Notes on Close-up Bee Photography
Contents
Intro
As a nature lover, I enjoy spending time in the garden and observing the small creatures that live there. Bees are among my favourite subjects. They are important pollinators, but they are also fascinating to watch and photograph.
Close-up photography has encouraged me to slow down and notice details that I might otherwise miss. Over the years, I have experimented with different lenses, lighting setups and techniques. I am still learning, but these are some of the things that have worked for me.
This article is about technique and behaviour rather than equipment — for the lenses, flash and diffuser I use, see My Close-up Photography Gear .
You can see examples of my bee photographs, including some of the behaviours described in this article, in the gallery section of this website.
Get to Know the Bees
Before taking photographs, I find it helpful to spend some time watching the bees and learning about their behaviour.
Blue-banded bees, leafcutter bees and teddy bear bees are among the native solitary bees you may encounter in Australia. There are also much smaller bees, including species from the Lasioglossum (Homalictus) group, which can be particularly challenging to photograph.
Different bees have different habits. Some move quickly between flowers, while others spend longer collecting pollen or nectar. Some return regularly to the same patch of flowers, nesting site or resting place.
After observing them for a while, you may begin to anticipate where a bee is likely to land or which flowers it prefers. This can make photographing them a little easier.
Planting a variety of flowering plants can also encourage more bees to visit the garden. Different species have different preferences, so I try to observe which plants attract the bees already living in my area.
Choosing a Lens
A dedicated close-up lens is one of the easiest ways to photograph bees at higher magnifications. I have gradually put together a small collection over the years, from an inexpensive AI Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/4 up to a Laowa 100mm f/2.8 2× that gets me to 2:1 — I’ve written up the full history, including what each lens is actually good for, in My Close-up Photography Gear .
Most of what I use is manual focus, which suits the way I photograph bees — more on that below.
You certainly do not need a collection of lenses to get started, though. A single close-up lens is enough; spending more time observing bees makes a much bigger difference than another lens purchase.
Understanding Magnification and Framing
A reproduction ratio of 1:1 means that the image projected onto the camera sensor is the same physical size as the subject.
For example, a bee measuring 10mm in length will produce an image approximately 10mm long on the sensor at 1:1 magnification.
At 2:1, the image of that same bee will be approximately 20mm long on the sensor. This can be useful for very small subjects, including Lasioglossum (Homalictus) bees, or when I want to show fine details such as eyes, hairs, wings or pollen-covered legs.
Sensor size affects how tightly the bee appears within the frame, but it does not change the actual reproduction ratio. A lens set to 1:1 still records the subject at life size on the sensor, whether it is used on a full-frame or crop-sensor camera.
Higher magnification is not always better. I do not always want the bee to fill the frame. Sometimes the flower, plant or surrounding environment is an important part of the photograph.
This is especially true when photographing bees roosting together. Including several bees, the stem they are holding onto and some of the surrounding space can tell a more interesting story than a tightly framed photograph of one bee.
The most suitable magnification depends on the subject and the kind of photograph I am trying to make.
Going Beyond 1:1
Before the Laowa, I experimented with reversing a Nikkor 28mm AI-S lens for extra magnification. It can produce excellent results, but it is technical, and the working distance and dark viewfinder make it difficult to use on an active bee outdoors — I find it more practical indoors or on a static subject.
These days the Laowa covers most of what I need beyond 1:1, with a more practical working distance and a far simpler setup than reversing a lens.
Using Manual Focus
Autofocus can struggle when a small bee is moving among flowers and leaves, particularly when the depth of field is only a few millimetres—or even less.
For this reason, I normally use manual focus.
Instead of constantly turning the focusing ring, I set the lens to roughly the magnification I want and then move my upper body slowly forwards or backwards. When the bee’s eyes or another important feature comes into focus, I press the shutter.
This works with any manual-focus lens, vintage or modern.
It takes practice, especially when the bee is moving, but over time the movement becomes more natural.
Using Flash and a Diffuser
Flash is not essential for every close-up photograph, but I find it extremely useful when photographing active bees. At low or moderate power, the brief duration of the flash can help freeze movement, and it provides enough light to use a smaller aperture despite the shallow depth of field.
I use a Meike MK-320 speedlight with a homemade diffuser, starting around 1/16 power and adjusting from there depending on distance, aperture and available light. A diffuser’s size, shape and position matter more than the material it’s made from.
Starting Camera Settings
My usual starting point is manual exposure, f/11, a shutter speed close to flash-sync, Auto ISO and a manual white balance around 4200K.
There is always a compromise between depth of field, sharpness, ISO and flash power. I treat these settings as a starting point and adjust them according to the subject and conditions — in the end, it comes down to the result, not the settings.
Taking Test Photographs
Before concentrating on the bees, I usually take a few test photographs of a flower or another object at roughly the same distance.
This gives me a chance to check the exposure, flash position and quality of the light.
It is also worth paying attention to the background. A small movement to the left or right can completely change the colours and shapes behind the bee without disturbing it.
Focusing on the Eyes and Finding a Good Angle
When the bee’s eyes are visible, I usually try to make them the sharpest part of the photograph. A sharp eye tends to make the whole photograph feel more alive — and a bee’s eyes are worth a close look in their own right.
At close range, there may not be enough depth of field to keep the entire bee sharp. I try to position the camera so that the eyes and as much of the body as possible sit within the same plane of focus.
After photographing bees for a while, I also began to notice that some angles are more pleasing than others. I call this the “B-Side”.
Specifically, I prefer photographing bees from the side. This angle often shows the shape of the body, eyes, wings and legs clearly, while also giving a better view of what the bee is doing.
A side view can work especially well when a bee is collecting nectar or buzz-pollinating a flower. It shows the bee clearly while also capturing its interaction with the plant.
Of course, there is no single correct angle. A front-facing photograph can emphasise the eyes, while a view from behind might show pollen on the legs or an interesting wing position.
Photographing Different Behaviours
Bees behave differently depending on the species, weather, time of day and what they are doing. You may see them collecting nectar or pollen, buzz-pollinating flowers, building nests, defending territory or roosting overnight.
Some of my favourite photographs have come from simply watching these activities unfold. On one occasion, I saw a leaf-cutter bee cutting a piece from a leaf on my Vietnamese mint. It then carried the leaf back to a nearby bee hotel to use in its nest. Being able to observe and photograph the different stages made the experience especially memorable.
Another interesting behaviour to look out for is nectar concentrating, sometimes described by bee photographers as “bubbling”. The bee brings a droplet of nectar to its mouthparts and repeatedly exposes and reabsorbs it. It is a fascinating moment to observe, and I have been fortunate enough to photograph it a few times.
These behaviours can produce more interesting photographs than simply recording a bee sitting on a flower. They also help tell a fuller story about how bees feed, nest and interact with their surroundings.
A resting or roosting bee may allow more careful focusing and a wider composition. A fast-moving bee visiting flowers may be easier to photograph with flash and a tighter frame.
The more time I spend observing bees, the more familiar their small patterns of behaviour become.
Being Patient and Spending Time Outside
For every photograph that works, there may be hundreds that are blurred, badly framed or focused on the wrong part of the bee. That is simply part of the process.
Photographing bees takes patience, but I try not to treat it as a race to produce perfect images. Sometimes it is enough to sit in the garden, watch what is happening and enjoy the experience.
Spending time outside also gives you a better chance of seeing behaviours that are easy to miss. A leafcutter bee may suddenly begin cutting a leaf, or a bee may pause to concentrate nectar. These moments do not always last long, and you are unlikely to photograph them unless you are already there and paying attention.
Staying in one area for a while can help too. The bees may become less concerned by your presence, and you may begin to recognise the routes they take between flowers or back to their nests.
Photographing bees has helped me appreciate how much life exists in an ordinary backyard. With a little patience, some basic equipment and plenty of practice, close-up photography can reveal a colourful and fascinating world that is easy to overlook.
You can see some of these behaviours, along with a fair amount of experimentation, in the gallery section of this website.