Japanese photographer Miki Asai is an incredibly talented macro photographer who accompanies ants as they explore a miniature world of stones, flowers, and water – mostly within her own garden.
It all began when she got her macro lens and started taking beautiful photos in her garden. “As I was looking through the viewfinder, I noticed there were beautiful raindrops and a tiny ant walking through the frame,” Asai told 500px. “I might not have even seen it if I wasn’t using a macro lens. So I thought to myself—how can I shoot these photo ideas more beautifully?”
Asai, who lives on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, is opposed to controlling the ants in her macro photography shots. “I learned that when it comes to living things—if you want to achieve the interesting photo look that’s in your head—patience is really the only way,” she said. “I’ve been asked by others how I control ants, but humans shouldn’t be able to control them. You’ve got to use a tripod, an appropriate shutter speed and depth of field, then rely on your own passion and patience.”
To capture the beautiful nature, Asai uses the Canon EOS Kiss X5 and the Canon EF-S60mm F2.8 macro USM lens. To see more of her enchanting photo series, be sure to check out her 500px account! And if you like her work, be sure to check out Vyacheslav Mishchenko and Thomas Shahan.
