Macro Photography

Everyone likes to get that close up shot of a beautiful colorful butterfly or the bee pollinating a flower. This kind of photography is called macro photography. I use an Olympus Zuiko ED50mm f2.0 Macro lens to capture my macro shots, but most people may not realize it's not necessary to have an expensive macro lens to do macro photography. Then again, with modern technology and most point and shoot camera's today...the ability to do macro photography is easy and maybe you've discovered this already?!

I find shooting macros fascinating. There are so many "little" things out there just waiting to be photographed. Small flowers, insects, the bristles on a toothbrush, coins, glass fish in a fishbowl, and many textures made by nature. You never know what you might capture when you try. Below are just a few tips to making a successful macro photograph.

It's key to remember lighting when doing close up shots,(any shot really)and the placement of the camera on the subject. I've seen many people make the mistake of trying to take a shot of florals in full sunlight by placing the camera directly over the top of the flower with the sun directly overhead or behind them causing shadows from the placement of the camera. All good photography requires careful thought of lighting. So when you're trying to get that really close up shot remember to place yourself and your camera so that you're not casting shadows on the subject. I have found in macro shots it's even sometimes best if you shoot into the sun to get more detail but be careful to not get lens flare. If you're using a point and shoot camera you don't have to put the camera right up next to your subject if you're shooting in macro mode it will more than likely distort the image. You will notice if you get too close you can't depress the shutter button... it won't fire...move the camera back until you can take the picture. Depending on what you're photographing it may be best to use a tripod to get a very clear image by avoiding movement. If you have a full size DSLR camera with interchangeable lenses and you want an even closer macro you can add an extension tube to your macro lens(For those that don’t know what extension tubes are, they are a plastic tube that sits between your camera’s body and the lens). When using an extension tube you have to put your camera on MF (manual focus) or it won't work.

I hope these tips on macro photography will inspire you to look for the little things out there you can photograph that you may have passed by without a thought before. Now go out there and take your best shot.