Alex
My name is Alex McCarthy and this blog combines my passion for wildlife and macro photography. Although the focus of WildlifeMacro blog is on insects and insect photography, I will often stray towards other photography – nature conservation and - related topics. I hope you enjoy my musings and please don’t hesitate to leave a reply.
THE DINGY SKIPPER may not have the rainbow, brilliant iridescence of a Peacocks’ blazing wings. It may not ignite one’s curiosity as much as the nomadic wanderings of the Orange Tip, as it flutters past streams and meadows. Nor possess a... Read More
“The childhood shows the man, As morning shows the day.” – John Milton, Paradise Regained Anyone who follows my posts will know of my obsession with the Grizzled Skipper. Come May, I visit their stronghold at Merthyr Mawr and have... Read More
I visited Kenfig Nature Reserve yesterday and was able to capture some images of the striking underwing patterning on an Orange Tip butterfly. These were some of my first images of butterflies captured during the 2022 season. No butterfly better... Read More
By turning over refuges, such as sheets of corrugated iron, planks of wood or old carpet, you never know what you may find! Visiting Parc Slip Nature Reserve is full of wildlife wonders and many are often hiding in the... Read More
In my last post I visited Kenfig Nature Reserve and experimented with wide-angle environmental shots using my 3D laser printed model toad. I used ambient light along with the in-built focus stacking feature on the Olympus E-M1 MKII. This training... Read More
In this article I’m going to reflect on a photoshoot I recently did while in the woods shooting with my model toad. I found inspiration from the wildlife photography of Petr Babousek. Petr practiced illuminating scenes with artificial lizards and this... Read More
As 2021 comes to a close, I’m left wondering what were the best macro/wildlife photography highlights. I’ve narrowed these down to 5 memorable moments. 5. Mating Horseflies It’s fair to say that Horseflies are my worse nightmare. Out in the... Read More
Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count 2021 data shows many butterflies in decline, least among them the Small Tortoiseshell -32% down from last year’s count. Back in August, I felt fortunate to have spotted a bonanza of Tortoiseshells on a visit... Read More
The results of Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count are out! These results are based on the number of butterflies and day-flying moths spotted during 16th July – 8th August. Unfortunately this period doesn’t take into account Spring flying butterflies. If... Read More
I’ve decided to supplement my Canon cameras and lenses with suitable Olympus mirrorless alternatives. I was particularly attracted to the Olympus E-M I & E-M II cameras along with their excellent pro lenses. This system has many desirable features: Portability... Read More