The world around us is endlessly detailed and beautiful. Sometimes you need to take a closer look to see the beauty of ordinary subjects. Macro photography will help you notice all the fantastic details around us. And one of the best things about this photographic genre is that it is accessible for anyone.
We have collected 5 most useful tips to improve your macro photography and encourage you to see the world from a whole new angle.
1. Use aperture to change the depth of field
Focus helps to give your subject all the attention. Human eyes are automatically drawn to the parts of the image which are sharp. You can control the amount of depth of field by adjusting the aperture.
The depth of field in macro photography can be created by millimeter distance. Choose the Aperture priority mode on your DSLR to control the depth of field.
Make the most important parts of your subject in focus. You can use manual focus to do this. One of the best ways to success in macro photography is taking many similar images with different aperture settings and choosing the best one on your computer.
2. Use a tripod and hold it steady
The very first question that crosses your thinking about macro photography is: do I need a macro lens? If macro photography is not the main genre in your photography business, I think you can take amazing macro images with almost any lens with a wide aperture.
When shooting macro photography, you will use a very narrow depth of field quite often. It’s essential to ensure that your camera and subject stay still while you take a shot. The focal point may change even with slight movement.
To avoid this consider using a tripod while shooting macro photography. Ерш step is also important when you work with a longer focal lens. If you don’t have a tripod at hand, you can steady the arm in which you’re holding a camera against some fixed object.
3. Photograph with proper lighting
Proper lighting is one of the main things to consider in any photographic genre, especially macro photography. Since macro photography has a lot of small sharp details, you need to have good lighting conditions for shooting.
If you are taking pictures outdoors, keep your background simple and bright. A lot of textures and lines on the background may distract the eye from your major subject, so try to keep your backdrop minimalist even if it’s blurry.
4. Remember composition
The perfect composition is essential for getting a good shot. But when you take photos of really small objects, it’s simple to overlook the composition.
Remember the rule of thirds – divide your image into 9 equal parts in your mind. Then place the key parts of your image on the lines or their intersections.
5. Be patient
The devil is in the details. Macro photography takes time and patience to master. Learn more about the subject you are going to shoot and with time you will notice details you have not seen before.
Besides, when you take photos outside, you need an extra dose of patience. Even a slight breath of wind may move your subject and ruin your photo in a moment. Or if you shoot insects, you might spend hours waiting for a bee to land on a flower.
However, your patience will be rewarded with wonderful shots. It is definitely worth waiting.
