ARTICLES: Macro Photography Introduction

This is the first in a series of articles of tips on macro photography. Keep checking back for the continuation of this series.


FLOWERS ARE PEOPLE TOO!


How to make your macros come alive with vibrancy and originality.

Have you ever looked at a photograph of a flower and thought Awhat was the point? Or wonder why it seems so difficult to capture the true essence of a rose? When photographers work with still subjects, there can be a tendency to think of them just as inanimate objects, rather than working the entire scene as a whole. However, give this same photographer a human subject, and they'll give it their all to make that person absolutely glow in their portraits. Without some type of advance preparation, it's remarkably easy to end up with a bland macro subject, and as a result produce images without much feeling and artistry. The same techniques employed in studio photography with people can be applied to nonhuman subjects. With just a little imagination and a few tricks up your sleeve, you can produce studio quality portraits with macro objects which you'll be proud to display.

Macro photography is truly an art form, and it takes a lot of practice to get it right. A word of warning, however: Once you embark into the amazing world of macro, unlike Dorothy, you'll never want to go home again. Depending upon the type of equipment you use, the pictures that you can obtain with macro lenses are incredible. You'll see a world that you never knew existed. It can be very addicting peering into this miniature universe, and even more challenging to capture it on film or digital media. However, with the right techniques, equipment and a lot of patience, you’ll be richly rewarded with a new outlet for your photographic creative endeavors.