subject: Basic Digital Slr Photography - Learn Macro Photography To Show Off The Beauty Of Nature [print this page] Mother nature herself is literally teeming with awesome art. Macro, or close-up, photography is one way of using your digital camera's miraculous powers to reveal that natural artwork.
I first decided to learn macro photography a few years back when I was on vacation in Georgia. Macro photography is taking pictures at about 1:1 magnification, or even closer.
I had bought my earliest digital camera, a 3-megapixel point and shoot model.
And I was just getting to know the camera, playing around with settings and such. Since I had left my camera instruction manual someplace (and who really reads those things anyway), I was having some trouble finding out what the little symbols were for on the dial.
One or the symbols was a little flower. I was clueless as to what that meant, but I ultimately decided it could have something to do with the flowers that surrounded me, so I took a few pictures of those. I tried to get as close up as feasible in order to get the detail of the beautiful flower petals.
I can now tell your, without a doubt, those photos transformed my life. I became fascinated with the idea of macro every thing. When I eventually raised my level of digital camera to a more powerful digital SLR, the first add on lens I ordered was a Macro lens.
I highly endorse getting a dedicated Macro photography lens. They are worth whatever the cost, and they are likewise really multipurpose, due to the fact you can utilize them for additional image applications, such as portrait.
There are a few things to keep in mind when shooting close-up, or macro photographs.
1. Use a tripod when possible. 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. 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.
3. Watch out for shadows and bright spots. 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.
4. Avoid windy conditions. This goes along with the tripod. 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.
5. Get a dedicated macro lens. This was already described, but bears repeating. The proper lens for the job will make your photos so much better. Lens producers 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.
Try Macro Photography. There are some very cool shapes and textures that you will only see after you have downloaded your images to your computer or printed them.
