LIVE AMA with Hannah Mather

[Hannahshoneycomb]

What drew you to bees and insects?

I've always loved animals of all shapes and sizes, but there's something so uniquely beautiful about insects and their lifecycles. I studied insect-borne diseases and used to work in a parasitology lab, but then I found I much prefer being able to be out in the field.

[Hannahshoneycomb]

What drew you to bees and insects?

Pollinators were the perfect combination for me because I also love flowers and plants, and its exciting to me to be able to see the tangible ways that planting helps to support them right from home!

[Hannahshoneycomb]

Are there any particular challenges or ethical considerations you face when photographing pollinators, and how do you address them?

Yes many people don't realize! They still are very important, our agricultural system relies on them heavily for pollination of fruits and vegetables. Thankfully, the things that help to support honey bees such as less pesticide use and habitat restoration also help the native species!

[alpha-jessica-a]

Another question from email: What are some lesser-known or under-appreciated pollinators that you think deserve more attention, and how do you strive to showcase them in your photography?

[Hannahshoneycomb]

Another question from email: What are some lesser-known or under-appreciated pollinators that you think deserve more attention, and how do you strive to showcase them in your photography?

I do my best to keep a balance between honey bee photos and less known species. There are over 20,000 species of bees in the world, 4000 in the US! I do my best to plant native plant species to create an enticing habitat for a wide variety.

[Hannahshoneycomb]

Another question from email: What are some lesser-known or under-appreciated pollinators that you think deserve more attention, and how do you strive to showcase them in your photography?

I also am passionate about educating about different butterfly species and their larval host plants. Many people don't realize that butterflies are caterpillars (larvae) for much longer than they are adults, and that they often require a specific plant that they eat. I like to showcase the

[Hannahshoneycomb]

Another question from email: What are some lesser-known or under-appreciated pollinators that you think deserve more attention, and how do you strive to showcase them in your photography?

caterpillar forms so that people can be more mindful when they come across them that they are beneficial and beautiful in every form!

[jajo]

What settings do you typically set your camera to for macro?

[Hannahshoneycomb]

What settings do you typically set your camera to for macro?

It varies a bit based on lighting, but I typically try to keep the aperture 5.6-7.1 , I find that to be the sweet spot of having enough depth of focus and light. I'll keep my shutter speed around 250 and use ISO to compensate for the rest. I prefer to under expose my images a bit and restore the detail in post.

[avmil]

Your photos have a distinct look, do you use presets?

[avmil]

How do you use your images to inform people? I love the education you do on Instagram!

[Hannahshoneycomb]

Your photos have a distinct look, do you use presets?

I do not! I edit each photo individually to get the results that I am looking for. It's time consuming, but I never find that presets translate exactly the same from photo to photo and I end up spending more time adjusting a preset than if I had just started from scratch. Everyone is different though!

[Hannahshoneycomb]

How do you use your images to inform people? I love the education you do on Instagram!

I like to create eye-catching images of things that people would ordinarily not notice. Like the sparkling details of a bees body that can only be seen if you're looking very closely. I find that simply noticing that they are amazing parts of nature is a great way to inspire people to dig deeper.

[libro]

What factors influenced your decision to shoot with Sony cameras?

[Hannahshoneycomb]

What factors influenced your decision to shoot with Sony cameras?

Sony is what I learned to shoot on many years ago, and I never felt the need to look elsewhere! I love the exciting technologies that they are always improving on, the colors and details I'm able to capture, the ease of use, but especially the community can't be beat!

[alpha-jessica-a]

One last question from email to close things out: What advice would you give to aspiring nature photographers interested in capturing the beauty of pollinators?

[Hannahshoneycomb]

One last question from email to close things out: What advice would you give to aspiring nature photographers interested in capturing the beauty of pollinators?

To find the pollinators, find the flowers. Even better if you plant some ;) Different pollinator species have different flower preferences, so spend some time quietly observing to see what comes and goes. Often you'll notice a pattern of flowers that are repeatedly visited.

[avmil]

Thank you so much for sharing all this great info!

[Hannahshoneycomb]

One last question from email to close things out: What advice would you give to aspiring nature photographers interested in capturing the beauty of pollinators?

Hold still and be patient, watching the flowers with your camera ready and you will begin to anticipate their movements (and feel like you're a part of their tiny magical world!)

[bmcdonough]

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us Hannah! Long live the bees!

[alpha-jessica-a]

Thanks so much for being here with us today and asking such great questions!

[Hannahshoneycomb]

Thank you all so much for the interest and for asking such thoughtful questions! I'm always happy to talk bees, flowers, and photography so if you think of anything else please don't hesitate to reach out to me via Instagram. So nice talking with you!