PRESS ROOM

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

While many insects and other invertebrates at the Belle Isle Nature Center (BINC) are hunkered down for winter, their stunning portraits will be exhibited outdoors on the property for all visitors to behold.

The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) has installed a macro photography exhibit around the exterior of the BINC. Titled Overlooked, the exhibit by photographer Joseph Ferraro is comprised of portraits that magnify the fascinating and hidden lives of insects to larger-than-life proportions.

Macro photography is an art form characterized by extreme close-up images of tiny living creatures and objects that reveal brilliant details and actions otherwise imperceptible to human eyes. Overlooked specifically focuses on the insects who live in the pollinator garden at the BINC. Numerous portraits, as large as 4 by 5 feet, will be exhibited at the Nature Center and near the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, a neighboring facility on Detroit’s historic Belle Isle.

The goal of the Belle Isle Nature Center is to help people and urban wildlife thrive together in the spaces we share. Fittingly, Overlooked tells the story of insects and other invertebrates whom humans may walk past every day without noticing. Ferraro’s photographs demonstrate the importance of these creatures and encourage audiences to grow as stewards of urban wildlife and nature.

“Through photographing insects,” says Ferraro, “I have fallen in love with a world I never knew existed, inspiring me to continually look more closely at this overlooked world around us. Where I once planted gardens for myself, I now cultivate spaces and grow plants for the benefit of the insects.”

Belle Isle Nature Center Director Amy Greene points out that the exhibit will take on a different meaning with each passing season. “It will be exciting to explore these spaces and view these fascinating photos outdoors throughout the seasons, observing the changes in the nearby plants and flowers while the photos remain in place,” said Greene.

The Belle Isle Nature Center provides free-of-charge experiences and programming that connect humans and urban wildlife in the spaces they share. The Nature Center is currently open for outdoor programming only.