Pandemic Zen & the Macro Lens: What Happens When You Lock Down a Photographer

Let’s rewind to the apocalyptic vibes of 2020. Toilet paper was a rare commodity, banana bread became a competitive sport, and suddenly everyone was an expert on sourdough starters. While the world was hoarding yeast, I did what any rational, totally-not-overcompensating-for-existential-dread person would do: I bought a Canon 5D Mark II and strapped on a 100mm f/2.8 L Macro lens like I was about to shoot National Geographic: Backyard Edition.

And then… I went to war with the garden.

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Welcome to the Jungle: Micro Edition

Image 1: Tiny purple explosions of floral defiance. These flowers look like they’re plotting something — like if fairies had a rave and invited only the cool plants.

Image 2: A botanical mohawk. This baby basil isn’t just sprouting — it’s making a punk statement. It’s saying, “Yes, I photosynthesize, but I also play bass in a garage band.”

Image 3: Mint leaves up close look like a thousand tiny bearded dragons holding hands. Velvety. Green. And slightly judgy. This plant knows you forgot to water it last week.

Image 4: Lavender just before the glow-up. She’s poised. She’s unbloomed. She’s that introvert at the party who’s about to drop the best dance move when her jam hits.

Image 5: Purple basil tower of power. Standing tall like the Gandalf of the herb garden — ancient, mysterious, and probably about to shout “You shall not pass!” to an unsuspecting slug.

Images 6 & 7: Corn leaf or alien runway? Either way, the veins in these photos are serving geometry. They’re Mother Nature’s flex tape — form, function, and full-blown art.

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Lessons Learned While Lying in the Dirt

Here’s what macro photography during lockdown taught me:
1. Stillness is a superpower. Want to nail that perfect focus at 1:1? Breathe like a sniper in a meditation retreat.
2. Beauty is everywhere, especially in the places we usually ignore — like the underside of a mint leaf or the way a lavender bud curls in on itself.
3. Gear matters, but curiosity matters more. That L glass helped, but it was curiosity that made me crawl through the grass like David Attenborough with a caffeine addiction.

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Final Thoughts (Aka: Go Touch Some Plants)

If Tom Bilyeu taught us to chase growth, and Gary V said to document over create, then this is it. This is both. The growth was literal. The documentation? Well, it was just me, my camera, and enough pollen to take down a small horse.

So go ahead. Get a macro lens. Lay face-down in the garden. Photograph a leaf like it’s the next Vogue cover. Find your Zen in the chlorophyll.

Because sometimes, when the world shuts down… it’s the smallest things that open you up.

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📸 Captured & Edited

Shot with: Apple iPhone 14 Max Pro
Edited using: Lightroom Mobile & Skylum Luminar AI
**AI Images: ** Created using Sora & Grok, using my own prompts

All photos are my own work. Dive deeper and explore more on my website or check out my links.

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