Macro Photography of Insects, Spiders, and Other Tiny Creatures by Kozmic Dreams

"In each little life, we can see great truth and beauty, and in each little life we glimpse the way of all things in the universe. If we allow ourselves to be enchanted by the beauty of the ordinary, we begin to see that all things are extraordinary. If we allow ourselves to be humbled by what we do not know and cannot know, in our humility, we are exalted. If we allow ourselves to recognize the mystery and the wonder of existence, our fogged minds clear. Thinking clearly, we follow wonder to awe, and in a state of awe, we are as close to true wisdom as we will ever be." ---Dean Koontz, excerpt from A Big Little Life

I never dreamt how my life would change with the purchase of a digital camera. Now, insects and spiders have become my favorite photographic subject---I am always amazed at how familiar animals all of a sudden take on a new appearance as viewed through the "eye" of a camera. Our own eyes really are limited when it comes to seeing the small things in life. All of the creatures you will see on these pages were native to the Metro-Detroit area unless otherwise specified.

While I do try to photograph many of these animals in their natural surroundings, I have found that I obtain some of the most detailed photos when I can control the lighting better. Outdoors, the sun often disappears behind the clouds, making it rather frustrating to find a setting that works. By then, the insect is gone. So I often take the insects inside and set up a piece of white matboard with a vase of flowers and make a little "studio".

Canon EOS 80D

Sigma 180mm macro lens

Sigma APO Tele Converter 2x EXDG

Canon MT-24EX Twin Lite Macro Ring Flash

TC-80N3 Timer Remote Controller

Note: Photos from 2003-July 29, 2006 were captured with a Minolta D'Image 7Hi digital camera and "macro adapter". Photos from July 30, 2006-June 2, 2008 were captured with a Canon EOS 30D. Photos from June 2, 2008 - November 28, 2016 were captured with a Canon EOS 40D.

Cicadas	Periodical cicadas	Leaf-hoppers	Ant Lions
Ants	Grasshoppers and Crickets	Katydids	Weevils
Bumblebees and Carpenter Bees	Honeybees	Wasps	Flies and Misc. Flying Insects
Beetles and Misc. Insects	Praying Mantises	Dragonflies	Centipedes and Millipedes

Moths	Pandora Sphinx Moth	5-spotted Hawk Moth	Polyphemus Moth
Butterflies	Monarchs	Black Swallowtail	Skippers

Spiders

Jumping Spiders, Family Salticidae

Jumping Spiders Volume 1: 2005-2007 (mostly Phidippus)	Phidippus Jumping Spiders Volume 2: 2008-2009	Phidippus Jumping Spiders Volume 3: 2010 -	Baby Phidippus audax Jumping Spiders

"Biglegs", a very special Phidippus audax Jumping Spider	"Tufts", a Phidippus clarus, and "Mr. Greenfangs', a Phidippus audax		Phidippus clarus jumping spiders
"Radinka Onawa", the Platycryptus undatus and Friends of her kind	Platycryptus undatus Adults 2012 - present		Platycryptus undatus babies
	Zebra Jumping Spiders	Miscellaneous Jumping Spiders
	Visit my Spider Care Page if you want to learn how to care for your own pet jumping spider.