Macro

We were immediately drawn to the colour grading of this superb macro image. Notice how the turquoise background complements the deep red ladybird and how the soft lighting gently illuminates the insect’s glossy shell without causing any glare. The dandelion seed head is the perfect backdrop, adding depth as the seeds gradually blur into the background.

Water drop photography requires plenty of patience at the best of times, but capturing this perfectly symmetrical reflection takes this technical genre to a whole other level. The warm rim lighting adds a dash of contrast and helps the droplet pop against the cool blue background.

This stunning focus-stacked image of a green-eyed flower bee might look like a studio shot, but it was photographed snoozing in the garden. The purple background complements the subject’s green eyes and the bee is rendered so sharply you can see each individual grain of pollen.

The water droplet provides this abstract image of a leaf with a clear focal point, and the photographer took care not to be captured as a reflection in the bead of liquid. Cropping into the leaf has created a fractal-like pattern, which appears to continue beyond the frame. Light also appears to be shining through the semi-transparent surface, producing plenty of contrast and amplifying the leaf’s texture.

This incredible close-up of a fly was photographed in a garden in India’s Kalimpong district. The dreamy green and pink blurred background and razor-sharp eyes make this a magnificent macro, but what really elevates this image are the water droplets, captured just after rainfall. The droplets on the insect’s head are crisply captured and the droplets in the foreground add depth.

This studio image of a tree frog sitting on a tulip is beautifully composed. The purple flower compliments the frog’s green skin and its petals envelop the subject creating a frame within a frame. The eye that’s closest to the camera is crisply focused, and the lighting helps the photogenic amphibian pop against the background.

There are plenty of common blue butterfly images out there, but this one certainly stands out from the crowd due to its jaw-dropping golden light. Intense rim lighting helps to pull the subject from the background while attractive orbs of bokeh add plenty of interest to the negative space.

We love how the upturned pencil breaks this simple fractal pattern. Not only is it an attractive image, but there’s plenty of meaning to draw from this odd-one-out scenario. We also like the even lighting, which produces soft, subtle shadow for a balanced image.

Part of the joy of macro photography is capturing a new perspective on a world that’s not easy (or even impossible) to see with the naked eye. The tiny aphid-like insects weren’t even apparent until this ant was framed using a 105mm macro lens. Plus, this image is beautifully lit and composed!

Not all macro images have to be extreme close-ups. This minimalist photograph of an ant frames the creature in its environment. Negative space adds to the composition and the seemingly huge blade of grass helps to add a sense of scale.

The common blue butterfly is a popular close-up subject, and the soft lighting and beautiful bokeh in this image puts it up there with the best of them. We particularly like the composition thanks to the long portrait dimensions, which provide plenty of negative space directly below the subject.

We could talk about the beautiful composition, lighting, colour and bokeh-filled background. But this image is also a reminder of how macro images can be used to document something happening. In this case, a four-spotted chaser frees itself from its chrysalis.

A focus rail was used to capture roughly 60 images of this damselfly, which were then stacked in post. The result is a super-detailed portrait that’s incredibly sharp. Focus stacking requires a perfectly still subject, and the body of this unfortunate insect was found having been attacked by a neighbour’s dog.

The insane level of detail in this image was captured via focus stacking. A whopping 70 images were blended together to create the final image. The subject is a type of carpenter ant called camponotus maculatus and was found in the Sultanate of Oman. We particularly like the brown gradient in the background, which complements the ant’s colouring perfectly.