Photographer Travels the World to Show the Beauty of Bugs
Photographer Dara Ojo began his macro journey while living in China during the pandemic. Initially, it was a way to explore the natural world during lockdowns, but it became a bigger obsession for the Nigerian-born photographer.
In the intervening six years, Ojo has photographed insects in China, Costa Rica, Canada, Mexico, and Nigeria.
Ojo has taken all of that work and compiled it into a newly released, 290-page book titled Tiny Titans: The Silent Keepers of Our Ecosystem. He tells PetaPixel about his approach to macro photography.
“I photograph living creatures in their natural environments. I don’t harm, manipulate, or stage my subjects, and I try to document their behavior as naturally as possible,” he explains.
“Patience is probably the most important part of my approach. In macro photography, particularly at high magnifications, the smallest movements can completely change a photograph. A slight breeze, a moving leaf, or an insect turning its head can mean starting all over again.”
Ojo says that to combat this, he will photograph early in the morning when temperatures are cooler and insects are less active, as well as at night, when a different world emerges.
“Technically, I frequently use focus bracketing and stacking to achieve the level of detail I want,” he says. “At extreme magnification, the depth of field is incredibly shallow, so I may need to capture multiple images at different focal points and combine them into a single photograph.”
Front Cover – Praying Mantis
Ojo takes PetaPixel through some of his favorite and memorable moments from his new book, including the front cover, which has a special meaning for him.
“I photographed it at Lufasi Nature Park in Lagos, Nigeria, where I’m originally from,” Ojo explains. “I remember really enjoying that particular encounter. Praying mantises are wonderful subjects to photograph because of their remarkable appearance, expressive movements and the way they seem to observe you just as closely as you’re observing them. It was one of those genuinely fun photographic experiences.”
Fungus-Infected Leafhopper
“It’s one of those subjects that reminds me why I find the natural world so endlessly fascinating,” Ojo says of the image above. “At first glance, it might appear strange or even unsettling, but there’s an extraordinary biological story behind it.”
“Certain fungi infect arthropods and eventually produce structures that emerge from their bodies, helping the fungus reproduce and spread. It’s a remarkable example of the complex relationships that exist in nature, including those we rarely notice,” he continues.
“Photographing something like this is particularly special because you’re documenting a biological interaction that many people will never encounter firsthand.”
Wolf Spider Carrying Her Young
“Spiders are among the most misunderstood creatures I photograph, and I think this image challenges people’s perceptions in a beautiful way,” Ojo says.
“Many people associate spiders with fear, but here is a mother carrying and protecting her young. Female wolf spiders are known for this extraordinary parental behavior, with the spiderlings riding on their mother’s back after emerging from the egg sac.”
“It’s precisely the kind of image I want people to encounter in Tiny Titans. Something that initially inspires fear can suddenly inspire curiosity, admiration, and perhaps even empathy.”
Tiny Titans: The Silent Keepers of Our Ecosystem is published by Rocky Mountain Books and available for $45.
More of Ojo’s work can be seen on his Instagram and website.
Image creditsPhotographs by Dara Ojo.
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