How a Photographer Directs His Insect "Models"

There are plenty of great creatures photographers out there, and many who specialize in close ups of the smaller creatures wandering the Earth. But what makes photographer Amishboy different is his ability to make insects, lizards and gastropods seem like characters in a tale by Lewis Carroll.

That's why his Wonderland series, mostly shot on miniature sets in his kitchen and featuring "models" culled in the plants outside his window and inside his home, seems so incredibly magical. It's not an easy process, as he explained in an interview with My Modern Met:

Directing the insects requires understanding of their behaviors. Once you do understand, you’ll know how to make them feel comfortable so they won’t run away and how to make them stand and pose the way you want them to. The trick is to “convince” them that they were the ones who chose what to do and where to stand...A shooting session can easily reach several hours. I never start shooting this way unless I know I have at least about 12 hours to spare, just in case. Of course it’s in an eased fashion with a lot of intermissions for me and for the models.

Now that's a level of dedication most human models don't receive.