Macro photography allows you to develop a new way of looking at ordinary objects. Satisfy your love of nature by exploring tiny details. Macro photography is a whole new ball game in the world of photography, and like anything, there are some rules to know.
Insects, flowers, dewdrops or the inside of your watch are just a few of the subjects that you can magnify using macro mode. To get good photos at an extremely close range, you must take into consideration the specific restrictions that apply.
Hold your camera about 30 cm from the subject, regardless of the lens that you are using. At this distance, you will be working with a very limited depth-of-field. Disable the autofocus and manually adjust the zone of sharpness. Even in macro mode, compact cameras have a more limited range of adjustment than SLR cameras, which have an aperture that can be opened wide.
You must remain perfectly still when taking macro photos If you move even just a few millimetres, part of your subject could become blurred. To avoid this problem, a tripod is almost essential when it comes to macro photography. Try taking the photo and then zoom in as much as you can on the image on the preview screen to check that the image is sharp.
Put yourself at the same level as your subject, for example go eye-to-eye with an insect or crouch down to be level with its wings. You can also stand slightly over your subject so that you are looking at it from an angle. If your subject is moving, always remember to leave a space in the direction where it is looking, or in the direction where it is going. Since the depth-of-field is very limited, you can take liberties with the background, which will be blurred. What you are looking for is the contrast that the background provides for the subject and its details. You can also choose to look straight down, for example, if you want to showcase the symmetry of the inside of a flower.
One of the risks when taking macro photos is not having enough light. Don’t hesitate to use a flash and something to diffuse the light if possible. If you’re taking photos in the forest, bring a small mirror to light your subject from different angles or to brighten it up a bit.
