My journey into the world of macro photography

Hi, my name is Richard Kubica, and I live in Slovakia. I work for an energy company, and my hobbies include photography and sports. I like to play football and ski. Since childhood, I have enjoyed spending time in nature and observing the world around me. This interest naturally connects to my passion for photography, particularly my fascination with the beauty of nature.

I have always been deeply interested in wildlife and photography. However, wildlife photography was both time- and cost-intensive when I first wanted to pursue it as a young boy. Instead, I chose a more affordable path and bought my first 50-millimeter lens with extension rings, allowing me to capture images of insects up close. The beginnings were challenging, and I struggled to get into the field, but I didn’t give up. Over time, I became increasingly captivated by macro photography, and before I knew it, I had completely fallen for it. I have now been practicing macro photography for many years.

What I love most about macro photography is that I always return home with some results, whether it’s a simple shot of an ant or, on a particularly successful outing, an image of a fly in intricate detail. My main macro photography locations are in the immediate vicinity of my home, as well as near ponds and other bodies of water. I believe that early mornings are the best time for macro photography since insects are still calm and more tolerant of my presence. Morning shots have a unique charm, and I especially enjoy capturing them on hot summer days before insects become highly active. This passion led me to invest in better equipment and additional tools to improve the quality of my macro shots, which eventually brought me to the Olympus/OM System.

One of the key aspects of insect photography is positioning the subject in a way that makes it stand out. Since macro photography focuses on capturing tiny details, the depth of field is usually quite small. This allows me to create striking portraits or emphasize particular details in a subject. Another crucial factor is understanding insect behavior and being able to anticipate their movements. There are various techniques for photographing insects, but careful planning is always essential. Each wild creature behaves differently, and even the same species may appear distinct in different images. Macro photography involves endless hours outdoors, keenly observing nature and reacting to unexpected moments. To adapt quickly to these surprises, I chose the Olympus/OM System gear, which allows me to respond swiftly and capture as much of the moment as possible.

From my experience, the OM System suits me best, and I can truly work magic with it. One of its biggest advantages is the Focus Bracketing function, which lets me combine multiple shots into a single image with incredible detail. Another key feature I rely on is night mode and lens stabilization, specifically, the OM System 90mm Macro lens, which offers a 2:1 zoom, equivalent to a 4:1 magnification in full-frame terms. This capability is outstanding for macro photography.

One minor downside is shooting in low-light conditions without a flash, as I have to use a higher ISO, where the smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor becomes a limitation. However, I can easily correct this with a few adjustments in post-processing. My current setup includes the OM System OM-1 with a 90mm lens and an Olympus FL-700 flash, along with an external diffuser. In the future, I hope to expand my collection of lenses and cameras if my wife allows it… hahahaha!

I process my photos in Photoshop and Lightroom and use Zerene Stacker for focus stacking. When I upload my images to my computer, I select around 200 from a folder of approximately 2500, which I then stack according to the subject type. Depending on the shot and the depth of field I want, a single composition might require anywhere from 5 to 80 images. I always try to take as many shots as possible to ensure I have enough material to work with, but nature photography can be unpredictable. Sometimes, despite the best conditions, I return home without a single usable image. However, with the OM System, this issue is far less common. I always remind myself: “From every photo shoot, you should bring home at least one good photo.”