by Carmila Charolina


by Trista Michaud-Hachey. This is my favorite type of photography. I don't claim to be an expert but I have lots of experience. I haven't taken my macro lens off my camera since I bought it a few months ago.

Here are a few tips that I have picked up:

1) Use a tripod when you can. If you won't get your tripod all tangled up in whatever you are shooting it is beneficial. Because of the very small focus layer achieved with these lenses your tiny movement can make you subject very out of focus.

Sometimes because you will scare you subject or it is just too awkward to maneuver your tripod is actually an inconvenience. I like to take a series of images to make sure one is the correct focus when I don't use a tripod. The beauty of digital is you can shoot 20 and keep the best one!

2) Shoot from different angles. Because of your thin focal place when using a macro lens often you cannot get your whole subject into focus. Eyes should be the focal point if you are shooting wildlife. Try different angles to get different parts of your subject in focus. You want to get the great effect of having a clear focal point with a soft focus around it. If you are not focused on what the eye of the viewer is, it will just feel blurry. Another trick I learned is to photo-edit your images to blur areas of sharp focus that are not important.

3) Consider your background. With macro the blurred background adds a "feel" to the photo. The slightest change in your angle will allow different colors to change the whole feeling of your photo. I like to have a consistent background so it doesn't distract from the object you are shooting. If possible move the subject to an uncluttered background. Sometimes it is easy to get focused on the main object of our photo and not notice the unwanted branch or blade of grass in the photo. Many, many times I end up cloning out distracting elements of the photos which takes patience and time. If I'm trying to capture a photo of the perfect daisy but it is in the direct sunlight and I want a softer feel, I move the flower to a shaded area (close-pins work well for pinning the flower to something so you don't have to hold it). If you have an extra pair of hands you can use something to make your own shade. If it is not possible or you don't want to disturb nature remember to scan your viewfinder for distracting elements.

4) Shoot early. If you are shooting insects (which are a favorite of mine) go out early in the morning when it is cool and the insects are stationary. Insects are cold-blooded and are slow moving (if at all) in the cooler morning. In the early morning dew drops might still be on your subject which makes a cool effect.

5) Don't be afraid to use flash. Sometimes the best time of day for photo taking (the golden hours of dawn and dusk) has soft glowing light but it is low light for taking close-ups. I used to say I hated flash, but that is just because I didn't know how to use it properly. It still is my nemesis, but I have learned some things. I have a camera mounted flash that I use a pocket bouncer on to get more natural looking light. Most times I have to set it to underflash or the subject is overexposed since you are very close to it. I don't have a ring flash but I hear they work great for macro photography.

Hope this helps. The most important thing is don't be afraid to get on the ground and get dirty, and try lots of variations if you have a cooperative subject!!

If you want to see some of my macro photography, I just started working on a webpage "Trista's Photos" (tristasphotos.com). Email me if you have any questions and you feel I may be of some help.

Article Source: Ezine Articles