Self-taught photographer Francesco Bagnato doesn’t consider himself a professional, but his incredible macro photography proves otherwise. Set against plain black backgrounds, his macro photos of insects give viewers a unique perspective of arthropods in colorful detail.
The insects pop from the background, as their exoskeletons burst with color, from iridescent tones to almost neon hues. Bagnato has been an animal lover from childhood, with a particular affinity for insects. In fact, he shares with us via email that it was the memory of catching insects as a child, rather than playing soccer with other children, that inspired the series titled Entomology. The time spent as a young boy observing the colors, behaviors, and shapes of insects pays dividends with the perfectly composed macro insect photography.
To achieve the results he’s looking for, Bagnato uses a 100mm macro lens and lights his subjects from several different points, using translucent paper for a softer light. All the final images are one shot, which he favors over a focus stacking technique commonly used in macro photography.
Francesco Bagnato’s insect macro photography highlights the incredible color and detail of arthropods.
Francesco Bagnato: Behance
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Francesco Bagnato.
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