, ten big ladybugs
Canon 100 micro, light yo f/5.6 (1/160) shooting, black shou melon
Backlit, side-illuminated shooting has always been the best lighting choice and my favorite way to use light. Whether it is a dark background or a bright background, shooting in backlight and side light will perfectly display the texture and outline of the subject.
Canon 100 micro, light u f/8 (1/60) shooting, turtle golden flower worm
Canon 100 micro, light you f/8 (1/20) shooting, a pair of ladybugs
Ladybugs and goldenrods are smaller, in addition to the conventional shooting methods, we can also try to shoot in the manual "panoramic filming" mode, which can maintain a blurred bokeh effect outside the "shallow depth of field" at close range, and can also cover more shooting scenes, set off the subject, and render the atmosphere through a wide frame.
Canon 100 micro, manual panoramic filming (a group of 3 photos) shooting, black shou melon
Canon 100 micro, manual panoramic filming (a group of 2 photos) shooting, golden flower worm
If the shooting conditions allow, we can also use conventional lenses to shoot, through a simple large scene, highlighting small subjects, for a different look and feel.
17-40mm lens 40mm end, manual: f/8, 1/200 shooting, goldenrod
When photographing insects, it has always been important to grasp the focal plane of the lens. This allows macro photography, or subjects (faces) in "shallow depth of field" shots at close range, to be clearly visible.
Canon 100 Micro, Manual: f/8, 1/50 shooting, GoldenRod
Capture of dynamic ladybugs and goldenrods. Sometimes, when a stalled ladybug and goldenrod are about to take off without interference, most of them will have some prepared small movements. For example: open the hard shell elytra, stretch the thin wings inside, or move the six legs in small movements. This means that the little one is going to fly away. At that point, it depends on your reaction and the agility to press the shutter. Remember: It is best to turn on the camera's burst mode.
Canon 100 micro, light u f/8 (1/60, ISO: 320) shooting, some kind of glowworm
Canon 100 micro, manual: f/8, 1/60, ISO: 400 shooting, small Samsung ladybug
Whether it's shooting ladybirds and goldenrods, or shooting other subjects. In macro photography, it is important that the picture is concise. This requires us to control the "shallow depth of field" of macro photography (or close range) and the blurred bokeh effect outside the depth of field during the shooting process, simplify the complexity and highlight the subject.
Canon 100 micro, light you f/6.3 (1/500) shooting, (some kind) glowworm
Filming location: Sanming, Fujian
(Original photographic graphics to share the joy of eco-photography.) If there is a mistake, please correct and forgive, thank you for your viewing support and encouragement) Respect the original, please do not carry plagiarism!