This entry was posted on Monday, March 17th, 2008 at 3:44 pm and is filed under An Introduction to Digital Photography, How to Take Extraordinary Photos, SLR Tips for Beginners, The Basics of Photography. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Photographing small objects can be an art form. The photographer takes a tiny object most people never notice and make it seem larger than life. Flowers, bugs, pebbles and blades of grass have all been the subjects of professional photographer’s images.
Without using special techniques, though, an image can end up fuzzy or confusing. These tips will help you get the best pictures without losing focus.
Lens
If you are using an SLR camera you will need a special attachment for your camera. A macro lens lets you get very close to an object without losing focus. Many 28-300 mm lenses have a macro lens built in, so if you have one make sure to see if it has a macro included. This can be found on its product information guide.
Settings
On a digital camera you will have a macro setting built in. To get to it, set your camera to manual, and then press the button with the flower next to it. A flower should pop up on your LCD screen when in macro mode. This mode does the same thing as a macro lens on a SLR camera.
Lighting
Always make sure that your subject is well lit so that detail will show up in the image easily. Watch out for shadows. Since you are so close to the object it is possible that your body will be the biggest shadow. Position your body so that it is not in the way of the light source.
Composition
Keep in mind that macro shots should be very simple. Try to focus on only one object to keep the image from looking too busy. Usually, the object should be centered within your view finder for the best results.
With some practice, and these tips, you will be able to take macro shots like a pro in no time!