The Extreme Macro Photography of Bees

AN INTERVIEW SAM WITH, DROEGE

- ARIEL SU

We are excited to present an interview with Sam Droege, head of the bee inventory and monitoring program at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Droege's macro portraits of bees present an up-close-and-personal view of what most often appears as a blur buzzing from flower to flower. Each bee is an incredible product of its environment, built to gather nectar and distribute pollen across an entire ecosystem. Each variation in color, size, and shape challenges the conventional notion image of the cartoonish striped honeybee. Displaying these winged wonders' diversity is helpful for entomologists and lets viewers reflect on the living treasures that could disappear due to habitat destruction, pesticide use, and disease. In this interview, we feature the inventory and photography of all the bee species in North America in 2001.

LENS MAGAZINE: Hello Sam, Thank you for the interview; please tell us about yourself. What is your background?

SAM DROEGE: I am a federal biologist who works for the U.S. Geological Survey. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in animals, plants, the outdoors, and nature. Many will say that I prefer the company of nature to the company of people.

 

LENS MAGAZINE: Do you see yourself as a professional photographer?

SAM DROEGE: Yes, but highly specialized only in studio macro photography, and I have yet to seriously take up other forms of photography.

LENS MAGAZINE: What type of photography excites you the most?

SAM DROEGE: I enjoy working with all sorts of natural objects but have little interest in man made items.

LENS MAGAZINE: How did you start focusing on macro photography?