Bio
Catalin Sandu is a Toronto-based photographer whose work spans sports, architecture and abstract photography, but whose true passion is macro. From flowers to insects to arachnids, he explores the small worlds that often go unnoticed, working exclusively with natural light and patiently seeking out the details that most people walk past. His work has earned various awards over the years, most notably gold and silver awards in the nature competitions of CAPA.
“Being part of Team Canada at the World Photographic Cup is a true privilege. It’s humbling to stand alongside such talented photographers and to carry our country’s name onto a global stage.”
2027 – Nature / Wildlife
The candy-striped spider (Enoplognatha ovata) is a small spider, only about 6 mm in body length, yet it is a remarkably capable predator, able to take down prey many times its own size. This image was captured in Wilket Creek Park, Toronto, an urban green space close to my home where I regularly go out to shoot macro. On this occasion it was my wife who first noticed the spider and pointed it out to me. It was tucked inside a leaf that it had curled and fastened shut with silk, and inside that shelter it held its catch: a botfly, substantially larger than the spider itself.