A new photography exhibition that zooms in on Sherwood Forest’s micro-inhabitants will be swarming through Nottinghamshire libraries this summer and autumn.

The Sherwood Forest Up Close exhibition launched this month at Mansfield Library and showcases the spectacular images of natural history photographer Alex Hyde.

The exhibition, delivered as part of the Miner2Major project, which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, provides an insight into the smaller, often-hidden species that live in Sherwood Forest.

Alex has visited sites around the Sherwood Forest area, such as the RPSB Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve, Vicar Water County Park, Spa Pond woods, Ransom Wood and Rainworth Heath.

Alex’s photographs reveal the intricate detail, beauty, and character of insects and spiders often overlooked by the naked eye. His work involves using specialised equipment and various macro and microscope lenses to photograph subjects that can be smaller than a grain of rice.

“I first developed an interest in photography as a means of getting closer to the natural world,” he said. “When composing a scene of an insect or spider through my macro lens, I am always struck with a sense of discovery.

To this day I delight in revealing tiny details of subjects that would be missed by the naked eye. Nature provides me with an endless array of fascinating subjects and I am confident that I will never tire of photographing them.”

Steve Little, scheme manager of Miner2Major, added; “Alex’s photographs are breathtaking, shining a spotlight on some the fascinating and important species that we live
alongside and rarely get to see.”

Visitors can go and see Sherwood Forest Up Close at Mansfield Library until 10th August and at its upcoming tour locations at Worksop Library between 6th September – 18th October, and West Bridgford Library between 28th November – 20th December 2023.