DECAY DIARIES: DISCOVERING THE BEAUTY OF ROT, RUST, AND RUIN THROUGH MACRO

Decay is usually seen as a sign of failure, of neglect, corrosion, and abandonment. It marks the places we leave behind and the things we no longer touch. But for those who carry a macro lens, decay is not the end of something, but the beginning of a fascinating visual story. Up close, rot becomes a rich texture, rust becomes a complex pattern, and ruin becomes poetry. Welcome to the world of Decay Diaries, where beauty isn’t found in perfection, but in what is slowly falling apart.

- ANIRUDH IYER

The Allure of the Forgotten

Macro photography has a way of flipping the world on its head. What we might walk past without a second glance - a crumbling wall, a rusted hinge, a bruised fruit - suddenly transforms into something captivating when seen a few centimeters away. Details emerge: delicate cracks, explosive colours, structures layered like geological strata.

There's something deeply meditative about photographing decay. It requires slowing down, seeing not just what's there, but what’s happening. Every spot of rot or smear of rust is an unfolding process. Each tells a quiet story of time, transformation, and return.

Rot: The Slow Rebirth

Decomposition might be the most misunderstood form of beauty. When a leaf breaks down, it doesn’t simply vanish, it morphs! Its veins become skeletons, its surface flakes into lace. Fruit, as it ferments and collapses, glows with unexpected colours and textures: deep purples, bruised blues, earthy browns, even soft, ghostly whites of spreading mould.

Fungi and bacteria bring their own aesthetic. Under macro, a simple mould bloom reveals a forest of tiny filaments topped with dew-like spores. What was once repulsive becomes otherworldly. Photographed well, rot takes on a quiet dignity, almost painterly in its colour and form.

To capture rot is to embrace transience. Lighting plays a key role - soft diffused light brings out subtle textures, while directional light carves dimension. Subjects change rapidly. One day, you might see a fascinating bloom; the next, it’s gone. Decay doesn’t wait.

Rust: Time Etched in Metal