Dara Ojo, Nature’s Macro Photographer   

• Dara Ojo grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, fascinated by the wildlife that slipped through the cracks of a busy city. He borrowed his father’s old Nikon to track and photograph birds and lizards, revealing hidden worlds with great patience. Today, he lives in Edmonton, Canada, and points a different camera at subjects that many people ignore. With a high-resolution macro lens, he photographs insects, spiders, and tiny amphibians, transforming them into colorful portraits that feel larger than life. It was during the 2020 lockdown, on a balcony in China, that Dara Ojo realized a single leaf held enough drama for a full gallery. His close-up of a white-striped longhorn beetle went viral in 2022, catching the attention of schools, museums, conservation groups, and even the U.N. Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed. Ojo has since trekked through Costa Rican rainforests and Alberta wetlands, taking close-up shots of arthropods in their natural habitats. His images appear in exhibitions, on the cover of Nature Alberta, and in the recent documentary “Bugs That Rule the World.” Ojo aims to give insects a spotlight, replace fear with curiosity, and convince the next generation that protecting small creatures is essential for the planet’s survival. May For The Teen Times teen/1751271110/1613367679