Third in the Macro Photography Series:
‘ HOUSEHOLD EQUIPMENT:
There are lots of things that you can use to help take better macro pictures. Even without a ring light or other specialty equipment, it doesn't mean that I can't produce quality macro photographs with the equipment I have on hand. I just have to get creative in my thinking to let my subjects jump off the page. Walk around your subject several times to check out all the different angles. Only then can you see how the ambient light and shadows accentuate whatever image you are trying to capture.
< SUPPORT: If you don=t have access to a tripod, try bracing the camera on a table, using a towel or other soft material to cushion the camera and stabilize it. You want to keep the camera absolutely still while you are pressing the shutter. Because you are zoomed in so close to your subject, the slightest movement of the camera will blur your image.
< TWIST-TIES AND BACKDROPS: When I first started working with my macro lens, I only wanted AGod made@ nature settings. I didn=t want to manipulate in any way the image my eye saw. However this type of thinking, though pure in thought, can lead to unsurpassable frustration. The slightest breeze disturbing your subject and/or a conflicting background can all play a part in distracting from the beauty of your photograph. With macro photography, you want to keep the background to a minimum. However, it seems that Mother Nature tries its best to always get into the act. Finding a flower without a lot of off-color leaves or other flowers hiding behind it is sometimes impossible. Here=s where your ingenuity can really pay off. If a breeze is impish enough to keep moving the petals just when you click the shutter, by all means use common, household twist ties to gently hold the stem which should help keep your image or images from bouncing all around Creation. If you really want to shoot that particular flower, don=t fight a poor background, make your own! The judicious use of any kind of backdrop will enhance your subject without detracting from it. I recommend using neutral or soft, enhancing colors (cloth or construction paper works well) B just be sure that they are not too close to your main subject, otherwise, it will look like a Amade-up@ shot, rather than the nature photograph you are opting for.
< REFLECTORS: Another aid I like to use where shadows are a problem is a reflector. They=re helpful in bouncing enough light to accentuate overly dark areas. Though you can purchase ready-made reflectors, it=s easy enough to make your own. A piece of white paper, or aluminum foil wrapped around a letter size piece of cardboard works just as well as the commercial variety in highlighting any distracting shadows.
As you can see from these suggestions, the best piece of equipment you can use is your imagination B there=s a ton of stuff around your house and garage that can and will be beneficial in working with less than ideal conditions. If you=re serious about macro photography, the next section gives suggestions about equipment that you=ll need to have on hand.
< TRIPODS: Sometimes Santa and the birthday fairy do bring me wonderful additions to my equipment library. This year, I was blessed with a table top tripod that has really expanded my ability to photograph birds and squirrels at our backyard feeders, which are strategically placed within shooting distance of the outdoor table on the back deck. The only problem with table top tripods is the weight they can bear. I have to be extremely careful to balance the small tripod so that it doesn=t tip over. Most table top models are built for small cameras, and are a little unsteady for large cameras and lenses. However, trying to get a regular tripod close to a table can be really tough. For most large cameras, a regular tripod will work much better at being able to support the weight and stress put on it. I highly recommend a sturdy tripod for any macro or long range lens shooting. I know of photographers who can shoot almost any subject by hand-holding the camera (I=m not sure, I think they come from another planet B they have a talent that is truly out of this world.) I am not, nor will I ever be, one of them. Even with a high-quality camera and some relatively fast lenses, I still don=t like the resolution of my pictures when I try to capture a closeup or long lens scene without some type of support. Trying to raise the ISO speed doesn=t adequately combat the problem as I=m unhappy with the resulting fuzziness and high grain of the images. Unless you are going for a dreamlike quality of your subject, good macro images require a tripod or other sturdy support to give it the sharpness you see with the high quality lens in your human eye. As you continue to work with macro subjects, you=ll learn what equipment you need for each type of image you are trying to capture. For example, there have been times when I have needed a tripod that I could lower much closer to the ground than my regular tripod, to be able to shoot into the Aface@ of my subject. To understand what I am saying about Aface@, keep in mind the Alens to the eye@ theory. In other words, try to keep the lens of your camera on an even plane with the Aeye@ or Aface@ of your subject (unless you are working some extraordinarily unique and different angles). Here=s where your creativity can really come into play -- just try to balance a camera, tripod, flash unit, and remote switch while photographing a subject three inches off the ground B literally, impossible! However, in response to desperate pleas from photographers several companies have come to the rescue by manufacturing tripods which allow the legs to swing outward and a center column which not only raises and lowers vertically, but can also be set on a horizontal plane (see the sidebar on tripods). The nature of this setup gives a photographer the means to contort the tripod into almost any angle, which then allows the camera almost unlimited access to places which would previously be virtually impossible to shoot
< FLASHES: Besides a larger macro lens, a ring light is right at the top of my list for what Santa could bring me to really bring out the highlights of my macro subjects. A ring light is a special kind of flash that attaches to the macro lens, so that the flash creates light around the macro subject, rather than just adding light to one side or the other. The next item on your wish list should be a good external flash. I have never liked pictures taken with the built-in flash. No matter how I try to work the angles, the built-in flash just doesn=t do justice to my pictures as well as my Canon 550EX Speedlite. As you can see in the closeup photograph of the Tiger Lily (Figure 3), the on-camera flash highlighted only the top part of the flower B a good example of the problems with on-camera flashes. At different times, however, I need to highlight different angles of my subject, so, out comes a second tripod (I actually own four B I don=t believe that you can ever have enough support for your all of your equipment). Even in daylight conditions, your macro subjects will appreciate the extra light that comes from an external flash. This will also increase the overall sharpness of your pictures; i.e., more light equals more detail. Just make sure that you have an off-camera shoe that=ll enable you to use the flash away from your camera. Work with placing the flash at different angles to give your pictures the extra light it needs without creating unwanted shadows. Of course if you are lucky enough to own a ring light, trying to balance where to place an external flash is not an issue. At other times, you may also need to shield your subject from too much light. The simplest way to do this is to use your own body to block extra sunlight from the subject (just make sure that you don=t see the outline of your body in the shadows B try to get the entire subject in shadow). Otherwise, use whatever materials you have on hand to accentuate your subject without washing it out with too much light. Just as the right amount of light equals more detail, too much light can fade the vivid colors you are trying to capture with your image.
! REMOTE SWITCHES: Another very useful member of collective macro equipment which comes in handy is a remote switch. This a device that attaches to your camera, and works the shutter button. This enables you to carefully shoot your subject with minimal handling of your camera, and is a great help for shots you have time to set up B the less you handle your camera when actually shooting, the sharper and more vivid your photographs will be.
! KEEP IT CLEAN!
Macro photography requires you to position your camera and lenses extremely close to your subjects, which can result in some rather nasty problems for your equipment. If you look closely at the picture of the interior of the coneflower (Figure 4), you will microscopic flares on the tips of the cone. These are actually pollen particles, which I discovered much to my chagrin after I had taken the shot, and then by habit, checked the condition of my lens. It was literally covered with the sticky yellow stuff! The old adage Acleanliness is next to Godliness@ is an absolute must for macro photography. Any minute dust particle or smudge on your lens will be magnified many times in your final image. When you are out taking pictures, try to get into the habit of always carrying lens cleaner and a clean, soft cloth specially made for lenses to wipe off dust, pollen, insects, etc. from clouding your lens, and ultimately, your photographs.
! A PERSONAL NOTE ON COLOR SATURATION AND DIGITAL CAMERAS:
When I made the decision to work at photography full time, not just as a very expensive hobby, I researched all the cameras on the market. I wanted the best quality equipment I could reasonably (and sometimes unreasonably) afford, as well as what would service me well into the future. After much groaning and wailing of spirit, I made the leap into the digital world. Not that I will never go back to film, but I must say I love my Canon 10D DSLR. However, even with its state-of-the art features, digital does have its drawbacks. After a some disappointing shots, and a lot of time spent slaving away in the digital darkroom (rather than out in the field where I would much prefer to be), I began manipulating the color settings on my camera. By experimenting with boosting the color saturation (manually changing the default color temperature setting from 5200K to 6000K), I=m very pleased with the Awarmer@ feel to my outdoor pictures. One of the problems I find with digital photography is the lack of color B by increasing the color temperature my outdoor pictures have a vivid feel and more Atrue to life@ color. Note: be sure to change the saturation back to the default setting (or whatever setting you prefer) when you are photographing human subjects indoors. The warmer settings can make people=s faces look like they have spent too much time on the plains of Mercury rather than on Earth . . .
! WAIT FOR THE BEST:
When trying to bring out a macro subject=s optimal features, it sometimes requires thinking Aoutside the box@. Try to imagine that Impatien or rose as an incredibly beautiful model, just waiting for you to photograph it at its best. Just as a model wears the most flattering clothing and the most artistically applied makeup he or she can afford, choosing your subject with an eye as close toward to perfection is worth the effort. Unless you are photographing a very unusual subject for artistic reasons, keep looking for one that is as free from Awarts@ as possible. Even with a gorgeous backdrop (man-made or otherwise), an imperfect specimen can spoil your best efforts, and lead to vexation. One afternoon I was trying to photograph carpenter ants working my Impatiens on the back deck, and just when I thought the little buggers stopped their impetuosity long enough to hit the shutter button, it never seemed to fail that their self-allotted time of rest was on the most ghastly of flowers ever created. Just when I was about the call it a day, the smallest ant of the bunch worked his way up the stalks and perched on an almost perfect petal. I got the shot.
Another way to really get the feel of your subjects B get out there and take pictures. I find I sometimes have to remind myself to break out the camera (it=s always readily available) and just walk out in the backyard every day (unless I=m working on location) and see what=s out there. Of course, I don=t feel that photography is really work, it=s what I love to do, but sometimes you just don=t feel that you can get one more unique, interesting picture out of the same flower pot each day. Think again. Every day is a brand-new day, and nature has a way of granting each and every living thing a unique wardrobe and characteristic that might not have been there the day before. Life is always evolving and changing. Every second is a moment in time that you can capture with that expensive Atime in a bottle@ box and lens. If you and your camera are not there to witness it, it=s lost forever.
! SO, NOW WHAT?
Since they are the easiest to photograph and unlike insects, don=t wander all over Creation, find a perfect little flower to photograph. First, check out the background. Try to find a setting that doesn=t have a lot of clutter. You might have to move around a bit. Shoot the flower without changing the settings. Now, set your camera on the Amacro@ setting, turn on your flash, use some kind of support for your camera to keep it steady, and focus on the flower. Slowly, press the shutter. If you have a digital camera, look at the difference in the two photographs. You should notice that the second photo has blurred the background to a nice backdrop, and focused in on the flower. Neat, isn=t it? You=ve just taken the first step into the magical world of macro photography. Once you get the hang of it, you=ll find yourself trying to photograph all sorts of tiny things, from ants to the interior of flowers. You=re only limited by your imagination.
! A FINAL WORD:
Learn to Be Patient! Macro photography is not just an art or just a science. It=s both, working hand in hand together. Whether trying to photograph (yes, as my husband would say they are trying -- very!)) insects or flowers, give them the credit they and you deserve. Wait until the best possible moment that light and life gives them B and then press the shutter and make the magic happen.
‘ HOUSEHOLD EQUIPMENT:
There are lots of things that you can use to help take better macro pictures. Even without a ring light or other specialty equipment, it doesn't mean that I can't produce quality macro photographs with the equipment I have on hand. I just have to get creative in my thinking to let my subjects jump off the page. Walk around your subject several times to check out all the different angles. Only then can you see how the ambient light and shadows accentuate whatever image you are trying to capture.
< SUPPORT: If you don=t have access to a tripod, try bracing the camera on a table, using a towel or other soft material to cushion the camera and stabilize it. You want to keep the camera absolutely still while you are pressing the shutter. Because you are zoomed in so close to your subject, the slightest movement of the camera will blur your image.
< TWIST-TIES AND BACKDROPS: When I first started working with my macro lens, I only wanted AGod made@ nature settings. I didn=t want to manipulate in any way the image my eye saw. However this type of thinking, though pure in thought, can lead to unsurpassable frustration. The slightest breeze disturbing your subject and/or a conflicting background can all play a part in distracting from the beauty of your photograph. With macro photography, you want to keep the background to a minimum. However, it seems that Mother Nature tries its best to always get into the act. Finding a flower without a lot of off-color leaves or other flowers hiding behind it is sometimes impossible. Here=s where your ingenuity can really pay off. If a breeze is impish enough to keep moving the petals just when you click the shutter, by all means use common, household twist ties to gently hold the stem which should help keep your image or images from bouncing all around Creation. If you really want to shoot that particular flower, don=t fight a poor background, make your own! The judicious use of any kind of backdrop will enhance your subject without detracting from it. I recommend using neutral or soft, enhancing colors (cloth or construction paper works well) B just be sure that they are not too close to your main subject, otherwise, it will look like a Amade-up@ shot, rather than the nature photograph you are opting for.
< REFLECTORS: Another aid I like to use where shadows are a problem is a reflector. They=re helpful in bouncing enough light to accentuate overly dark areas. Though you can purchase ready-made reflectors, it=s easy enough to make your own. A piece of white paper, or aluminum foil wrapped around a letter size piece of cardboard works just as well as the commercial variety in highlighting any distracting shadows.
As you can see from these suggestions, the best piece of equipment you can use is your imagination B there=s a ton of stuff around your house and garage that can and will be beneficial in working with less than ideal conditions. If you=re serious about macro photography, the next section gives suggestions about equipment that you=ll need to have on hand.
< TRIPODS: Sometimes Santa and the birthday fairy do bring me wonderful additions to my equipment library. This year, I was blessed with a table top tripod that has really expanded my ability to photograph birds and squirrels at our backyard feeders, which are strategically placed within shooting distance of the outdoor table on the back deck. The only problem with table top tripods is the weight they can bear. I have to be extremely careful to balance the small tripod so that it doesn=t tip over. Most table top models are built for small cameras, and are a little unsteady for large cameras and lenses. However, trying to get a regular tripod close to a table can be really tough. For most large cameras, a regular tripod will work much better at being able to support the weight and stress put on it. I highly recommend a sturdy tripod for any macro or long range lens shooting. I know of photographers who can shoot almost any subject by hand-holding the camera (I=m not sure, I think they come from another planet B they have a talent that is truly out of this world.) I am not, nor will I ever be, one of them. Even with a high-quality camera and some relatively fast lenses, I still don=t like the resolution of my pictures when I try to capture a closeup or long lens scene without some type of support. Trying to raise the ISO speed doesn=t adequately combat the problem as I=m unhappy with the resulting fuzziness and high grain of the images. Unless you are going for a dreamlike quality of your subject, good macro images require a tripod or other sturdy support to give it the sharpness you see with the high quality lens in your human eye. As you continue to work with macro subjects, you=ll learn what equipment you need for each type of image you are trying to capture. For example, there have been times when I have needed a tripod that I could lower much closer to the ground than my regular tripod, to be able to shoot into the Aface@ of my subject. To understand what I am saying about Aface@, keep in mind the Alens to the eye@ theory. In other words, try to keep the lens of your camera on an even plane with the Aeye@ or Aface@ of your subject (unless you are working some extraordinarily unique and different angles). Here=s where your creativity can really come into play -- just try to balance a camera, tripod, flash unit, and remote switch while photographing a subject three inches off the ground B literally, impossible! However, in response to desperate pleas from photographers several companies have come to the rescue by manufacturing tripods which allow the legs to swing outward and a center column which not only raises and lowers vertically, but can also be set on a horizontal plane (see the sidebar on tripods). The nature of this setup gives a photographer the means to contort the tripod into almost any angle, which then allows the camera almost unlimited access to places which would previously be virtually impossible to shoot
< FLASHES: Besides a larger macro lens, a ring light is right at the top of my list for what Santa could bring me to really bring out the highlights of my macro subjects. A ring light is a special kind of flash that attaches to the macro lens, so that the flash creates light around the macro subject, rather than just adding light to one side or the other. The next item on your wish list should be a good external flash. I have never liked pictures taken with the built-in flash. No matter how I try to work the angles, the built-in flash just doesn=t do justice to my pictures as well as my Canon 550EX Speedlite. As you can see in the closeup photograph of the Tiger Lily (Figure 3), the on-camera flash highlighted only the top part of the flower B a good example of the problems with on-camera flashes. At different times, however, I need to highlight different angles of my subject, so, out comes a second tripod (I actually own four B I don=t believe that you can ever have enough support for your all of your equipment). Even in daylight conditions, your macro subjects will appreciate the extra light that comes from an external flash. This will also increase the overall sharpness of your pictures; i.e., more light equals more detail. Just make sure that you have an off-camera shoe that=ll enable you to use the flash away from your camera. Work with placing the flash at different angles to give your pictures the extra light it needs without creating unwanted shadows. Of course if you are lucky enough to own a ring light, trying to balance where to place an external flash is not an issue. At other times, you may also need to shield your subject from too much light. The simplest way to do this is to use your own body to block extra sunlight from the subject (just make sure that you don=t see the outline of your body in the shadows B try to get the entire subject in shadow). Otherwise, use whatever materials you have on hand to accentuate your subject without washing it out with too much light. Just as the right amount of light equals more detail, too much light can fade the vivid colors you are trying to capture with your image.
! REMOTE SWITCHES: Another very useful member of collective macro equipment which comes in handy is a remote switch. This a device that attaches to your camera, and works the shutter button. This enables you to carefully shoot your subject with minimal handling of your camera, and is a great help for shots you have time to set up B the less you handle your camera when actually shooting, the sharper and more vivid your photographs will be.
! KEEP IT CLEAN!
Macro photography requires you to position your camera and lenses extremely close to your subjects, which can result in some rather nasty problems for your equipment. If you look closely at the picture of the interior of the coneflower (Figure 4), you will microscopic flares on the tips of the cone. These are actually pollen particles, which I discovered much to my chagrin after I had taken the shot, and then by habit, checked the condition of my lens. It was literally covered with the sticky yellow stuff! The old adage Acleanliness is next to Godliness@ is an absolute must for macro photography. Any minute dust particle or smudge on your lens will be magnified many times in your final image. When you are out taking pictures, try to get into the habit of always carrying lens cleaner and a clean, soft cloth specially made for lenses to wipe off dust, pollen, insects, etc. from clouding your lens, and ultimately, your photographs.
! A PERSONAL NOTE ON COLOR SATURATION AND DIGITAL CAMERAS:
When I made the decision to work at photography full time, not just as a very expensive hobby, I researched all the cameras on the market. I wanted the best quality equipment I could reasonably (and sometimes unreasonably) afford, as well as what would service me well into the future. After much groaning and wailing of spirit, I made the leap into the digital world. Not that I will never go back to film, but I must say I love my Canon 10D DSLR. However, even with its state-of-the art features, digital does have its drawbacks. After a some disappointing shots, and a lot of time spent slaving away in the digital darkroom (rather than out in the field where I would much prefer to be), I began manipulating the color settings on my camera. By experimenting with boosting the color saturation (manually changing the default color temperature setting from 5200K to 6000K), I=m very pleased with the Awarmer@ feel to my outdoor pictures. One of the problems I find with digital photography is the lack of color B by increasing the color temperature my outdoor pictures have a vivid feel and more Atrue to life@ color. Note: be sure to change the saturation back to the default setting (or whatever setting you prefer) when you are photographing human subjects indoors. The warmer settings can make people=s faces look like they have spent too much time on the plains of Mercury rather than on Earth . . .
! WAIT FOR THE BEST:
When trying to bring out a macro subject=s optimal features, it sometimes requires thinking Aoutside the box@. Try to imagine that Impatien or rose as an incredibly beautiful model, just waiting for you to photograph it at its best. Just as a model wears the most flattering clothing and the most artistically applied makeup he or she can afford, choosing your subject with an eye as close toward to perfection is worth the effort. Unless you are photographing a very unusual subject for artistic reasons, keep looking for one that is as free from Awarts@ as possible. Even with a gorgeous backdrop (man-made or otherwise), an imperfect specimen can spoil your best efforts, and lead to vexation. One afternoon I was trying to photograph carpenter ants working my Impatiens on the back deck, and just when I thought the little buggers stopped their impetuosity long enough to hit the shutter button, it never seemed to fail that their self-allotted time of rest was on the most ghastly of flowers ever created. Just when I was about the call it a day, the smallest ant of the bunch worked his way up the stalks and perched on an almost perfect petal. I got the shot.
Another way to really get the feel of your subjects B get out there and take pictures. I find I sometimes have to remind myself to break out the camera (it=s always readily available) and just walk out in the backyard every day (unless I=m working on location) and see what=s out there. Of course, I don=t feel that photography is really work, it=s what I love to do, but sometimes you just don=t feel that you can get one more unique, interesting picture out of the same flower pot each day. Think again. Every day is a brand-new day, and nature has a way of granting each and every living thing a unique wardrobe and characteristic that might not have been there the day before. Life is always evolving and changing. Every second is a moment in time that you can capture with that expensive Atime in a bottle@ box and lens. If you and your camera are not there to witness it, it=s lost forever.
! SO, NOW WHAT?
Since they are the easiest to photograph and unlike insects, don=t wander all over Creation, find a perfect little flower to photograph. First, check out the background. Try to find a setting that doesn=t have a lot of clutter. You might have to move around a bit. Shoot the flower without changing the settings. Now, set your camera on the Amacro@ setting, turn on your flash, use some kind of support for your camera to keep it steady, and focus on the flower. Slowly, press the shutter. If you have a digital camera, look at the difference in the two photographs. You should notice that the second photo has blurred the background to a nice backdrop, and focused in on the flower. Neat, isn=t it? You=ve just taken the first step into the magical world of macro photography. Once you get the hang of it, you=ll find yourself trying to photograph all sorts of tiny things, from ants to the interior of flowers. You=re only limited by your imagination.
! A FINAL WORD:
Learn to Be Patient! Macro photography is not just an art or just a science. It=s both, working hand in hand together. Whether trying to photograph (yes, as my husband would say they are trying -- very!)) insects or flowers, give them the credit they and you deserve. Wait until the best possible moment that light and life gives them B and then press the shutter and make the magic happen.
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