Welcome back to the 2026 Photo Challenge! After exploring the art of framing at Elvaston Park last week, it’s time to change our perspective entirely. This week’s theme is Macro Photography.

Macro is all about the details—finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. It’s like traveling into a new world, a mini world that you didn’t even know existed until you looked through the lens.

The Location: Shipley Park, Derbyshire

For this week’s challenge, I headed over to Shipley Park in Derbyshire. If you’re looking for a great spot to shoot, I highly recommend it. The parking is fantastic; there are plenty of spaces and it’s relatively cheap, which always makes the start of a photo walk much smoother.

The Challenge: Forgetting the Essentials

As I was walking from the car, I realized I had made a classic photographer’s mistake. I had remembered my umbrella to keep the gear dry, but I had completely forgotten my tripod.

In the world of macro, a tripod is usually your best friend. Without it, focus stacking (combining multiple images to get everything sharp) becomes nearly impossible. Shooting handheld at such high magnifications is a real test of patience and stability, especially when the conditions aren’t on your side.

Embracing the Rain and Mud

The weather was, frankly, bad. It was raining steadily, and the ground was a patchwork of mud and puddles. But as we learned last week, bad weather can often lead to unique photographic opportunities.

My first discovery was a cluster of mushrooms growing on the side of a tree. The dampness gave them a beautiful, subtle sheen. Just past those, I found a patch of moss that looked absolutely amazing. When you get that close with a macro lens, a simple clump of moss transforms into a lush, alien forest.

Further into the park, I came across several Hawthorn trees. They were heavily draped in lichens, providing intricate textures and patterns that are perfect for close-up work. Even without the tripod, the soft, overcast light helped bring out the natural colors of the Derbyshire landscape.

Back to the Studio: An Artificial Experiment

Since the weather cut my outdoor session a bit short, I decided to head back to my office and experiment with some macro shots using artificial light.

I set up a small “studio” scene:

• The Subject: Some beautiful white roses.
• The Background: I used a television running a YouTube video of moving clouds to create a dynamic, ethereal backdrop.
• The Setup: Finally back with my tripod! I set the camera up with a dedicated light source to control the shadows and highlights precisely.

Reflections

Despite the forgotten gear and the muddy boots, I’m really happy with how the images turned out. Moving from the organic, unpredictable environment of Shipley Park to the controlled setting of my office allowed me to explore two very different sides of macro photography.

Macro reminds us that beauty isn’t always found in the grand landscapes; sometimes, it’s right under our feet (or in a vase on our desk).

What do you think of the “TV background” technique? Have you ever tried using digital screens in your photography? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Next week’s theme is: Rain (not that we don’t have enough already)

Until next week, stay safe and keep shooting!

— Alex