Best of 2025: 33 Macro Photos That Received International Photography Awards

In Best of 2025, macro photography proved as soon as once more that the smallest particulars usually maintain the largest tales. From the fragile veins of a leaf to the piercing gaze of an insect no greater than a fingernail, this yr’s award-winning macro images pulled viewers into worlds most of us stroll previous day-after-day. These photos didn’t simply impress judges — they stopped time, demanding a re-examination and a deeper breath.

The photographers behind these successful pictures mastered endurance, precision, and pure obsession with element. Every droplet of dew, grain of pollen, and flicker of motion was captured with intention. What makes these photos extraordinary isn’t simply technical perfection, however emotion. A single body can really feel alive, nearly respiratory, revealing the hidden drama unfolding inches from the bottom.

From vibrant bugs frozen mid-flight to summary patterns present in nature’s smallest kinds, the 2025 winners pushed macro images into creative territory. Light grew to become a paintbrush. Texture grew to become storytelling. These photographers remodeled on a regular basis topics—bugs, petals, frost, and fungi—into cinematic masterpieces that really feel bigger than life.

What really units this yr aside is how these photos join science and artwork. Each {photograph} is each a visible spectacle and a reminder of the delicate ecosystems surrounding us. Judges from main worldwide competitions praised the work for its creativity, technical mastery, and talent to spark curiosity in regards to the unseen world.

In a yr full of visible noise, these 33 award-winning macro pictures minimize by the chaos. They remind us that magnificence doesn’t all the time shout—typically it whispers, hidden within the tiniest corners of nature, ready for somebody affected person sufficient to note.

#1. Mobile Photography Awards: 1st Place Winner – “Assassin Fly” by Linda Repasky

#2. Mobile Photography Awards: “Tiny World of Ferns” by Linda Repasky

#3. Mobile Photography Awards: “On a Thistle” by Erin Achterhof

#4. Mobile Photography Awards: “Eyes” by Fabio Sartori

#5. Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Insects: “Le Projectionniste” by Nicolas Reytet

Master Your Focus

• Use guide focus for precision when working at shut distances
• Focus on a very powerful element, normally the eyes or texture
• Move your digicam barely as a substitute of refocusing to fine-tune sharpness
• Use focus peaking or magnification in case your digicam helps it
• Shoot in burst mode to extend your probabilities of good focus

#6. Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Butterflies and Dragonflies – “Flight” by Pal Hermansen

#7. Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Arachnids – “Sunrise” by Natalia Shinkevich

#8. Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Arachnids – “Pumpkin Spice” by Justin Chan

#9. Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Arachnids – “Mite Feeding on Slime Mould” by Barry Webb

#10. Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Arachnids – “Predator” by Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas

Control Your Lighting

• Shoot throughout early morning or late afternoon for softer pure mild
• Use a diffuser to melt harsh daylight
• Try a hoop mild or macro flash for constant illumination
• Avoid direct flash—it flattens texture and kills element
• Experiment with backlighting for dramatic results

#11. Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Invertebrate Portrait – “Leafcutter Bee” by Andrei Chetronie

#12. Close-Up Photographer of the Year: Invertebrate Portrait – “Windows to a Diminutive Yellow Soul” by Zhong Rui Marcus Kuan

#13. British Photography Awards: Macro – Winner: “Pink Elephant” by Adam Ferry

“I am fortunate to have Elephant Hawk Moths living in my area and sometimes they can get attracted to the lights in my garden. I found this particularly beautiful moth in my garden resting during the day, probably attracted to the lights or honeysuckle in my garden.”

#14. British Photography Awards: Macro – Peoples Choice: “Glistening Slime mould” by Barry Webb

“These glistening, Comatricha nigra slime moulds were photographed on an old, rotting fence post in my back garden. I used a spray bottle to create a wet foreground to add a reflection and give the image an extra dimension.”

#15. Nikon Small World Photomicrography: 1st Place – “Rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae) on a grain of rice” by Zhang You

• Location: Kunming, Yunnan, China
• Technique: Image Stacking
• Magnification: 5X (Objective Lens Magnification)

Choose the Right Aperture

• Use f/8 to f/16 for higher depth of discipline
• Go wider (f/2.8–f/4) for creative blur and isolation
• Balance aperture with mild to keep away from underexposure
• Remember: smaller apertures require extra mild or slower shutter
• Test a number of settings for the sharpest end result

#16. Nikon Small World Photomicrography: 2nd Place – “Colonial algae (Volvox) spheres in a drop of water” by Dr. Jan Rosenboom

• Location: Rostock, Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Germany
• Technique: Reflected Light
• Magnification: 5X (Objective Lens Magnification)

#17. Nikon Small World Photomicrography: third Place – “Pollen in a garden spider web” by John-Oliver Dum

• Affiliation: Medienbunker Produktion, Bendorf, Rheinland Pfalz, Germany
• Technique: Image Stacking
• Magnification: 20X (Objective Lens Magnification)

#18. 1839 Photographer of the Year Awards: Macro, Winner – “Mushroom madness” by Panagiotis Dalagiorgos

“A close-up backlit photo of an Ameles heldreichi nymph. I took this photo in December 2024 on a mountain near Athens, Greece. I found a pine cone with a mushroom growing on it, picked it up and placed in front of my lens, framing it with the sun in the background.”

#19. 1839 Photographer of the Year Awards: Macro, Silver – “A Stroll In the Primordial Countryside” by Tamra M. Gentry

“My work is an exploration of the hidden beauty within rocks and minerals. By magnifying natural formations, I reveal surreal worlds, transforming ordinary stones into art that invites contemplation and a deeper connection to Earth’s geological wonders.”

#20. 1839 Photographer of the Year Awards: Macro, Bronze – “Invisible Repro Gems” by Hidetaka Ito

“The colors and forms of flowers conceal intricate mechanisms designed for reproduction and regeneration, reflecting the results of their co-evolution with humans. Using macro lenses, I have revealed the hidden strategies of these plants—at once beautiful and grotesque.”

Stabilize Your Shot

• Use a tripod or mini tripod for sharp photos
• Stabilize your arms by resting elbows on a strong floor
• Turn on picture stabilization when capturing handheld
• Use a distant shutter or timer to stop digicam shake
• Shoot in brief bursts to catch the sharpest body

#21. 35 Photography Awards – “Jeweled Flower Mantis – Creobroter Gemmatus” by LOH CHEE WOEI

#22. 35 Photography Awards – “The robberfly hunting” by TRAN THE NGOC

#23. 35 Photography Awards – “Photo” by Dzulfikri

#24. 35 Photography Awards – “Photo” by Marcus Kam

#25. 35 Photography Awards – “Devil Flower Mantis – Idolomantis Diabolica” by LOH CHEE WOEI

Get Close, But Respect the Subject

• Move slowly to keep away from scaring bugs or disturbing nature
• Use a macro lens or extension tubes for true 1:1 magnification
• Avoid touching or damaging crops and bugs
• Observe conduct earlier than capturing to foretell motion
• Respect wildlife and depart no hint

#26. 35 Photography Awards – “Dorcus parryiritsemae” by Javier Ruperez

#27. 35 Photography Awards – “Robber fly” by Richard Kubica

#28. 35 Photography Awards – “Morning dragonfly. Photo taken early in the morning, in dewdrops” by Zaitsev Roman

#29. 35 Photography Awards – “Dragonfly” by Tran The Ngoc

#30. 35 Photography Awards – “A heavy drop” by Koledova Irinav

Compose With Purpose

• Simplify the background to remove distractions
• Use main traces and pure patterns
• Experiment with angles—shoot from eye degree or under
• Try off-center compositions utilizing the rule of thirds
• Let detrimental area improve your topic’s affect

#31. 35 Photography Awards – “Robber fly” by Richard Kubica

#32. 35 Photography Awards – “Ladybug and Drops” by Tsvetan Ganev

#33. 35 Photography Awards – “Fresh shower” by Richard Kubica

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