In photography are defined close-up those shots that portray subjects with a magnification factor less than or equal to 1:1, that is, capturing small subjects or details in the size they really have in nature. For higher magnification factors we talk about macro photography.
The camera placed very close to the subject or zooms allow you to see details impossible to recognize with the naked eye.

For the third year, the Close-up Photographer of the Year (CUPOTY) awarded prizes for the best photography in this genre, with a competition that saw over 9,000 images competing in 2021. The photographers, both professional and amateur, came from 55 countries and the winner was Pål Hermansen from Norway, with a shot of an insect pattern. The competition is organized into 9 categories, divided according to the subjects depicted (underwater creatures, butterflies and dragonflies, landscapes, plants and mushrooms, animals, intimate landscapes, manmade, micro and shots by young photographers). Close-ups in the competition include spider dances in the dark, reptile fights, illuminated mushroom spores and sea creatures intent on guarding their eggs attached to a coral.

All competition close-ups can be seen on the CUPOTY website.