‘Once I started zooming in, I never stopped’: the mesmerising art of macro photography

The Hidden Universe: How Macro Photography Captured a Generation of Nature Lovers

Wanderstayfinder.com – When the world shut down and outdoor travel became impossible, many people discovered an entirely new perspective on their own backyards. Among them was Dara Ojo, a 35-year-old photographer who found himself drawn to the miniature world of insects. What began as a casual suggestion from a friend evolved into a lifelong passion for capturing nature’s smallest details at extraordinary magnification.

Macro photography has emerged as one of the most compelling visual arts of recent years. This specialized discipline involves shooting subjects at extremely close distances, revealing textures and geometries invisible to the naked eye. Viewers can now observe the crystalline facets of a fly’s compound eye or the intricate patterns adorning a spider’s face. The practice has gained momentum through several converging factors: the rise of social media influencers specializing in close-up nature work, more accessible pricing on quality lenses, and the global health crisis that confined millions to their local environments.

Patience as a Virtue

For practitioners like Ojo, success requires extraordinary patience. Wildlife photographers accustomed to waiting hours for the perfect shot quickly discover that insects present unique challenges. Unlike birds or mammals that may remain relatively stationary, many insects move constantly or can depart at any moment. When wind enters the equation, capturing a single sharp image may demand hours—or even days—of persistent effort.

Technical mastery also plays a crucial role. Many macro photographers employ focus stacking, a method that merges several photographs taken at varying focal distances into one comprehensive image. This technique compensates for the extremely shallow depth of field inherent in close-up work, ensuring that every detail remains crisp from foreground to background.

“I always just pray ‘please don’t fly away,'” Ojo explains, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of his subjects.

From Lagos to the World

Ojo’s connection to nature runs deep. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, he spent childhood days planting yam, corn, tomatoes, and beans alongside his late father. The experience of placing something so small into soil and watching it transform over days felt almost magical to him. That sense of wonder resurfaced during the pandemic when Ojo, then living in China, began photographing birds in his new surroundings.

He has always preferred being behind the lens rather than in front of it. “If there’s a group photo, I will always volunteer to take it,” he jokes. Feeling his photography had plateaued, a friend encouraged him to try insects. The result was immediate fascination.

“When I started taking photos of them, when I’d never seen them that close up before, I was just fascinated by the design of their faces. It’s very intricate and it made me fall in love with them.”

Ojo notes that people in tropical regions may not fully appreciate insects due to frequent encounters with mosquitoes, ants, and wasps. Yet for him, these creatures became subjects of profound beauty.

The Damselfly Dream

His most treasured capture came after years of dedication: a video of a damselfly grooming itself. Ojo searched for this moment across two or three years before finally locating the right conditions. He chose an eight-hectare botanical garden, arriving at dawn when damselflies are most likely to perform their cleaning rituals. After finding his subject, he waited ninety minutes for the behavior to unfold.

“I always tell people if you’re doing macro, you’re not going to get your steps in.”

His approach is deeply meditative. Before shooting, Ojo often takes walks without his camera, simply connecting with his surroundings. He sometimes speaks his desired subject aloud to nature, finding success seven out of ten times. Other times, he visualizes his target and discovers it in the same form he imagined.

A Growing Community

Ojo’s journey mirrors that of many others who discovered macro photography during this era. Marit van Ekelenburg, known online as Macro by Marit, began her practice eight years ago in the Netherlands. Initially asked to photograph her mother’s garden for a website, she had never used a professional camera and could barely distinguish between a wasp and a bee.

While capturing flowers, van Ekelenburg noticed activity within the blooms themselves. A bee appeared, then a weevil, and soon she found herself completely absorbed. Starting with equipment far too complex for a novice, she learned through trial and error.

“I messed up a lot. But I’m stubborn, so after many hours of practice, I learned. Once I started zooming in, I think I just never stopped.”

Today, macro photography offers genuine career opportunities beyond hobbyist satisfaction. Successful practitioners monetize through social media platforms, sell prints and publish books, and secure partnerships with camera manufacturers seeking authentic content creators. What began as a pandemic-era pastime has matured into a sustainable artistic profession, proving that sometimes the most extraordinary worlds are found just inches from our feet.