@corbden Love this so much!
I have a particular fondness for macro photography of insects, but I'm certainly not as good as a lot of folks on here who do it as a hobby. Still, it's a lot of fun when I get a good shot.
A couple of years ago I submitted a a sketchbook to The SketchBook project that was all bug photographs.
Aug 19, 2026, 10:24 PM@arisummerland @corbden I know what you mean, my miss rate is pretty high on insects (they move fast, I move slow, not the best combo) but it’s incredibly satisfying when I get a good shot of one.
Beautiful!! So soft.
I feel I'd do ok with a better camera where I'm not trying to hold the phone without touching the screen, tap to focus, then tap to take the pic before the autofocus changes its mind while my hands are shaking and the bug is moving.
But "better camera," I know this is a money trap!
(I did photography briefly as a teen. Had a good classic 35mm Cannon with a couple of lenses. It's long gone.)
Aug 19, 2026, 10:57 PM@corbden Thank you!
And yeah, the ergonomics are honestly what got me to pick up a dedicated camera again after years without seriously using one. It’s absolutely been a money trap, but having those physical controls really does make a huge difference. Those dragonfly shots are really nice, though (no way I could get that close with my phone!), and I know what you mean about having too many hobbies and not enough time at times.
@Serenus It helped that I was already sitting just a couple of feet from the pole. They seem to have no fear of me. This yard is full of bugs. A number of species of butterfly, if I tried hard enough. I've got a bunch of subpar pics from this summer to upload to iNaturalist, mostly plants that need identifying.