Learn how to think small.
by Gerry Bishop

"Think small!" That's hardly what our parents, teachers, and other adults in our lives told us when we were growing up. But if you learn to think small in your own Backyard Wildlife Habitat, you'll quickly discover an amazing new world. And with the right kind of photography equipment and know-how, you'll be able to capture this world on film or digitally — to the delight of yourself and others.

The basic tools necessary for close-up work are a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera body and the appropriate lenses and other gear to go with it. Film-based "point-and-shoot" cameras are incapable of anything approaching true close-up work. And while many digital point-and-shoot cameras take good close-up images, they can't compare with the capabilities of an SLR. Today's SLRs are precise, dependable, versatile, and easy to operate. And while digital SLRs are still relatively expensive, their price is falling.

The least expensive way to get started in close-up shooting is to buy some extension tubes to put between your camera body and lens. (The more extension, the closer you'll be able to focus.) Another choice is to add close-up lenses, or diopters, to the front of a regular lens. But for the best results, buy a lens made specifically for close-up work — the macro. Macros come in focal lengths of between 50 and 200mm, with the longer lengths allowing more "working distance" between you and your subject — something to keep in mind when trying to capture an image of a nervous dragonfly or a cranky wasp. True macros can be expensive, but they give you such versatility and such tack-sharp images that they're worth every penny. (Don't confuse a true macro with a zoom lens with a "macro" setting.)

Magnifying your image by focusing close also magnifies every move you make. A good tripod will take care of that problem, so long as you have enough natural light and a subject that holds perfectly still. But with low light or a moving subject, you'll need an electronic flash. The quick burst of light from the flash will freeze all action, allowing you to move freely through your backyard, stalking and shooting your "prey" wherever you find it.

You'll be amazed by the intricacies that close-up photography will reveal. Soon you'll be seeing in a whole new way — slowly and carefully observing, learning where to look, quietly letting new forms of life introduce themselves. Even the smallest habitat will become an undiscovered wilderness, full of tiny treasures — each with something to show you.

So go ahead — enter another world right outside your back door. Get out there and think small!

Note: To learn how easy close-up nature photography can be, get hold of one of the many good books on the subject. (John Shaw’s Closeups in Nature and Larry West’s How to Photograph Insects and Spiders are two excellent ones.)

Gerry Bishop is National Wildlife Federation's Director of Children's Publications and Editor of Ranger Rick®, the award-winning nature magazine for children aged 7 to 12. Nature photography has been one of Gerry's passions for many years.