On Insects and People

A client once asked me: why do you spend more time shooting insects than shooting people?

She probably wondered because I told her that I spent a lot of time shooting macro when I should be out earning a living to support my hobby. I know insects can't pay me. In fact, I spent more on macro stuff than any other type of gear; I even use my only portraiture lens for macro purposes. The return on investment is practically zero in macro photography. Nobody wants to buy stock photos since its too easy to just go out and shoot. And those darn macro lenses are so darn expensive.

So why do I do it?

Well, for one, there is a different sort of satisfaction in taking photos and learning at the same time. You get to observe insects and other living things up close. You learn how they move, react to people and what they are made of. It's fun to spend hours on end crawling and searching for new insects in a grassy field; cuts, itching and all. And shooting macro is no easy feat especially with jittery insects and all the things that crawl around your feet. I developed discipline and patience; moving slowly and not rushing into things is key in this field.

And there are other things as well...

Insects do not complain how you shoot or what your output looks like after. They don't dictate to you anything and they don't make faces when they aren't happy. Oh, and they trust you fully. How can I say they trust me? Because they sit still. If they don't trust me, they just simply jump or fly away. No words said, no complains, they will just let you shoot if they want you too; creative freedom at its finest.

I wish people were more trusting or honest just like insects.

And lastly, unlike most other hobbyists who aspire to become pro photographers, I do not aim to be like Lito Sy, Dino Lara or any of the other big name photographers. My dream is to be a National Geographic Society photographer. Now, I can't name any NatGeo photographers even after watching that special on macro photography; but I do know I want to be one. Growing up, my dad a whole collection of NatGeo magazines and I read every one of them. And ever since, I wanted to take those kinds of pictures. Shooting macro is my way of somehow living my dream. I am not a NatGeo photographer (yet), but at least I am making interesting photos. That in its self is worth the time and money I spend.

So there... I am, and will always be a macro photographer first and everything else second.

(I'll leave you with my newest addition to my growing macro insect dictionary.) :D

Tortoise Beetle

White Leafhopper

Derbid Bug