Macro photography is becoming an increasingly popular form of photography and if you take a quick look at some macro photographs, it really isn’t hard to see why. The fascinating detail that can be captured when you really get close to your subject matter, offers a superb insight into just what things are really like.
Photo sharing sites like ClickASnap are seeing the popularity of this form of photography increasing. So, whether you have already made an attempt at macro photography, or it is something that you are looking at getting into, read on to discover their top tips for the best macro photography.
Steady hands
When you are taking photographs that require you to get really close to your subject matter, it is important to ensure that you have steady hands. You simply cannot afford for the camera to shake, or your photo will end up blurry. This means that you should really invest in a tripod. It doesn’t need to be an incredibly expensive one, just something that will stop your camera from wobbling.
Practice
Any new type of photography that you undertake will require a different set of skills and that is certainly the case with macro photography. Practice is really important if you want to get some incredible images. Play around with the settings on your camera, the lighting, and even with taking photographs of a range of different types of subjects. There are plenty of interesting natural things to be found outdoors that will make great macro photographs. Equally, there are plenty of things in the home as well that will make interesting subjects.
Importantly, don’t be afraid to reach out to other photographers for their best tips and tricks. Macro photography is gaining popularity on sites like photo sharing sites. Within these sites, communities of photographers are available to chat, comment, and review each other’s work. This is the perfect way to gain some free advice from others within the industry!
Invest in the right equipment
It is entirely possible to take macro photos with a DSLR camera or even a point-and-shoot camera with the right settings. However, if you are serious about capturing great macro images then you should consider investing in the right equipment. This means a good quality macro lens. This can really make all of the difference to the images that you manage to capture.
Add tubes
You could also consider fitting extension tubes between the rear mount of your camera lens and the body. This will make the focus that you get from the lens much closer, and this will give you a much larger image of your rather small subject. When you fit an extension tube, you will find that you lose the infinity setting on your focusing range. The more tubes you add, the more this will become a limiting factor.
Control depth of field with aperture
If you want to get the most out of the depth of field that is available to you, you will need to choose a small aperture. Something like f/16 or f/22 should work well. You should find that with a half-life size, the depth of field that you have at f/22 should be about 15mm. You could also think about going to the opposite extreme, this will offer you the minimum sharpness possible if you open either an f/2.8 or f/4 aperture.
If you select the second option, one of the advantages that you might find is that you get highlights that are out-of-focus. These may show up looking like bubbles and this could add something to your photograph.
Point of focus
It is really important to think about exactly where it is that you will be focusing when you are working with a very small subject and close-up. Changing where you focus can completely change the look of your subject. Even a few millimetres of change can make a huge difference and offer you a completely different image.
