Macro at Learning Forest
– Text by Lee Shi Qing & AL Lee

12th Sep 2026, Singapore – Shutter Journey recently returned to Learning Forest at the Singapore Botanic Gardens for a two-part macro photography walk, covering both the evening and night sessions. Learning Forest has always been one of our favourite locations for macro photography, as we can almost always count on finding a wide variety of insects and other tiny creatures during our visits.

This outing was also a special milestone for us, marking our 53rd macro photography visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens since 2009. Over the years, the gardens have continued to offer countless opportunities for our members to explore nature through their macro lenses, discover new subjects and sharpen their photography skills.

One of the interesting aspects of organising an evening and night macro walk is the opportunity to explore two different periods of insect activity.

During the evening session, we searched for insects returning from their daytime activities and those still moving around among the vegetation as daylight faded. As darkness gradually set in, the environment changed, and we began looking for nocturnal insects that emerge after sunset to hunt, feed or carry on with their nightly activities.

The transition from evening to night offers a different perspective on the same environment. Subjects that were relatively easy to spot earlier may become harder to find, while other creatures begin to appear. For macro photographers, this means adapting to changing conditions, observing carefully and being ready to capture whatever nature presents.

For this outing, I took the opportunity to practise using the Olympus Close-Up Filter with my Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II and Olympus Twin Flash setup.

It turned out to be a rather challenging experience. Adding the close-up filter changed the minimum focusing distance considerably, and getting the subject into focus required much more patience than I had anticipated. I often had to make repeated focusing adjustments and take several shots before managing to secure a usable image.

Working at such close distances leaves very little room for error. Even a slight movement of the camera or subject can affect the result, making it important to control both the focusing distance and camera position carefully.

Clearly, there is still plenty for me to learn about using this setup effectively. More practice will be needed before I can become comfortable with the close-up filter and make the most of its capabilities. Nevertheless, experimenting with unfamiliar equipment is part of the learning process, and every outing provides valuable experience.

Considering Singapore’s recent hot and humid weather, we were pleasantly surprised that there were not many mosquitoes during our walk. Thankfully, our group was spared the usual mosquito bites that can sometimes accompany outdoor activities after dark.

We also experienced occasional light breezes along the way, making the walk a little more comfortable despite the humidity.

Overall, it was another enjoyable outing for Shutter Journey. Returning to a familiar location does not necessarily mean repeating the same experience. By exploring at different times of the day and experimenting with new equipment, we continue to discover fresh photographic opportunities.

Our 53rd macro visit to the Singapore Botanic Gardens is another reminder of why we keep coming back. There is always something new to find when we take the time to look closely at the natural world — whether under the evening light or in the darkness of night.

Keen to join our walks? Click here to join our Whatapps Group!!

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Contributing Editor – Lee Shi Qing

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About Chief Editor AL Lee

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