explorewithdara

09/05/2026

19 photos I may never get again.

For all kinds of reasons — the place, the timing, rare behaviour, perfect light, or just being lucky enough to be there at the right moment.

That’s wildlife and nature photography. You can return to the same place 100 times and never get the same moment twice.

But I can always do better. And that’s what keeps me going back.

Which one is your favourite? Tell me the number 👇🏽

09/03/2026

A walking snowball… except there’s an insect under there.

I found this tiny flatid planthopper nymph (family Flatidae) while photographing insects in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, and I honestly couldn’t get over how strange it looked.

Its body is covered in a white waxy secretion, giving it this incredible snowball-like appearance. Beautiful to see, but surprisingly difficult to photograph.

All that white made macro photography with flash especially tricky. Too much light and the highlights blow out, wiping away the delicate textures and details. Add a tiny insect that refuses to stay still, and getting the shot becomes a real challenge.

But that’s exactly what I love about photographing insects. The closer you look, the stranger and more fascinating their world becomes.

Would you have guessed there was an insect underneath all that white?

09/01/2026

This mantis understood the assignment.

One of my favourite mantis portraits from the field.

08/31/2026

Moths are such fashionistas.

I mean, look at this colour combination! They could style a whole runway, which is one of the reasons I love photographing them so much.

This beautiful Amaxia pulchra tiger moth was photographed at Sachatamia Reserve in Ecuador 🇪🇨. Getting this close with macro photography reveals an entirely different side of moths — the colours, textures and tiny details we rarely get to see.

Nature really does have the best wardrobe.

08/29/2026

08/29/2026

Beetles photographed up close are something else.

The colours, patterns and tiny details are exactly why photographing them makes me so happy.

Which one is your favourite from 2 to 20?

08/28/2026

This tiny frog gave me just a few seconds to get the shot. 🐸

I found this yellow-striped poison frog while exploring the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador during my visit to Yarina Eco Lodge.

These tiny frogs are ridiculously difficult to photograph because they rarely stop moving. Luckily, this one stayed still just long enough for me to use a dead leaf from the forest floor as a natural backdrop and capture this portrait.

One of my favourite things about macro and wildlife photography is getting close enough to discover the incredible little creatures hiding in plain sight.

08/28/2026

A ladybug 🐞 feeding on aphids, the perfect natural pest controller! Happy weekend all!