Nigerian macro photographer Dara Ojo has shared the stories behind three of his photographs, offering a closer look at the unusual insects and natural processes that have shaped his work. The images, captured in Costa Rica while he was working on the PBS documentary Bugs That Rule the World, feature a silkworm moth, a leafhopper infected by a parasitic fungus, and a planthopper nymph with distinctive waxy strands.
Ojo, who grew up in Nigeria and is now based in Canada, began his photography journey in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a previous feature, he spoke about his path into macro photography and his forthcoming book, Tiny Titans: The Silent Keepers of Our Ecosystem. He has now explained the experiences behind three selected images, each revealing a different aspect of the small creatures that often escape the human eye.
The first photograph captures a silkworm moth, an insect Ojo believes deserves more attention than it typically receives. He took the image in Costa Rica while filming the PBS wildlife documentary. Although moths are often regarded as less visually striking than butterflies, Ojo said examining them up close reveals a different picture, with intricate patterns, colours and textures that are easy to miss from a distance.
For him, photographing the moth was an opportunity to document a form of beauty that people frequently overlook. The experience also reinforced his interest in using macro photography to bring attention to creatures that might otherwise go unnoticed.
His second selection, a leafhopper infected by Metarhizium fungus, presents a more unsettling side of the natural world. Ojo encountered the insect in Costa Rica after the parasitic fungus had infected its body. Certain Metarhizium fungi infect insects, grow within their hosts and eventually kill them. Under suitable conditions, the fungus can then produce spores that spread and infect other insects.
The image caught Ojo’s attention because of its unusual appearance, which resembles something from a science fiction film. He compared the visual impression to the fictional fungal infection portrayed in The Last of Us, while noting that the real-world fungi and the fictional infection are different.
The photograph highlights a biological process that can appear almost unbelievable to someone encountering it for the first time. Yet the interaction is part of nature, where fungi and insects can have complex relationships that are rarely visible without close observation.
The third photograph features a planthopper nymph, a tiny insect distinguished by the delicate, waxy strands extending from the rear of its body. Ojo described it as one of the most challenging creatures he has photographed, explaining that finding the insect is difficult because of its small size, while capturing a clear image requires additional patience.
Planthopper nymphs can be particularly difficult subjects because they often turn away as a photographer approaches. Ojo said photographing one successfully requires careful movement and persistence, as even a small mistake can cause the insect to disappear before the shot is taken.
The challenge, however, is part of what draws him to macro photography. The process demands close attention to a subject that may be almost invisible to the casual observer, rewarding patience with images that reveal details rarely seen at ordinary viewing distances.
Together, the three photographs demonstrate the range of subjects Ojo encounters through his work, from the understated beauty of a moth to the biological complexity of a fungal infection and the delicate features of a minute insect. His stories also offer insight into the patience and close observation required to photograph wildlife at such a small scale.
Ojo’s forthcoming book, Tiny Titans: The Silent Keepers of Our Ecosystem, is scheduled for international publication on November 10, 2026. Public book launches are planned for Edmonton on November 25 and Toronto on December 2, with additional events being explored for New York in March 2027 and Vancouver in April 2027. The book is available for pre-order through Amazon Canada.
