Alex’s Story
My name is Alexander McKerracher, though most people call me Alex. I grew up in a small town in Southern Ontario that is known for it’s amazing conservation area and friendly neighbors. While the conservation area isn’t the largest in the province, it’s like having a small slice of Algonquin Provincial Park in my backyard and is loved by locals and visitors from all over. My love for the outdoors started when I was young. I have many memories exploring the local conservation area when I was a child. Being in nature truly makes me happy, I love to spend time in the forests and observe all the life around me. My goal is to create a sense of appreciation for nature and what it has to offer for whoever sees my work. Whether it’s a tiny insect or a vast landscape, it all needs to be cared for.
Alex McKerracher
28 Years Old
Ontario, Canada
It is this enjoyment of nature which has led me to start photographing insects, spiders, slime molds and other small things in nature. Throughout the earlier years of my life I never paid too much attention to these smaller aspects of the world. There was still some curiosity but not enough for action. That changed once Covid came around. With the world around me locked down, getting out to hike was one of the only ways I could enjoy being out of the house. Without any major cities close by it was easy to go for a hike and not encounter anyone else the entire time. I really slowed down during these times and started to observe the life around me. The more I looked, the more curious I became. Eventually I ended up searching photos of spider & insects on Instagram and was blown away with the details, colours and features of these tiny creatures. Seeing them up close made them more interesting and less scary. After this, I knew I had to get a proper macro camera setup and photograph anything small.
One of my goals with my nature photography is to make people aware of how amazing and important all the aspects of nature are. The thing that captures me the most with insects is their behaviour and all the little details I can see through my camera. Being able to watch them be curious and go about the day is fascinating. Seeing all the colours, textures and little features is so enjoyable as well. I want to capture the most interesting details of them and their behaviours. I hope my work will also give people a greater appreciation and respect for the nature around them. We must sustain this beautiful world not only for the billions of people who will live on it after our time but for the uncountable amount of life we currently share this world with.