You’ll need a still day to get the best photo as even a little breeze can disturb the catkins, making them difficult to focus on. Get the camera as close as you can to the catkin and see what’s in the background.
Try looking down the length of the branch, rather than straight at it, as you can fill the image with the rest of the tree giving your photo a nice backdrop.
Finding a subject
Hilary Daniel, Visitor Reception Assistant at Trelissick, Cornwall
Set your alarm early because dew on spring flowers makes a beautiful shot. When it comes to insects prepare to be patient. Butterflies and beetles won’t come to you, so you have to seek them out – try getting up close by lying on the ground. If you want to avoid muddy knees and elbows bring your own waterproof material like a thick bin bag.
I love photographing butterflies and a good tip is to try using a long lens (if you have access to one) so you don’t have to get too close and risk disturbing them (a bit like you’re the mini-beast paparazzi).
Getting savvy with ‘bursts’ and shutter speed
Neil Jakeman, Volunteer at Saddlescombe Farm and Devil’s Dyke, West Sussex
If you’ve got your hands on a Panasonic Lumix, or a similar camera, then you can start experimenting with the size of the aperture (the ‘pupil’ of your lens) and your shutter speed – this is where you can really get striking shots. With a fast shutter speed you can have a go at capturing a fast-moving subject like a butterfly. You’ll need to set your aperture wide, to let in as much light as possible. Slow shutter speeds can help create motion blur images.