Macro photos taken with a laser pointer lens add a level of magnification that brings out amazing details in the most ordinary objects, from sugar to toothpaste to a set of old house keys.

These revealing, amateur photos were posted to Reddit by user "jimineyprickit" and found their way to the social news site's front page in less than 5 hours. It's easy to see why.

Just a word to the wise: Don't plan on staring at the close-ups of the laptop and television screens for too long. The magnified pixels feel mildly seizure-inducing.

While some professional macro lenses can cost hundreds of dollars, one improvised substitute, used in conjunction with a mobile phone, can be made cheaply and with minimal technical know-how. Check out this quick, step-by-step guide to making your own.

But even if you're looking to buy some semi-professional gear, equipment isn't everything.

"You can do a lot with a little," macrophotographer Thomas Shahan advised in a blog for The Huffington Post. "Great photos truly come from the photographer, not the camera."

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