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

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!

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#2 Honey Bee

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#3 A Gorgeous Blue Damselfly

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.

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

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

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#5 Monarch Butterfly

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. 

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#6 An Orange Spotted Flower Moth

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#7 A Little Leaf Notcher

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.

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

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

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

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

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.

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#10 A Beautiful Monarch Stopped By For A Visit In My Garden Today And Another Reason I Always Keep My Camera At The Ready

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#11 “The Dragonfly That Loved Sunset”

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#12 Ladybugs Doing The Deed

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#13 A Gorgeous Damselfly

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#14 Happy Halloween!

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#15 A Tiny Arabesque Orb Weaver

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#16 Raindrops

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#17 Carpenter Ant

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#18 A Drone Fly

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#19 A Green Lynx Spider Enjoys Its Fly Juice Box

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#20 Moth

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#21 A Green Bottle Fly

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#22 Damselfly

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#23 A Tropical Orb Weaver Spider Enjoys A Late-Night Beetle Snack

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens

#24 Carpenter Ant

Carpenter Ants Filmed With A Macro Lens