The Beginnings

I started macro photography in May 2008 after getting my Nikon D80, and my first macro lens was the Tamron 90mm. It was subsequently upgraded to the Tamron 180mm within 8 months as it opened up some of the limitations I faced with the Tamron 90mm. After 3 years, I switched to the Nikkor 200mm because of the smaller lens diameter (to use the Raynox without vignetting on a full-frame body). Being the ridiculously fickle-minded macro photographer that I am, I am now back with the Tamron 90mm and using it 99% of the time. I occasionally use mirrorless systems such as the Sony A7 series and the Olympus EM10 series as well. Check my Macro Equipment page for more details on my setups.

Why Macro Photography?

I like discovering tiny living things and showing pictures of them to others who normally would not have bothered to see them up close. It is like a window to an alien world that’s right under our noses. Even after over 10 years of trudging through the same trails in the forest, I still get to photograph insects or spiders that I’ve not seen before, and that’s what keeps the passion strong.

About Macro Photography in Singapore

Despite being an urban jungle, Singapore has an abundance of macro photography opportunities. Its tropical climate provides a warm environment for most insects to thrive in. Keep a keen lookout for little critters, for they could be just beside you, even in your home! Every year, I make a few trips to the tropical rainforests in the region as they certainly have a different diversity of critters compared to the local ones.

Photography Philosophy

I am more of a documenter than an artist. This is evident in my Flickr stream where I post even the out of focus or poorly composed shots as it is where I document all my findings. Of course, artistically inclined endeavors will be attempted when the situation permits. However, in most cases, I would just have classic views of the subjects that I find.

There are many macro photographers who take better pictures than I do. The only difference is that I document the photos with information on the subjects’ biology and taxonomy, and that adds immense value to the photos.

Watermarks

I have added watermarks to my photographs due to an overwhelming number of incidents of unauthorized usage, especially on Facebook pages. There were also numerous blogs and websites stealing the images and putting their own site URL watermarks on my photos. Some may say that once you upload photos on the internet, it becomes free for all to use and there is no loss for me. That is not true – having the photos freely proliferated devalues the photo as legitimate buyers cannot opt for exclusivity. Read about an example of the compensation you may be liable for if you use photos without permission from the legitimate owner. So, yes the watermark is not small. As much as I hate doing it, the watermarks will remain. If you think that removing the watermark and using it is ok, read this example where a simple copyright infringement cost US$7500.

Introduction Video

Video by Calvin Seah, RazorTV, Singapore Press Holdings

Advertising

Some companies have contacted me to do product advertorials before. I am open to such offers but only if it has a direct relation to macro photography and if I truly believe in the product. If the product is unsuitable for macro photography and not of interest to the readers, I would prefer not to include it on the blog.

Copyright and Contact

All images on this website are owned by Nicky Bay, unless otherwise stated. For any enquiries regarding the use of my photos or for macro photography workshops, please contact me at [email protected].