Teenage Photographer Wins Global Macro Photography Title Using Decade-Old Gear to Capture Rare Bee Behavior

Young photographer Rithved Girish wins Young Close-up Photographer of the Year for his stunning 2026 image of stingless bees in India.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 25, 2026, 6:47 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from ECONEWS

The Patient Sentinel of the Stingless Bee Nest

During a summer visit to his family’s ancestral home in Mezhathur, Kerala, Rithved Girish focused his lens on a tiny, architectural marvel: a mud-and-resin tube built by stingless bees. These insects, likely members of the Tetragonula family, utilize these specialized entrances as a fortress against predators. Girish’s winning entry, "Guardians of the Hive," depicts several bees positioned as a living shield at the mouth of the nest. The image captures a moment of intense natural behavior, transforming a simple patch of an old wall into a dramatic scene of evolutionary defense.

Technological Restraint in a Digital Age

One of the most notable aspects of the award-winning photograph is the equipment used to produce it. In an industry often dominated by the pursuit of the latest mirrorless technology and expensive optics, Girish utilized a Nikon D850, a professional DSLR body that is nearly a decade old. Paired with a third-party macro lens, the setup proves that high-level environmental storytelling is a product of technical skill and patience rather than cutting-edge hardware. This choice has resonated with the photography community, serving as a reminder that understanding a subject's behavior is the most vital component of wildlife photography.

A Global Platform for Minute Wonders

The Close-up Photographer of the Year competition is currently recognized as the world’s largest contest dedicated to macro photography, receiving over 12,000 entries from 63 countries in its latest iteration. A diverse jury of 22 experts, including naturalists and editors, selected Girish’s work for its ability to convey a complex narrative within a small frame. By highlighting the intricate lives of insects that are frequently ignored, the competition aims to bridge the gap between scientific observation and public appreciation for the planet's smallest inhabitants.