Nature Photography How To

Muhammad Roem considers himself an “amateur” photographer, but you wouldn’t know that from looking at the incredible close-up images he shoots of insects and other critters.

Based in Batam, Indonesia, Roem’s amazing photographs include everything from dancing frogs to lizards, spiders, dragonflies, and a wide variety of other insects.

Roem’s extremely tight macro shots are particularly fascinating as they reveal details of critters that you can’t see with the naked eye. In fact, some of his subjects look more like aliens than anything we’d find on Earth.

“Macro photography taught me how to recognize shapes and insects’ faces,” he says, adding that, “The faces of little insects are unique and unusual to look at.”

Roem explains that his form of photography takes considerable patience and a high shutter count but the results are well worth the time.

The island of Batam where Roem lives is a short boat ride from Singapore and is known for its lively nightlife, duty-free shopping, as well as an abundance of insects, reptiles, and other wildlife suitable for macro photography.

You can see more of Roem’s exceptional work on his 500px page. And be sure to read our recent story with helpful tips on how you can get great macro shots yourself.