by Nikolai Whitebear
Moths are one of the most underappreciated creatures in the sky. Their diversity drastically exceeds that of the butterflies and their beauty is unmatched. Within this post, you’ll learn the essentials of nighttime moth photography and how to better your practice of photography.
Locating Moths
The best place to find moths at night is around lights. Many moth species are attracted to lights which makes this step the easiest! My favorite spot is the porch light right outside my front door. I live along a small section of woods which brings the most beautiful visitors. Summer nights are filled with moths fluttering around the lights. UV lights can also be used with a sheet. This is a prevalent method that attracts a lot of species. Although not everyone has a UV light around, we’ll save this for another post entirely.
Choice of Lens
Now that you’ve found moths you’ll want to start photographing! If you are an absolute beginner and don’t have a digital camera that is fine! Phone cameras can take some pretty fantastic pictures. But I would highly recommend a digital camera if you desire to take higher-quality images. I love using a Sigma 105mm F2.8 EX macro lens. The image quality is superb and I have been thrilled with the result.
Lighting
Proper lighting is extremely important, especially during the night. You must ensure your subject has enough light cast upon it so your images are clean and crisp. Most people would recommend using an external battery-powered flash but I have found that these flashes create too much light. With too much light the images will be washed out. Instead, I suggest using the pop-up flash on the camera body with a diffusor. My BEST moth photos have been created using this method, less is really more here.
The Canon 40D is my choice for a camera body. I also use a double-battery pack for extended use, it attaches to the bottom of the body acting as a grip as well. Even the pop-up flash can emit harsh light so the diffusor is really essential. All you need is a single piece of printer paper. Wrap it around the flash and you’re set! Since you’ll most likely be very close to the moths you want the light to be evenly cast when photographing.
Background
In my first post here I touched lightly on the importance of the background in photos. A unique background transforms a photo from ordinary to spectacular. The average person is usually not interested in moths or insects. Butterflies and bees steal the show when it comes to insect photography. The background of your photos can be a feature that catches that extra attention. The best recommendation I have is to make your background a color that highly contrasts your subject. Whether that be a leaf, tree, or your clothing. My favorites are using the brake lights of a car, as seen in the second photo on this page, or a piece of colored paper shown in the image below.
This plume moth was resting on the glass window of my front door. So I taped a piece of purple paper behind the glass. Then, I began photographing to achieve this result. I was elated by the photograph. The purple paper contrasts greatly with the moth and the glass adds a mirror image of the moth.
Goodnight to you and the moths
There were many nights when I stayed up well past my bedtime just to stay out with the moths and other creatures of the night. I wouldn’t trade that time for anything. I became well acquainted with a lot of beings that I had not met before. Earwigs, lacewings, ichneumonid wasps, and even some beetles found their way to the porch light. Now I am filled with excitement for those summer nights again. But for now, we settle in for winter and turn our eyes and lenses to the waterfowl that spend the cold months here. Thank you all, niawa.