Getting Buggy in the Garden (Macro Photography)

Hello Bloglandia BUGlandia,

As I usually do every morning, the other day I popped into the BBC News app to see what was happening in the world.

And as usual, nothing good was happening, so I scrolled down to the more lighthearted stuff.

Which is where I came across a video featuring a Welsh fellow, Geraint Radford, who takes up close photos of garden bugs.

(if you’re curious, you can see the video HERE)

Okay, yes, I was mainly drawn in by Geraint’s accent, but the video turned out to be fascinating because this guy was capturing some amazing (and rather cute) images of all sorts of creepy crawlies.

And apparently his enthusiasm was infectious because soon after the video, I got lost down a rabbit hold of macro lens comparison shopping.

Granted, I wasn’t going to get all the fancy equipment like Geraint has. I mean, I don’t even own a “normal” camera anymore, but I was thrilled to discover that you can get macro lens attachment thingamajigs for your phone.

Much review reading and lingo learning later and I settled on a little kit from Leknes. It’s super cheap (and even cheaper because I got it from the Amazon Warehouse bargain bin), but I figured if I liked it, I could always invest in something better.

So, did I like it?

Oh yeah!

First, A Bit About the Leknes Kit

I’m honestly not knowledgeable enough about this stuff to give a detailed review, but (besides the price) I selected this macro lens because it had some terrific pro reviews and because the working distance (that’s how far you need to be from your subject) was nearly double that of some of the more expensive lenses.

Because really, there’s only so close I want to get to a bug.

For me, the macro lens turned out to be great. It’s easy to attach to the phone (even with the phone’s case still on) and the image quality is pretty darn good for something so cheap….as you’ll soon see.

The kit also comes with a fish-eye and wide angle lens.

I haven’t tested out the wide-angle but the fish-eye is pretty pointless. It produces some okay images, but nothing great.

Okay, Enough With That, Let’s Get to the Bugs…And Some Plants Too!

These were all from my garden where I’ve felt like a real explorer trying to find some of these lads and ladies).

And yes, I did have to get up close and personal….with the camera being only about an inch or two from my unsuspecting models.

By the way, if bugs or spiders creep you out…you might want to stop reading after the first couple pictures.

My first test run with the lens didn’t turn out too shabby, if I do say so myself.

The macro lens makes this hens & chicks look like an alien monster : )

Beware those teeth!!!

OKAY CREEPY CRAWLIES AND FLYING THINGS COMING UP – YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

This was just a lucky shot since I never saw this butterfly in my garden again.

And of course, I went a bit bee mad finding all sorts of different species to snap pictures of…although these ladies do NOT like to hold still for the camera!

Bee butt…

Hope she’s not allergic to pollen

Itty-bitty bee

And Ms. Shiny Green Bee…

This might be one of my favorite lucky shots. I can almost hear this grasshopper singing the Lion King theme as he surveys his domain.

And, to get you in the Halloween spirit….

 

What about you? Ever try out macro photography? Or does getting that close to your garden monsters creep you out? Toss a comment in the box below and have a great week of exploring your own tiny bit of the world!

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A Quick Reminder….

Two of my series starters have been selected for a gobsmack of promos this month.

Which basically means REALLY amazing discounts to satisfy both your bargain-hunting and book-loving hearts.

Here’s what’s on sale and some handy dandy links…

• The Undead Mr Tenpenny is 99c at most retailers, including my Payhip Bookstore
• Hoard It All Before is FREE on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble,(and probably most other retailers because of price-matching bots)

 

Note: Some links above are affiliate links. If you buy something after clicking the link, i get a teeny tiny commission to keep this site running, but it costs you NOTHING extra. What a deal, right?