A Close-Up Look At Macro

Discover the beauty of nature with Macro!

Nature is packed full of amazing art. Macro, or close-up, photography is one way of seeing that beauty in a new light and showing off your camera's magical powers.

The classical definition of Macro Photography is that the image projected on the "film plane" (i.e., film or a digital sensor) is close to the same size as the subject.

Almost every digital camera will have a Macro setting. It usually looks like a tulip.

When you activate the Macro setting, the digital camera will focus at a closer range.

On a personal note, when I first discovered this setting on my little 3-megapixel Olympus, it changed my future. It is what gave me the photography "itch".

Macro Image of Hibiscus petals taken with a Canon Powershot A95

Compact Digital Cameras and Macro

Todays' digital cameras have come a long way since my Olympus camera days. There are a couple of things that can help you take better Macro photos with your Compact Digital camera that were not available back then.

The first advantage is an articulating LCD screen. These are LCD screens with the capability of tilting and twisting so you can put your camera in positions where you could not see the display if it was immovable.

Macro Image of Green Spider taken with Sigma 105mm dedicated Macro Lens

Digital SLR and Macro

When you are using a Digital SLR camera, you have the advantage of changing lenses to shoot a close-up, or Macro, image. If you are interested in this type of photography, then getting a dedicated Macro lens is well worth the cost.

Macro lenses are engineered to focus differently than a normal lens. The very best macro lenses are "prime" lenses. This means they have a single focal length rather than a zoom range.

Popular lenses in the Macro category include the Canon 100mm, Nikon 105mm, Sigma 105mm, and Tamron 90mm.

Longer focal lengths would be the Canon 180mm, Nikon 180mm, and Sigma 180mm.

Purchasing off-brand lenses from trusted manufacturers like Sigma and Tamron can give you great quality and save you money at the same time.

Tips for Macro Shooting

There are a few things you can do to help yourself in the Macro Photography area.

1. Use a tripod. The closer you get to your subject, the more movement affects your shot. A tripod will save you much frustration by minimizing the possibility of movement and blur.
2. Get a dedicated Macro Lens. This was already mentioned, but bears repeating. The right lens for the job will make your photos so much better. Lens manufacturers use special glass to accomplish the best results, and the configuration of the glass is done so that you can get much closer than when you are using any other type of lens.
3. Check your Aperture. Set your aperture to a very small setting, preferably higher than f/13. The reason for this is that the closer you get, the less depth of field you have. Settings of f/13 to f/32 will give you the most detail in your shot.
4. Watch the light. Early morning is the best time for shooting just about any nature shot, but it is especially nice for close-ups. Bright sun causes harsh shadows and blown out bright spots. You can also eliminate shadows and brights by using a shade. A collapsible disc or an umbrella work nicely to reduce the effects of bright sunlight. There are even times when the shadow of your own body will save the shot for you. Be creative.
5. Watch the weather, specifically the wind. This goes along with the tripod suggestion. Any movement by your subject will ruin your image. This is another good reason to shoot early in the day when the atmosphere is the calmest.