I'm Domenico Caldesi, an Italian wildlife and macro photographer based in Zurich, Switzerland. I spend much of my free time exploring fields and forests, searching for the small details that often go unnoticed: insects, butterflies, flowers, fungi, and the hidden beauty of the natural world around me.

Macro photography is what first drew me in. At ground level, there is an incredible universe that reveals itself only when you slow down and observe carefully. Through my images, I try to share those small moments and the stories hidden in nature.

My photography philosophy is to work with natural light whenever possible, using it to capture the atmosphere, textures, and authentic mood of the scene. In challenging situations, such as photographing fungi in dark environments, extreme magnification, or shooting handheld in difficult conditions, I sometimes use artificial lighting as a tool to reveal details that would otherwise remain hidden.

I prefer to keep my images as close as possible to what I experienced in the field. My post-processing is intentionally minimal, usually limited to cropping, color adjustments, and subtle refinements to saturation and contrast. When necessary, I also use focus stacking to overcome the extremely shallow depth of field inherent to high-magnification macro photography. Rather than altering the scene, it allows me to faithfully reproduce the details that were already there but could not be captured in a single exposure.

I believe the best photographs come from patience, observation, and respect for the subjects I encounter. Spending time in nature, waiting for the right moment, and understanding the behavior of the creatures and environments around me are essential parts of my photographic journey.

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