Curiosity behind the lens
Recently I began a macro photography course with Tony North. Like many people, I expected to learn techniques—lighting, focus stacking, composition. But I didn’t expect it to change my perspective on the natural world.
The more time I’ve spent photographing nature, the more I’ve realised that beautiful images are only part of the story. For years I was content simply making photographs. Now I find myself wanting to understand the lives of the things I’m photographing, and asking very different questions.
Why does this insect live here? Why are these flowers growing together? What role does this fungus play? Why are some woodlands full of life while others appear quiet?
On a recent visit to Turvey Nature Reserve, I went with a very simple objective: to practise depth of field and experiment with using a diffuser. Instead, I came home with something I hadn’t expected—a growing curiosity about the plants themselves. I found myself reading about buttercups and great willowherb, discovering that the latter has long been associated with traditional herbal remedies because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Seeing connections
As I explored the flowers, the air was alive with butterflies and insects. The morning had warmed quickly and everything seemed to be in constant motion. Photographing butterflies proved difficult, but one hoverfly repeatedly returned to the buttercups.
I watched it for several minutes. Unlike the bees nearby, which seemed to disappear headfirst into each flower, the hoverfly paused in mid-air before approaching each blossom, almost as if it were making a decision. Whether that’s what it was doing I honestly don’t know—but I realised I wanted to find out.
I managed to capture this brief moment in flight. It’s just a photograph, but for me it has become something more—a reminder that every image hints at a much larger story unfolding beyond the frame.
What this means for The Natural Muse
As I move forward, I can feel my perspective beginning to shift. Every walk now feels a little different. The camera still comes first, but increasingly it’s accompanied by a notebook, a field guide and plenty of questions.
Photography remains at the heart of everything I do, but I’m beginning to realise that every image has a story beyond the frame. Understanding that story—how species are connected, why they live where they do and the role they play within their habitats—adds another layer of appreciation to every photograph.
I’m not setting out to become an expert, and I’m certainly not setting out to teach. If The Natural Muse has always been about encouraging people to slow down and appreciate nature, perhaps this is simply the next step. Slowing down for long enough to ask why.