It's a small world. Readers send in closeup/macro photos

Clifford Oto, The Stockton Record
·3 min read

The subject of this month’s challenge was closeups. Closeup or macro photography brings the world of the small and seemingly insignificant to the forefront. Those who accepted the challenge had to add to ignore their normal-sized scenery and and think on a smaller scale.

Sixteen readers sent in a total of 77 photos. Here are the top picks

Steven Rapaport of Stockton used a Canon EOS 5D MK IV DSLR camera to photograph a ladybug on a flower at he Wine and Roses Inn in Lodi.
Steven Rapaport of Stockton used a Canon EOS 5D MK IV DSLR camera to photograph a ladybug on a flower at he Wine and Roses Inn in Lodi.

First place goes to Stocktonian Steven Rapaport’s photo of a ladybug crawling on a brightly colored flower at the Wine and Roses Inn in Lodi. With a Canon EOS 5D MK IV DSLR camera equipped with a 100mm macro lens, he was able to get in extremely close to his subject. At this close range the scene looks more like an otherworldly creature traveling through an alien landscape rather than an insect on a flower. The ladybug’s reach red color contrasts nicely against the purple of the flower’s petals.

Colleen Keenan of Stockton used an Apple iPhone 12 Mini to photograph her cat Princess Leia's eye at her home.
Colleen Keenan of Stockton used an Apple iPhone 12 Mini to photograph her cat Princess Leia's eye at her home.

Colleen Keenan of Stockton captures second place with her image of her cat Princess Leia. With her Apple iPhone 12 Mini, Keenan got within about 3 inches of her cat and used its zoom function to get in even closer. The result is an extreme closeup of the cat’s eye, capturing detail in the eyeball and surrounding fur.

Bettina Engelman used a Sony A7ii camera digital mirrorless camera to photograph a calla Lilly at her home.
Bettina Engelman used a Sony A7ii camera digital mirrorless camera to photograph a calla Lilly at her home.

Stocktonian Bettina Engelman’s third place photo is all about elegance.

With a Sony A7ii camera digital mirrorless camera she captured a calla lily in a neighbor’s yard. With the flower backlit, she used a Sony A7ii camera digital mirrorless camera to photograph the exterior of the flower. The spadix, or central spike of the plant can be seen vaguely silhouetted against the opaque spathe or leaf-like petal. Detail of the veins of the spathe can clearly be seen and give some texture to the plant. The curved tip of the spathe curls outward onto itself and is silhouetted against the white of the flower added to its grace.

Bonnie Huggins of Lathrop used a Nikon D3500 DSLR camera to photograph a succulent in her front yard.
Bonnie Huggins of Lathrop used a Nikon D3500 DSLR camera to photograph a succulent in her front yard.

After a rain storm Bonnie Huggins of Stockton photographed an Echeveria succulent in her front yard. With a Nikon D3500  DSLR camera she photographed the plant straight down from above. She captured the plant’s repeating broken circular pattern of the leaves and the pastel green color with the collected raindrops adding visual accents and freshness to the overall image.

Susan Scott of Stockton used a Canon EOS Rebel XS to photograph berries on a flowering pear tree at her home.
Susan Scott of Stockton used a Canon EOS Rebel XS to photograph berries on a flowering pear tree at her home.

Susan Scott of Stockton also used rain drops to her photographic advantage. was looking out her window onto a flowering pear tree in yard on a recent rainy day to find her closeup photo. With a Canon EOS Rebel XS DSLR camera she photographed the budding “berries” on the tree as rain drops beaded up on them like tiny glistening jewels.

For first place, Rapaport receives a 16”x20” print from UlmerPhoto and a $25 gift card to a local eatery. Keenan gets a 11”x14” print for second and Engelman gets an 8”x10” print for third. All the photos can be seen in an online gallery at recordnet.com. A new challenge will be issued on Apr. 30.

This article originally appeared on The Record: Readers get small with closeup pictures for Readers Photo Challenge