🔎 Take a closer look

The Close-up Photographer of the Year 2023 competition has declared its finalists and winners. Among them: a shrimp floating over a rainbow sea star, a butterfly peering in at a wedding party, and ants firing off acid to protect their territory (above).

• The contest, which is in its fifth year, celebrates both micro and macro photography and strives to show the hidden wonders of our natural world.

🐜 Tiny things matter, too. “It’s often easier for people to get behind conservation stories featuring ‘cute’ or more obvious animals and plants: rhinos, pandas, orchids," said competition co-founder and jury member Tracy Calder. "But the lesser-known insects and plants we often consider weeds have a huge role to play in keeping everything balanced. Close-up photography often showcases these animals and plants."