Don Roberts
I have shot macros of insects for years and have found that you just can't keep up with them on a tripod and you will disturb many scenes by trying to use one. Chasing them around is the best way. Usually, back in the film days, I used flash setups designed for macro work. Now I do both hand held and strobe. Hand held is indeed much easier to shoot but not as easy to get an excellent result; DOF is just too small for really close up work. I also have the Manfrotto tripod and appreciate its versatility for other things.
With macos, if i'm not lying in the dirt with my elbows playing at being tripod legs, I find bolting my unextended monopod to the baseof the camera , tilted backward at 45 degrees increases it's inertia and thus reduces slight movements and I can always brace it against my leg or stomach . I also find it's easier that was to move with the insect or escape the irate wasp with greater ease.
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