Macro Photography Tips for Beginners

Welcome to my macro photography for beginners website. The title of this post is self explanatory. I am aiming to address some of the problems that lead to poor results in macro photography. In my last post I showed you my apple experiment and wrote about the virtues of manual focus. In this post I will give you some tips on finding the right camera equipment for your budget. I also want to spend a little bit of time on using TTL ring flash for macro photography. In previous posts I have mentioned ways to harness ambient light (available natural light) which makes it possible to avoid using flash photography or a high ISO setting. To get as much natural light you can use reflective material called deflectors to direct more light at your subject. The position of the camera will make quite a lot of difference to the amount of light available. It is best not to point the camera into direct sun light as this will cause the dreaded silhouette effect that we all aim to avoid. A lens hood can be used to minimise the amount of direct sunlight entering the camera. The main problem with macro photography is gathering enough light to get a good exposure with your desired settings. As a photographer you have to choose how to overcome these problems. I will tell you all about how I tackle some of the problems that I have encountered. In doing so, I am not saying that it is the best way to do it or the least expensive. It is merely the path I have chosen and is based on my own personal experiences. A good way to learn about macro photography is to read other photographers websites (like this one!) I often look at how other photographers capture subjects that I am interested in. Most photographers are keen to inform others how they achieved their best work. I’m not saying that photographers like to boast… actually that is exactly what I’m saying. Most photographers are keen to talk about their achievements and the equipment that they are using. You can find some good information on file sharing websites and photography forums (please finish reading my article first!) Sadly many of the best photographers are using equipment outside of my financial budget. However, I strive to get the best results from the equipment that I have acquired. It has taken me several years to collect, build and bodge together the items that I use for my macro photography.

Figure 1. Some of the Macro Photography Equipment That I am Currently Using.

There is no doubt that your personal budget will dictate what type of macro photography equipment you can use. This certainly applies to my own set-up and most photographers that I have come into contact with over the years. How you distribute your budget is entirely up to you but I will offer you some suggestions. Most compact cameras have a macro mode and are capable of taking close-up photographs. It is possible to get some very good close up pictures with some of the better cameras in this category. I find this type of camera a little bit difficult to use but they have some good qualities too. I envy the fact that you can fit the camera in your pocket. Most very small cameras are not great for macro because they have poor aperture control. They are really designed for day-to-day photography. The aperture on most compacts makes them more suitable for home and leisure photography. Bridge cameras are a different kettle of fish altogether. These cameras resemble the SLR but have fixed lenses. With the addition of a close-up filter it is possible to get some exceptional macro photography with these cameras when fitted with a close up filter. The added bonus is that you never have to change lenses or worry about cleaning the sensor. (I am about to embark on cleaning the sensor in my own camera very soon. When my cleaning kit arrives I will write a detailed post about my experience of cleaning the sensor…oh dear!) I have seen some stunning macro photography taken with bridge cameras recently. If you have a low financial budget I would recommend that you consider a bridge camera. A bridge camera has some limitations but is better than the very compact cameras for macro photography. If you are really serious about macro photography you need to think about getting a digital single reflex camera (DSLR).

How to Divide your Macro Photography Budget
Most photographers buy a Canon or a Nikon camera. The reason most people buy Canon or Nikon brands is that they are better than the rest and have a better range of lenses. [Yes they do…] I don’t want to argue about which is best between the two brands! They both have their admirers and considering all pros and cons they always come out fairly even. It usually turns out that once you buy one brand you are stuck with your choice. This is because your accessories are not usually interchangeable between brands. A canon mount lens will not fit a Nikon camera and vice versa. Sony, Olympus and Pentax all make quality cameras and are a suitable choice if you are determined to be different. Entry level cameras upwards are great for beginners to learn their respective arts. The current crop of Canon digital EOS cameras and Nikon D-series are all perfect for macro photography. Choose any of these cameras and get a decent lens and you will not be disappointed (with the camera, the photography is another matter…read my website regularly and you might not be disappointed with that either!)

So my overall advice is to buy a good SLR camera and put a highly rated macro lens on it. This will give better results than an expensive top of the range camera with a poor quality macro lens combination. Divide your budget in a way that will produce good results out of the box. Photography is not about showing off or having more expensive camera equipment than someone else. In saying that buy the best equipment you can reasonably afford and avoid buying items or products that you can make for free, pick up second hand or do without. If you do not need the lens that comes with your SLR package buy the body only and get a quality macro lens separately. Most of all do some research and read as many camera review websites and camera magazines as possible before making your final choice. It is a very difficult decision and a very expensive mistake if you get it all wrong. I recommend buying a camera from a well know retailer in your own locality rather than taking a gamble on internet auctions and “moon-on-a-stick” websites.

Buy a Dedicated Macro Lens
I bought the Sigma 150mm APO Macro DG HSM because it suited my budget. If I had a larger a budget I would have probably bought the equivalent Canon, although the longer working distance of the Sigma is a real benefit for insect photography. As it turns out the Sigma is an excellent lens and from what I read on photography forums on the internet so is the Sigma 105mm. One of the advantages of macro equipment is that manufacturers rarely produce poor quality macro lenses. Most of the lenses you can buy today are built for digital photography and are of excellent build quality. Always read reviews before paying for an expensive lens.

Flash Photography |Twin Flash or Ring Flash?
Most beginners are reluctant to spend a lot of money on a flash system. This is until they realise how much they need one to get good results. Ring flashes are the most popular choice for macro photographers. Twin Flash is a more expensive option. A twin flash is two small flash units mounted on a ring fitting, the same as a ring flash. If they are used properly these types of flash can give excellent results. In addition they can be used in conjunction with a flash gun for even more lighting control. Usually the ring flash is set up as the master unit and the flash gun as the slave unit. This can be done as a wireless configuration when compatible flash units are used together. I have read a few reviews that condemn twin flashes for being two harsh. Ring-flash also gets a bad press for giving flat results and adding weird lighting effects to the images. In most cases the equipment is set up incorrectly or may even be damaged. As for giving flat lighting that is what it was it was designed to do!

Still life Photography Lighting | Buy of Build a Light-box
If you are only interested in still life photography such as products for internet auction sites you only need good lighting. This can be achieved by building a small studio and placing adequate lighting for your products. This can be done for relatively low cost and will give very good results. There are lots of books and websites that will tell you how to build a studio or light box for free. I have built many structures of this type and it really does give superb results. Building a light-box is an education in itself about lighting and macro photography. I would recommend that you try building a light-box and take photographs of products as if you wanted to sell them on a website. I am going to build a new light-box this year and may well document it all for this website. I have not decided on this yet but it will probably be at the end of the summer. (A sad time for macro photographers)

Please note:
To use the Sigma EM-140 DG Ring-Flash with the Sigma 150mm 1:2:8: APO Macro DG HSM you need to purchase a 72mm adaptor ring separately. The adapter ring screws into the threads at the end of the lens and connects to the ring-flash assembly unit. I bought the sigma lens due to its reputation as an excellent wildlife macro lens. Let me assure you that I was not disappointed. Since acquiring this lens it has been almost permanently attached to the camera. I bought the Sigma Ring-flash for similar reasons and for compatibility with the lens. In addition I prefer to take scientific photographs of plants for identification and the "flat" even lighting is required for this type of work.

Tripod
A high quality sturdy tripod is essential kit for a dedicated macro photographer. Consider the top tripod brands such as Gitzo, Manfrotto etc. I use a Benbo because it is a flexible piece of kit. Some photographers dislike Benbo tripods because they can be a bit of a handful. I recommend that you borrow one or try one in store before spending your money. I think they are better when used with a decent ball head. A focussing rail is another way to improve the flexibility of the tripod allowing the camera to slide in small increments backwards and forwards. Remember that at high magnification moving the camera is the best way to focus on your subject. It is possible to get a fairly decent tripod for quite reasonable money. Avoid the really cheap trashy tripods with the all in pan-tilt heads. These are designed for camcorders and have a tendency to break when used with heavy equipment. If a tripod is outside of your budget you might want to consider getting a mono-pod. A good mono-pod is a cost effective way to steady the camera. There are plenty of macro photographers who prefer to operate the camera hand-held.

Additional Equipment and Accessories
There are plenty of ways to keep the camera steady without using a tripod. A couple of popular options are to place the camera on a beanbag or use a Gorilla Pod. It is quite easy to make your own bean bag if you know how to sow. A beanbag is a small soft pillow with a pliable filling (usually small plastic balls). It can be placed on a post or on the ground and the camera can be nestled into it. They are brilliant for low to the ground photography. A beanbag can save you a huge amount of set-up time. It is simply a matter of throwing it down and putting the camera on top of it. They come in all shapes and sizes and are available from all good camera shops and retailers (and probably some rubbish ones as well). Gorilla Pods (also known as Gorilla Grips) are a relatively new invention. They are miniature tripod like structures made with pliable (bendable) wire legs. The legs can wrap around other structures such as branches or sign posts. The camera attaches to the Gorilla Pod with a traditional quick release plate mechanism. I have never tried using a Gorilla Pod but they do look like a useful piece of gear. I am sure that there are plenty of similar products with equally imaginative names. If a product has the word Gorilla in it you know its going to be a winner! I am thinking of changing the name of my website to Macro Photography for Gorillas! That might increase the traffic. Another useful item is the "Plamp" (I think that is what it is called). This device is a bendable or pliable structure with crocodile clamp on either end. It can be used to grip and hold objects. A bit like having an extra arm to hold items in place for you. The name is not quite as good but these are very useful items put them on your shopping list.

A remote switch makes life much easier so opt for the one that suits you best. My preference is for the cable type because it can be operated from behind the camera. The infared switches have to be operated from in front of the camera. (this may be different for your camera, I recommend that you check the manual) This would obviously cause a few problems for macro photography. The reason of course is that you spend most of your time behind the camera making fine adjustments to your camera set-up and settings. If you find that you are spending a lot of time on your knees you can make life a little bit more comfortable by wearing a pair of knee-pads. You can even try wearing them whilst doing some macro photography! (LOL) Knee-pads are usually available from merchants that sell health and safety equipment.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my macro photography for beginners website. If you have any suggestions, questions or comments please feel free to contact me by email or via the comments box. Cheers and happy shooting.

Marvin Africa

marvin.africa@yahoo.com

How to get the Right Composition for Your Photographs

The Basics of a Good Photographic Composition
I want to discuss the merits of getting a photograph with good composition.. My motivation for writing this website is to help beginners to macro photography learn the basics and start getting impressive photographs for their portfolios. It is easy to become disillusioned and feel dejected when you have spent a lot of money on (digital) camera equipment and the results are poor with no sign of improvement. The main point to remember is that it is all part and parcel of the process. You must stay focussed and keep trying new and interesting methods of photography. In a strange way those early images that are a bit fuzzy, badly composed and under or over exposed are quite valuable. It is these first attempts that provide the inspiration to improve and evolve our skills and techniques to get better photographs of our subjects. Looks like I have gone off at a tangent again…perhaps I should compose myself before writing the rest of this post on photographic composition!

Make your Average Macro Photograph into a Masterpiece
So you’ve figured out the right aperture value to get your desired depth of field. The shutter speed has been calculated and you are using a sturdy tripod and a remote switch. Exposure problems are a thing of the past now that you understand how to use a bit of fill-in flash (actually I might not have covered that one yet but I will do soon). The photograph is taken with no movement and all the details are pin sharp and in focus. Is there anything more that you could have done to improve the outcome of this photograph? The answer to this question is YES. Composition is essentially the component of photography that can make what would be a rather average image into a photographic masterpiece. First of all we need to establish exactly what composition means. In photography the composition is really the bringing together of several elements that collectively make the photograph better. The brilliant photographs that you admire are not created by chance. Professional photographs are usually inspired by an imaginative person expressing their creative ability.

Have you ever watched one of those really badly written television drama programmes? Where an “artist” (of some description) comes to town and tries to gain the affections (or finances) of a young and impresionable girl. The stereotypical “artist” is shown framing objects by using his fingers to make a rectangle. I want you to do this before you continue reading the rest of this page. I find that after a while that it makes the fingers hurt? Although the writing and acting is usually terrible this stereotypical artist is actually looking at the composition. An easier way to do this is to cut a rectangle (6 x 4) from a sheet of cardboard. This is a very useful technique for finding a good composition in landscape photography. Macro Photography is much different and these techniques are much less useful here. The only realistic way to compose your images in macro photography is through the viewfinder. Still life objects are much easier to photograph than living organisms. Setting up the camera on a tripod and moving the still life objects (such as coins, stamps etc) into position is not too difficult. It gets much more difficult when working outdoors with wild flowers or insects. Sometimes you can move material that you do not want in the frame of the photographic composition. There are times when you have to move the whole set-up to eliminate a particular eyesore. At least if you are thinking about the final results by looking at the frame as a whole, you are on the right track. This is really what you need to think about when composing during macro photography.

Here is my list of things to check when composing a macro photograph. If you’re not doing most of these already you have not been reading my website.

1. Magnification – how big do you want your subject in the frame
2. Distance – how close do you want to be to your subject
3. Depth of Field – do you want to blur the background or make it sharp
4. Plane of Focus – align the camera parallel to the subject
5. Aperture – set the aperture to control the depth of field
6. Shutter Speed – use the appropriate shutter speed. If there is any movement do you want to freeze it or add motion blur.
7. Exposure – Ensure that your settings give you a good exposure. Take a test shot to test the settings with the histogram feature. Do you need to use flash or increase the ISO setting?
8. Subject – Chose a good angle for your subject. Focus on the portion you want to be sharpest in the frame. When photographing a living creature it is popular to go for the eyes (if possible).
9. Background – Check that your background and subject are suited. Look for anything that might spoil the photograph in the background.
10. Take the photograph. Check the histogram and LCD screen to make sure you got the best possible result. If not, recompose and take the image again until you get the image your want or your battery runs out!

Composition
The composition of a photograph is simply what you see in the frame. This is inclusive of the subject and the background. It is everything that goes into the photograph. To make the composition stronger you have to consider which side of the subject to photograph. It is important in macro photography to consider the depth of field. To improve the depth of field align the camera sensor with the subject, this is the plane of focus. Eliminate any objects that distract the eye from the subject. In general day to day photography composition is often overlooked. If you take a snap shot of Granny sitting on bench at the zoo you might not think about the trees in the background. Later you may discover that by chance Granny has a large branch sprouting from her head. With a little bit more thought about composition this scenario would have been avoided. Although this site is solely about macro photography composition applies to all photography.

Lead-in lines
The human brain is a funny thing! Trust me I’ve got one. When you look at a picture that has lines in it the eye follows the line to see where they go. In photography this behaviour can be exploited when creating the composition. In landscape photograph of a farm-house you could use the farm track (dirt road) up to the farm-house as a lead-in line. This would lead the observer to the point of focus. In macro photography you can use the same principle to improve your composition. In botanical photography some species of flowers have “honey guides” leading into the flower itself. These are often brightly coloured strips of colour to attract bees and other insects to the pollen. Honey guides make great lead-in lines for some species of flowers. The main point I want to make is that you should think about lead-in lines when setting up your composition. If the subject or background has lines that the eye will follow you must decide to use them to your advantage, or discard them if they will lead the eye away from the subject. It all comes down to what you are trying to achieve with your photography. A medical student would probably not look for lead-in lines when photographing abdominal ulcers. A lot of my early plant photography was taken for identification and I did not require good backgrounds or composition. I still tried to get the best composition because I would often have to show my pictures to ecologists and botanists. (Experts in their fields!)

The Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds was first discovered 2500 years ago by the ancient Greeks. It is wildly accepted as the Rule of Composition in all forms of photography. The rule is simple and easy to follow. Divide the image by 3 equal lines horizontally and vertically. This makes a grid containing 9 boxes over the image. In a landscape photograph you would place the horizon on one of the horizontal lines. The rule should be used in macro photography whenever the subject allows it. The rule of thirds is not really a rule but more of a composition guideline. Sometimes you have to ignore the rule of thirds and just capture the image. Later you can crop the image using the rule of thirds, provided that you left some room in the frame. If you capture is full frame the rule of thirds has to be applied at the time of taking the photograph.

Rule of the Nonchalant Artist
There are times when your macro subject will not work with the rule of thirds. When this happens you have to use my own rule called “the Rule of the Nonchalant Artist”. This rule means ignore all other rules and conventions in the name of art. The rule of the nonchalant artist can be used for all subjects where the rule of thirds doesn’t work. The big difference between the two rules is that the rule of thirds actually works. Make sure you use it whenever the subject allows it.

Manipulate the Background
Manipulation does not just take place in badly written television programmes. It is easy to add your own background to many of your macro photographs. The easiest and least expensive way to do this is to use a sheet of coloured card. Place the sheet of coloured card underneath or behind (or both) of your subject. The card should ideally be at least 10cm further away than your subject. It does not have to be card you could use something else, but make sure your background material is made from a non-reflective surface (matt finish). A pack of coloured card can be found at all good stationers and possibly at some rubbish ones as well. This effect is obviously easier to implement with static subjects. It can be used outdoor with insects as well but you need a degree of luck and a compliant creature as a model.

Figure 1. Manipulated Background Using Coloured Cards (Click Image to Enlarge)

Macro Photography for Beginners
I hope that this has been a useful post and helps you to improve the composition of your photographs. I hope that you understand the rules of thirds because it really does make a huge amount of difference to the results. If you have any questions, suggestions, queries or comments please use the comment box or send me an email. I will either answer you directly or cover your question in a subsequent post. Thank you for reading my macro photography for beginners website. Cheers...

My next post follows on from this one...read about Composition and Manual Focus and have a look at my apple experiment.

Marvin Africa

marvin.africa@yahoo.com

Macro Photography | Help | Tips | Advice | Perils | Physical Exercise

The Perils of Macro Photography
In my last post I talked about shutter speed and how it can be used to freeze or blur the action in your photographs. I have also discussed aperture and depth of field in my previous post and also covered ISO and some aspects of getting a good exposure. I have decided to take a break from the technical aspect of macro photography for this post and take a look at the physical side of macro. This is an often over-looked factor of macro photography which can cause all manner of problems. A high percentage of macro photography is conducted in outdoor conditions. Some of the most popular subjects for macro and close up photography are insects, spiders, wild flowers and fungi. Getting these images can be a real challenge. Setting up the equipment can also be difficult. In addition some photographers have to cope with health problems and disabilities. I know of some excellent outdoor and wildlife photographers who are disabled. Something that you can not buy that is needed for photography is patience. This is very important and without it you will probably fail or just get very average results. Persistence may not always pay off but there is always a chance that it will and it is this that makes the whole process worthwhile. There is no feeling in the world to match getting an absolutely stunning shot. This is why macro photography is one of the best forms of art to be associated.

The Physical Challenge
Believe it or not Macro Photography can be quite a physical past time. Some of the awkward positions you have to get into can be a real challenge. The physical side of macro photography is often overlooked or dismissed. Just spending a long time behind the camera can cause all kinds of aches and pains. There is a price to pay for carrying all that heavy equipment for miles around the countryside. Do not be fooled into thinking that macro photography is an easy option. To get some of the really interesting photographs you will need to get into some fairly strange positions. A contortionist would make the perfect macro photographer! Some days it is like playing the children’s game “twister”. I suppose we should all do some warm up exercises before attempting those close to the ground awkward shots. It is however, a pointless suggestion because who is going to take this advice? A tweaked back muscle can be very painful though and is well worth avoiding.

I once tried to photograph a spider in my garden which was nestled quite deep in a large prickly bush. I carefully manoeuvred my camera equipment into position. I was working at a height of approximately 1 metre which is a good comfortable height. I was working hand held at the time and just had to get close enough. There was a nice gap to get the camera though safely and I was all set to get started. I took one shot and then moved slightly to the left for a better composition. I large Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica brushed against the side of my face and neck. This took me by surprise and I leapt backwards landing on the ground with my camera firmly clutched to my chest. On this occasion no harm was done apart from the painful rash all over one side of may head and several small cuts and bruises. It just goes to show that one minute you are minding your own business and the next you are rolling around in pain wondering what has happened! What really annoyed me about this whole incident was that the only picture of the spider that I took was all fuzzy!

Outdoor Photography Advice and Tips
I enjoy working outdoors but sometimes it can be a very challenging. The weather conditions can be beneficial and a total nuisance all at the same time. Wind, Rain, Cloud and Sun can all influence the results of photography. This could be in a positive or negative way depending on the situation. It is a well known fact that water adds interest to the composition of many subjects. It is really useful to find yourself a fine water sprayer. Give some of your subjects a fine spray of water to see the effects of this technique (or take a look at my apple experiment). Nature does this for you in the form of snow, rain and frost which can result in some good opportunities. If you plan to work outdoors for long periods in cold weather conditions you will need some addition gear. You should think about adding a high quality waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers and some decent boots to your shopping list. In recent years I have started wearing base layers as well. I would also recommend a good quality camera bag and your feet will thank you for a pair of good hiking socks. In summer weather you also need to look after yourself. Wear a high quality sun hat (Tilley Hats are excellent), sun glasses and use sun block to protect yourself from the suns harmful UV rays. This advice applies even when the sun light is not direct. In hot weather always carry water and make sure that you drink plenty of fluids. In basic terms look after yourself otherwise you will not be able to take any macro photographs!

Field Craft
I am very interested in wildlife and nature and this is how my interest in macro photography began. Field craft is an essential code of practice for anyone who works or spends time in the countryside. Good field craft skills will enhance your chances of getting better wildlife photographs (not just macro). Land owners are more likely to grant permission for you to work on their land if they see you have good field craft skills. Respect all living wild animals and plants and their natural habitats. Try to have as little impact on the environment as possible as this will help conserve the area. This means you can come back each season and get similar or better shots of the same species. Wildlife photography is a very rewarding field and well worth the effort. Here are some important points to consider before venturing into the countryside.

1. If you go through an access point always close gates behind you. If you open any doors or slots in a bird-watching hide close them when you leave.
2. Never throw litter – people who throw litter spoil the countryside. Litter can cause horrendous problems for wildlife. Put your litter in a litter bin (if available) or take it home and recycle it. Litter bins on nature reserves attract vermin such as rats. It helps in the management of nature reserves for you to remove your own litter from the site. This will also benefit the wildlife.
3. Do not light fires unless allowed to do so. If you do light a fire, maintain it and put it out afterwards. Avoid damage to the environment and do not burn toxic materials.
4. It is important when attempting botanic photography to avoid damage to the plants and their habitats. Never pull up wild plants or take seeds, berries or fruit from the site.
5. Be compliant with all local rules and by-laws for the area where you are working.
   

Camera Bags
Now a good bag is not just to protect your camera equipment, it is also to make carrying all that heavy camera equipment easier. This will take some strain off your back and make walking more comfortable. I do harbour one concern with regard to some expensive camera bags. Some designs stand out more than others which could attract attention to the expensive gear you are carrying it. I often see photographers with the brand name of their cameras splashed across the entire bag. The last thing you want to do is advertise the fact that you have some items with you that are worth stealing. My tip here is to try and look like you are a walker or bird-watcher and keep a low profile if possible. If you are concerned about being out in the middle of nowhere make sure you have a phone or a radio. If you clip a radio to your belt it looks like you are part of a team of people. I’m not trying to scare anyone, but people do occasionally get attacked so always be alert and keep an eye on your surroundings. Most people you meet will be polite and civilised and take an interest in what you are doing. Binoculars are useful for spotting potential problems for example some large energetic dogs charging towards you along a barren cliff top! It’s time to collect up your gear and make a run for it, now do you see how important it is to be physically fit?

A Rubbish Idea
I have a friend who takes a bin liner with him when ever he goes out. He uses this to keep his equipment dry (no, no, no, his camera equipment...you dirty minded souls). It is a good idea to put a bin liner (or any other waterproof material big enough for the job) in your camera bag. Instead of buying a waterproof camera bag just grab the bin liner and place your entire camera bag inside it when the rain comes. My friend also uses the bin liner to protect his clothes when lying on the ground. I usually forget to take a bin liner (or two) with me and usually go home caked in mud, sand and grass stains! So there is another great idea on how to keep your expensive camera equipment dry. This post is actually turning out to be quite useful after all! It is easy to make camera covers from plastic food (freezer or sandwich) bags. Always protect the body of your camera from harsh elements (such as water) and protect the lens from sand, dust and grit. It is easy to damage the lens when hunting for your subject, due to disorientation. Some people use a filter that screws into the end of the lens which acts as protection. A lens hood will make it more difficult to scratch the glass but will reduce the amount of ambient light. So you are on your own with this one…just take care where you stick your lenses!

Things with Stings
Some people like taking photographs of wasps and hornets. You have to be careful when working with some wildlife subjects. I know of plenty of photographers who have returned with stings and bites from wildlife shoots. There is a small minority of people who react badly to insect bites and stings due to an allergy. In such cases it is important to find medical assistance as soon as possible. If you suffer from an allergy make sure other people know about it before setting out. My advice would be to keep your distance with stinging and biting subjects. There are some areas where you would be considered insane if found absent of insect repellent, so throw some in your kit bag. There are lots of poisonous plants and fungi as well, if you are unsure just take care about what you touch and always wash your hands before eating food.

A few last thoughts…
Who would have thought that Macro Photography could be such a dangerous and physical activity? Obviously with the correct planning and some common sense macro photography is a perfectly safe pursuit. I hope you enjoyed this less technical post as much as I have enjoyed writing it. For quite a long time I have debated (with myself) whether or not to make an online portfolio of my photographs. Now that my website is up and running I am thinking of joining Flickr which is owned by Yahoo. This would make it easier for me to post examples of my own work using web-links. My next post will address some of the problems of exposure. If you have any questions, queries, suggestions or comments please feel free to use the comment box or send me an email. I promise that I will not SPAM you ever. Nobody hates spam more than me. Thank You for visiting my Macro Photography for Beginners Website, I hope you found this article insightful and interesting. Please remember to look after yourself and the environment, most of all enjoy taking your macro photography. Good Luck and happy shooting!

Marvin Africa

marvin.africa@yahoo.com

Depth of Field (DOF)

Depth of Field is another area where some beginners to macro photography begin to feel confused. After reading through some of the explanations available on the internet this is understandable. You would need a degree in mathematics and physics to understand some of the information available in some books and websites. I hope to explain Depth of Field in the simplest way possible so that my readers are still with me at the end of the next paragraph! Depth of Field is the area you see in your view finder and resulting photograph that is in sharp focus. In macro photography depth of field is always going to be small and can be determined by the amount of magnification of your subject, the distance to your subject and the aperture value used. Remember that the aperture is measured in f numbers or stops. The area that is considered to be in sharp focus will be indicated by your cameras auto focus points. The camera will do this even when you have set the camera lens to manual focus. This is a good way to double check that you have manually focussed correctly. Now you may be wondering why it is better to use manual focus, especially after buying a lens with an expensive super sonic auto focussing motor. It is simply quicker and more reliable to focus manually then to use auto focus. If your subject is very small it is difficult to prevent the camera from auto focussing on the surroundings. In outdoor photography this could be a branch, stone or blade of grass!

Shallow Depth of Field (DOF)
It has already been established that there is never going to much depth of field in macro photography. This has to be accepted at the beginning and used to your advantage. It is this lack of depth of field that makes macro such a challenging form of photography. To keep this as simple as possible the closer you get to your subject the lower the depth of field. In macro photography the distance between the subject and lens could be very small indeed. If you increase the magnification the depth of field will decrease further. A small area of the frame will be in focus. This is why it is difficult to hand hold at high levels of magnification. At very high levels of magnification it can be difficult to actually find the subject in the frame!

Plane of Focus
The film or sensor in your camera is considered to be a plane. This is where all the light is brought together to form the image. The Plane of Focus is a parallel plane to the film or sensor in front of the camera. The size and exact position of the plane of focus can be altered by using different lenses on the camera. Some poor quality lenses have a tendency to produce a curved plane of focus which causes spherical aberrations. This is known as curvature of field. In other words it will cause straight lines to look curved in your images.

The basic principle to learn from plane of focus is that you can use it to get the most out of your small depth of field. To do this all you have to do is align your camera focussing plane (film or sensor) parallel with your subject. I will not dwell on plane of focus too long. This is all I wanted to say about it for now. Remember that when you set up your composition to align the camera with the subject. This is another important law of macro photography that can have an enormous effect on your results. This is one reason why setting up a macro shot can take such a long time. This is a very intricate business and every millimetre counts. You have to be precise when setting up the camera equipment to get a quality end product.

Circle of Confusion
I really do not want to add to the confusion! There are some people in the world who believe that to fully understand Depth of Field you first need to get to grips with the circle of confusion. Yes, it is a real name and not something I made up for a joke. The circle of confusion is actually more to do with human vision and optics than photography. I have brought it up here so that it has been mentioned. At some stage if there is little else going on in the world I might return to this subject.

Working Distance
Working distance is the shortest workable distance between the lens and your subject. This is 150mm (15cm) on my lens. This is a benefit when photographing insects because I can work without scaring them away. This is one good reason why you need to think about what you would like to photograph before buying your macro lens. The working distance is simply the space between the end of your lens and the subject. If you have a very small working distance there will be less light available and more need to use some type of artificial lighting or flash. Moving the camera and lens further away from the subject and using lower magnification will increase the depth of field resulting in a larger area of the frame being in focus.

Try the Technique for Yourself
This theory is easy to test with your own camera and lens. Take a picture in each position and compare them afterwards. Make sure that you have a subject that can be measured from the front of the frame to the back of the frame. I often use children’s toy figures for this experiment. Another way is to lay a measuring ruler along the frame. Every website that shows depth of field uses a plastic ruler or a sheet of graph paper. I decided to use something a bit more colourful, a procession of “little people” toys. Technically these pictures are quite poor but they show the depth of field quite well. The camera was set up on a tripod and focussed on the front toy. Only the aperture was changed between each shot. The camera was pointing towards the toys at an angle and therefore not parallel to the subject.

Figure 1. At f2.8 most of the front toy is in sharp focus, everything else is blurred.

Figure 2. At f11 more of the image is in sharp focus but the toy in the background is blurred.

Figure 3. At f22 a much greater area appears to be in sharp focus.

The images could still be improved by aligning the camera so that it is parallel to the toys. This was just a simple test to show the depth of field and how to control it using different aperture values. Figure 3 also shows that my camera sensor is still in need of a clean! When using small aperture values any dirt, grit, grime or dust on the digital sensor of your camera will be visible in the resulting photographs. I will address this problem in a subsequent post. It is possible to remove the specks of dirt from digital images with image editing software such as Coral Paint Shop Pro or Adobe Photoshop. This can be less expensive than damaging the sensor or sending the camera to be serviced. It is a dilemma that faces us all, even though new camera’s now have self-cleaning sensors I feel sceptical as to how effective they will be once the more extensive grime and grot finds its way into the camera.

I could have done this experiment differently and focussed on the toy in the centre of the frame. I would recommend that you copy my experiment using anything you have to hand. This set of pictures was taken indoors in poor light and without the use of flash. The camera was approximately a metre away from the toys. This is just a quick example and is not intended to show the maximum or minimum depth of field. There are lots of books and websites that show the depth of field in much the same way. A page of text such as a newspaper column or any type of measurement or scale are popular (but bland) ways to show the depth of field.

Summary of Depth of Field

1. For a small depth of field move your camera closer to the subject and use high magnification and a large aperture. (f2.8)
2. For a large depth of field move the camera further away form the subject and use low magnification and a small aperture. (f22)

This is clearly a very basic explanation of Depth of Field. It is important not to under estimate the importance of Depth of Field to macro photography. To blur the background of your subject use a large aperture (example f2.8) and to make the background and foreground sharper use a small aperture (example f22). Using the correct aperture setting for your subject and magnification will yield much improved macro photography. Make sure when setting up your macro shots that you have aligned the plane of focus with your subject. This will increase your chances of getting the subject in sharp focus in the frame.

I hope you found this explanation of Depth of Field informative and useful. It is a difficult subject to portray in basic terms. If you feel it is too basic or not covered fully enough please add a comment and I will address all reasonable requests in my next post or a relevant subsequent post. In my next post will cover shutter speed. This is much less complicated subject than depth of field and should be a much more enjoyable introductory tutorial. There are some good effects that you can gain by understanding how to use shutter speeds. I plan to revert to some general photography basics to help illustrate how the correct shutter speed can improve your macro photography. Hopefully I can shed enough light on this subject to make it easier to comprehend. I am still thinking about the best way to illustrate shutter speed on here. I used to have a really good illustration for this but it has gone missing! With all this new found knowledge of aperture and depth of field you should be already seeing some better results in your macro photography. If you have made it through all to the end of this post you may need to sit quietly in a darkened room for at least a couple of hours!

Thank you for visiting my macro photography for beginners website. If you have any questions, comments, queries or suggestions please contact me via the comments box. I am always interested in the camera equipment other people are using, particularly for their outdoor wildlife macro photography. What do you use for a light box? I’m thinking about building a light box from a clear plastic storage box. This would serve two purposes as it could also be used for carrying photographic equipment and/or my sandwiches. I will let you know how I get on with building this light box nearer the time.

Marvin Africa