Tell us the story behind your photo in the British Wildlife Photography Awards exhibition?
Every spring I visit the Somerset Levels to capture four-spotted chaser dragonflies which emerge in huge numbers during May and create vast roosts. As impressive as this abundance of dragonflies is, sometimes the best photo opportunities are of individual insects.
When I found this dragonfly roosting on its own among the reeds, I decided to capture it small in the frame to create a sense of environment. I used the foliage as a frame-within-a-frame, carefully and precisely positioning myself to find a window in the reeds where I could capture the dragonfly cleanly. I employed a shallow depth of field to throw the vegetation attractively out of focus.
How did you go about getting the shot?
The weather was dull and overcast. I shot handheld, using a high ISO of 6400 to generate a fast enough shutter speed to eliminate any camera or subject movement. I placed the dragonfly low in the frame to try and create a better sense of scale and size.
Did you use any particular equipment or software?
For this image I used a Nikon 100-400mm tele-zoom to provide a larger camera-to-subject distance to minimise the risk of disturbing my subject and it flying away. I use Adobe Lightroom to edit my Raw files, but applied minimal processing to this image.
What would you like people to think about when they see your work?
It might sound cliché, but I want to highlight the beauty, fragility and importance of nature. Compared to feathered and furred animals, invertebrates generally hold less appeal, so my intention is to highlight their beauty, shape and design. I often avoid frame-filling portraits, preferring instead to include a sense of place and context by including a hint of the subject’s environment. I really hope my images tell a story about my subject.
What makes you stop and decide that a scene is worth photographing?
Mostly instinct, I think. Background choice, the quality of light, and environment are all among the key things that entice me.
How do you know when you’ve captured “the shot” and can stop shooting?
That’s a great question and again, I would say it’s a fairly instinctive process. Although, in reality, the subject often makes that decision for you by changing position or flying away!
What has wildlife taught you about paying attention?
Wildlife has taught me, and inspired me, so much over the years and continues to do so. Close-up and macro photography has heightened my appreciation for minute, exquisite detail and allowed me to highlight the beauty of things we often overlook or ignore. A macro lens opens a whole new, hidden World, which I love exploring.
What projects are you working on now or have coming up?
Nothing exciting to report currently. I’m so busy running and organising photography workshops that I’m struggling to focus on my own projects. I have just started working on another technique book, but this one is focused on landscape photography, not nature.
Check out more of Ross’s photography: