As a wildlife photographer, he can handle spending minutes, hours and sometimes days waiting for the shot, but insects are not always very cooperative. Ojo is one of an increasing number of photographers turning their lenses towards something smaller: macro photography. This refers to photographing the natural world at an extremely close range, close enough to see the facets of a fly’s eye, or the geometry of a spider’s face.
This discipline has quietly evolved in popularity over the past few years, driven by a wave of macro influencers, more affordable lenses and the coronavirus pandemic, which left a lot of photographers with nowhere to go but their own back gardens. Photographers rely on “focus stacking”, a technique that combines multiple images taken at slightly different focus distances to create one final frame. That is difficult enough with a still subject.
However, insects, by nature, are not often static subjects. Add in wind, and a creature that can simply fly away mid-shoot, and a single successful image can represent hours, or even days, of failed attempts. Macro photography is also an increasingly viable career, with more routes to income than people may expect.
A well-run account can generate income through monetisation, alongside the production of print sales and books. Brand partnerships can also play a significant role, with camera and lens manufacturers seeking to work with macro specialists for content. Ojo, 35, grew up in Lagos, Nigeria.
He recalls planting yam, corn, tomatoes and beans with his late father. It was like magic to me,” Ojo says. That sense of wonder resurfaced later.
Ojo developed a love for photography during the pandemic, initially photographing birds in China, where he was based at the time. If there’s a group photo, I will always volunteer to take it,” he says, joking. Feeling stagnant in his photography around this time, a friend suggested Ojo try capturing insects.
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