Search for ‘macro’

Macro & Close-up Photography using your Camera’s Macro Mode

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Macro and close-up photography is all about enlarging small subjects so we can see the beauty (or some might say ugliness in the case of some subjects) that we would otherwise miss.

Libélula I
Libélula I by | Ray | on flickr (licensed CC-BY-SA)

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Written by Discover Digital Photography

March 21st, 2013 at 12:09 pm

Macro & Close-up Photography using Macro Lenses

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If you have an interchangeable lens camera, you can purchase a macro lens for your camera. A macro lens allows you to focus much closer (and so obtain greater magnification) than a standard lens.

Thorny Pettle
Thorny Pettle by the_tahoe_guy on flickr (licensed CC-BY)

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Written by Discover Digital Photography

March 24th, 2013 at 12:09 pm

Types of flash for Close-up and Macro Photography

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While there are a few macro photographers that get great results using the camera's pop-up flash flash, most tend to prefer using a separate flash unit. This allows more for more control over the lighting.

As well as using standard speedlight flashes, there are two types of flash produced specifically for macro and close-up photography - macro ringlights, and macro twin lights.

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Abstract Macro Photography Tips & Ideas

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Abstract photography can be used to create an image that conveys some combination of shape, lines, form, and color, without conveying a specific object or scene. A good way to find interesting abstract compositions can be to focus in tightly on detail of an object, rather than photographing the object itself.

With a close-up or macro lens, virtually any subject can be used to create an abstract composition. You just need to look at it closely, in a way that you wouldn't normally.

Close-up photo of a grater
Close-up photo of a grater

In this article I'll share some ideas of good subjects for abstract macro photography, along with some photographic tips.

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Cheap macro with diopter filter close-up lenses

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Diopter close-up lenses are small, thin lenses that you can screw on to the front of a standard lens like a filter. They allow the lens to focus much closer than normal, so you can get macro / close-up photos without a real macro lens.

Dragonfly photo taken using a close-up diopter lens
I Love Rain (Explored #15, Front-Page) by Yogendra174 on flickr (licensed CC-BY)

They have a couple of main advantages:

  • Can be used on cameras without interchangeable lenses, such as bridge cameras
  • Much cheaper than a macro lens
  • Small enough to carry in a pocket
  • No light loss (unlike extension tubes)
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Written by Discover Digital Photography

February 27th, 2012 at 3:01 pm

What is macro photography?

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Macro and close-up photography provide a way to make the unseen visible. It can highlight details and show us beauty we would otherwise have missed. Essentially macro photography is taking photos that magnify these small items and details so that they can be seen easily.

Macro
Macro by Hachi Gatsu on flickr (licensed CC-BY)

If you want to learn more about macro photography, there are some common terms used when discussing it, which it can be helpful to understand what they mean. In articles about macro and close-up photography, and in online discussion forums, you will often come across terms such as:

  • true macro
  • magnification ratio
  • life size
  • ratios such as 1:1 and 1:2

In this article I want to explain what these terms mean how they relate to actual photographic practice.

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Macro Photography – A Brief Discussion

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Macro photography is one of the most attractive and popular forms of photography. According to some experts it is very easy to master the art and techniques of macro photography – and that is, perhaps, the secret behind its fame.

I don't need shades to look cool
I don't need shades to look cool by Andrea on flickr (licensed CC-BY)

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Written by Guest

March 10th, 2011 at 5:00 am

Macro Lens Focal Lengths Compared

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If you are interested in purchasing a macro lens, you have probably noticed that there are a range of focal lengths available, ranging from about 60mm to 200mm. So why would you choose a long focal length macro lens over a short focal length, or vice versa?

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) Butterfly
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) Butterfly by David Kennard Photography - taken with a 100mm macro lens

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Written by Discover Digital Photography

March 19th, 2011 at 5:00 am

Macro & Close-up Photography Tips – Focusing

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Focusing for macro and close-up photography is usually best done manually. At close-focus distances lenses can sometimes find it hard to lock focus. If a lens racks the focus out to infinity and then back again before it finally focuses on the subject, this can take some time. It may not even be able to find focus on the subject, and leave you with an unfocused image in the viewfinder.

DSC_1355
DSC_1355 by Ben Fredericson (xjrlokix) on flickr (licensed CC-BY) - photo taken using manual focus

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Written by Discover Digital Photography

July 28th, 2013 at 12:13 pm

Macro Photography Using Flash – How To Avoid Black Backgrounds & Harsh Lighting

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In the last couple of articles we've looked at lighting for macro and close-up photos, and the different flash configurations available. In this article I want to look at a couple of problems you are likely to come up against when using flash to light your macro photos. These issues with are black or dark backgrounds, and harsh lighting.

Macro Photography Using Flash – How To Avoid Black Backgrounds & Harsh Lighting

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Written by Discover Digital Photography

August 21st, 2013 at 1:33 pm