Mastering macro
Ross Hoddinott
Ross is one of the UK’s leading outdoor photographers. He is a multi-award winning artist and the author of eight books. Ross has been an Ambassador for Manfrotto and Nikon UK. Visit www.rosshoddinott.co.uk .
Insects and bugs
LITTLE critters have always fascinated me. I've been shooting insects since I was 10 years old, using inexpensive close-up filters at first to enable me to achieve frame-filling results. When I was 11, I won BBC's Countryfile inaugural photography competition with my photograph of two emperor dragonflies. I enjoy capturing the exquisite beauty, intricacy, shape and form of insects. I favour natural light and photograph my subjects in situ in the wild to cause minimum disturbance. I authored the book Digital Macro and Close-up Photography and have won awards in competitions such as Wildlife Photographer of the Year, British Wildlife Photography Awards and International Garden Photographer of the Year with my close-ups of insects.
1 Get up early and stay out late
Insects are at their least active and most approachable early in the morning and late in the evening, when their bodies are cool and they are generally settled. Butterflies will roost among tall grasses or on
