Silent insect photography

Microscopic insect world under electron microscope

According to foreign media reports, John Hallmen, an amateur entomologist, likes insects since he was a child. In the past three years, he photographed a large number of small creatures in a nature reserve near his home in Stockholm, Sweden. He combines indoor and outdoor shooting techniques to enlarge insects and show their beautiful colors and body details.

Damai

You can see the photographer in John's eyes.

Young moth caterpillar

the black ants

Indoor shooting Nomada bees, also known as cuckoo bees, is used for indoor shooting. John usually collects insect carcasses when harvesting in the surrounding farmland. "I often stumble upon them," John always calls himself a freelance graphic designer. "For example, this wild bee was accidentally discovered in my coffee cup during a family picnic. 」

Sleeping spotted bee, its upper jaw has been biting the trunk tightly until nightfall. Sometimes it takes hours to find the right light for a photo. "For example, this spotted bee has been staring at it anxiously for an hour. I hope it will sleep until the sun shines on this hay, and the background light will gradually turn from dull dark gray to bright. When these lighting conditions are met, I only have a few minutes to shoot. If the sun doesn't shine on the bee, it will wake up. 」

syrphus fly

A male blue damselfly straddles two dry reeds.

Blue damselflies have two spherical raindrops, or raindrops, on their heads. The nature of outdoor photography determines that John will look for sleeping animals hidden among leaves before dawn. "Sometimes you will find them hidden under round dewdrops, which makes these humble insects become dazzling gems. 」

Flies covered with dew perched on frosted hay.

Gem wasps stay in Sedum plants.

Small yellow ants photographed indoors

Indoor shooting of ascidian wasps

Indoor shooting of horse flies

5 mm long flies photographed indoors stick out their mouths.