I have a new Instagram account, Ant-Man’s World! It’s about microscopic photography. Everything from flowers to bugs, spices, teas, and anything else I can think of to look at microscopically. There’s no end to the possibilities, though practicality and time will be my limitations. I already have collected over 100 things to look at, of which I will photograph, and maybe even arrange to paint as still lifes! The world doesn’t need more fruit bowls and such for still lifes! Or at least I won’t contribute to the monotony if I will have to do still lifes for learning painting, which I am doing.
For this Instagram, I will be using two handheld, photo and video taking, microscopes – an Andonstar A1 and a Skybasic (one of many similar brand names) microscope. I have both because both have their advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, a stand that doesn’t lock in place easily (a little movement locking things in place), is a disadvantage both share. When looking at tiny things less than a millimetre in size at high magnification, the tiniest movement can throw that hard fought focus out of whack all too easily. I’ll have to find a better stand.
They microscopes are actually like endoscopes in their mobility and versatility compared to a static downward looking microscope, which is why this is exciting. Microscope is ancient news to me. With this, you can combine artistic photography with angles, lighting, backgrounds, etc. in addition to keeping your eyes out for all kinds of interesting stuff! You’re not just sliding something on a plate or background and looking at it from above straight down, which is also rather limiting for what you can capture, like the bug shit just about to come out of a Chiasognathus genus beetle from Peru, monguilloni species, I think. My friend Alex had one from decades ago to give me. Thanks, Alex!
In taking photos of this beetle, I went for the usual places first: head, eyes, mouth, mandibles, legs, etc. But then when I went around and explored it, I realized I forgot it had a butt like all creatures do (at least vast majority if not all). As I looked there, I saw there was some shit stuck in it, and voila! My favourite microscopic photo I’ve ever taken!
Here’s to many more fun and interesting photos! Please do give it a follow if you think you’d like it, or tell others about it! Thanks!
Oh, the Instagram is called Ant-Man’s World because, well, it’d be like if you were someone Ant-man’s size going around and seeing the world from that perspective!
