Photography & Digital Art,AnimalsAUG 28, 2023

“An Amazing World Right Under Your Nose”: 24 Pictures Of Nature That I Took With A Macro Lens

Mark Andrew Thomas and Gabrielė Malukaitė

135

The Amazing and Magical World of Macro Photography.

I’ve been a photographer for almost two decades and only recently purchased a macro lens to try it out. Had I known what I was missing, I would have bought one long ago. Having this lens has opened up a whole new and amazing world for me, a world that’s literally right under our feet but that we seldom notice. Have you ever seen the Disney film "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids!"? Well, that’s a pretty good comparison!

When you look at a normal photo you see it, appreciate it, and may even hang it in your home. When you look at an image photographed with a macro lens, it draws you in, making you feel like you’re a part of that world instead of just an observer. Everything from ants and spiders to flowers and plants (and the bees that pollinate them) takes on an entirely new dimension. Even a tiny mushroom such as the one below looks much larger and more detailed than what you would notice in an image photographed with a different lens.

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#1 A Mystical Glowing Mushroom

96points

What is a macro lens? A macro lens is a special kind of lens that allows you to photograph your subject from as close as an inch away. Although you can get a pretty tight image of any subject with a telephoto lens, you must stand further away and zoom in. Getting to within mere inches of your subject makes it appear larger and brings out much more detail and clarity. So the next time you’re walking through a nature park, or even your own backyard, just remember that there is an amazing world right under your nose!

#2 Honey Bee

78points

#3 A Gorgeous Blue Damselfly

76points

My journey as a photographer began about 20 years ago when I was filming nature videos. My camera had the ability to take stills and out of that grew my love for moments captured in time. I bought a DSLR camera a couple of years later and the rest is history.

#4 Monarch Butterfly

66points

#5 A Green Darner Dragonfly Hovers Over Our Pond For A Split Second Before Darting Away Again

66points

Macro photography is incredibly exciting to me because it allows you to see details that aren't readily visible or noticeable. I like to think of it as a passport to a strange and wonderful world that is equal parts fascinating, beautiful, and even a little creepy at times. I also love that you can do macro photography anywhere; during the pandemic, I was able to get hundreds of shots without ever leaving my backyard.

#6 Worker Ants Prepare A Future Queen For Her Inaugural Flight

60points

#7 An Orange Spotted Flower Moth

59points

The most challenging part of macro photography for me is when I'm photographing insects. Using a macro lens requires you to get within mere inches of your subject, you have to move very slowly and make sure you don't scare away what you're trying to photograph.

#8 A Little Leaf Notcher

55points

#9 No Matter What You Might Think Of Them, Ya Gotta Admit Even Flies Look Awesome Up Close

55points

What I enjoy most about macro photography is sharing it with other people. In this busy and crazy world, I think it's important to remind people that there are amazing things to see in nature if we take the time to look for them. I hope to foster a deeper appreciation for nature, insects, wildlife, and our planet in general.

In terms of the future, I see macro photography being a big part of my life because the world is full of tiny wonders. I never travel without my macro lens, just the other day I saw a brilliantly colored tiny moth at my office window and was able to take a photo because I had my macro lens on my desk.