Macro photography is a fancy term for close-up photography; the classical definition is that the image projected on the "film plane" (i.e the film or a digital sensor) is the same size as the subject. An object 10cm long will be rendered 10cm long on a contact print. If your film or sensor is 35mm it measures about 2.54cm x 3.81 cm(1inch by 1.5 inches ), so an object 2.54cm (1 inch) long will be 2.54 cm long in a contact print and 4 inches long in a traditional 4x6 print. More recently the term has come to mean "life size" when enlarged to 6×4 inch (15×10 cm). This only requires a magnification ratio of about 1:4, more easily attainable than the 1:1 of "true" macro lenses: but that is really just an adverting ploy, letting manufacturers label their lenses "macro", and for this Intel we will use the term to mean photos at 1:1 or greater magnification.
Digital cameras have opened up what was once a highly specialised and technical area of photography. Even quite basic "point and shoot" digital cameras have remarkable macro capabilities, and even though single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras are capable of better macro results, SLRs require accessories or special lenses to achieve this. Compacts, on the other hand, usually have a special macro setting activated at the press of a button, which allows them to focus to within a few centimetres of the subject: a few will actually focus on an object in contact with the lens!
So, if you have a digital camera, you have the basic equipment to start taking macro photos. If you have a SLR (digital or film) there are a number of inexpensive accessories that will get you started, and some more
expensive ones to consider if macro becomes one of your interests in photography...and a few successful photos does tend to make enthusiasts!
Because compacts come ready to shoot macros, I will spend a bit of time talking about the equipment you will need if you use a 35mm film camera or a digital SLR. There are other considerations for medium and larger format enthusiasts wanting to shoot macro, and for the sake of brevity, I won't be canvassing them here.
Options for Getting Into Macro:
The zoom lens you have fitted to your camera right now is probably labelled "macro". The best these lenses can manage is a magnification of about 1:2 or 1:3, largely because
they were not designed to focus close enough to the subject. Close focussing is one of the two main elements of a lens designed for close-up work; the other is a flat focal plane.
True macro lenses are generally of much higher optical quality than ordinary lenses and usually cost more. They are also usually optimized to take photographs of small flat objects with even focus across the surface - thus "flat field". You can use them for regular photography as well - they just have the bonus that they can focus much closer than ordinary lenses can. The downside is that they have a longer throw from the closest focussing distance to infinity, so are slower to focus than ordinary lenses. Most are "prime" (single focal length lenses); true macro zooms do exist...they are expensive.
You don't have to go out and buy a macro lens, though (you may want to later for the razor sharp, highly saturated images they give at all focussing ranges). An excellent place to begin is with close-up lenses (also known as close-up filters). These are lenses that screw in to your standard lens, magnifying the central part of the image. They give surprisingly good result at very little cost. About $50 will buy a set of set of 3 (+1, +2, and +4) which can be used singly or stacked in any configuration to give you magnification strengths from +1 to +7. Some sets include a 4th lens with a +10 magnification for about the same price. The best are two element lenses and cost a bit more. Close up lenses screw into the filter thread on the front of any lens (so you need a different set for different size lenses - or an adapter. They don't have any effect on exposure and are very easy to use.
While close-up filters go on the front of the lens; teleconverters go on the rear, between the lens and the body. They are really designed for telephoto work, but what they do is magnify the central portion of the image so it fills the frame. Unlike close-up filters, they reduce the light reaching the film/sensor, and optically they are less suited to macro work than filters, but if you have one in your gadget bag...
Extension tubes are just bits of pipe that fit between the lens and the camera body. I've seen one made from a Pringle's tube. They move the lens out from the focal plane, which allows it to focus closer. Bellows do the same thing. The main differences are that the tubes come in sets which fit together in various combinations to let you vary the magnification, while bellows extend and contract. That has a similar effect, but bellows can achieve an infinite variety of extensions within their range, while tubes move in fixed steps.
Tubes are light and rigid; bellows are flexible and sit on a set of rails and knobs so are heavier and need more support. Both "steal" light from the lens and require the exposure to be adjusted to compensate for this, which means tripods are essential for both, and extra lights a great help. Very few will couple with your automatic exposure or autofocus systems (although this is less important than it might seem at first: you will quickly find yourself switching to manual focus with macro work, and the exposure issues are easy enough to handle in most conditions).
Reversing rings are a neat solution for getting your lens to focus closer than it was designed to do. They allow you to put the lens on backwards. Like close-up filters, you need a separate one for each lens (unless you are lucky enough that all your lenses have the same size filter thread). It is quite possible to combine extension tubes, televerters, macro lenses and close focussing filters and go well beyond 1:1 reproduction. However, the more glass you add the more quality and light will be lost.
For cameras with all-electronic communications between the lens and the camera body, such as Canon EOS, reversing rings are available which allow all camera functions, including open aperture metering, to be used. Reversing a lens of lesser focal length in front of a normally mounted lens using a very inexpensive "macro coupler," which uses two male filter threads to join lenses. This method allows most cameras to maintain the full function of electronic communication with the normally mounted lens for features such as open-aperture metering. Magnification ratio is calculated by dividing the focal length of the normally mounted lens by the focal length of the reversed lens (e.g., when a 18 mm lens is reverse mounted on a 100 mm lens a 16:1 magnification ratio is achieved).
The use of automatic focus is not recommended due to the extra weight of the reverse-mounted lens. It could damage the camera or lens. Working distance is significantly reduced as compared to the original lens.
Setting aside these rather exotic solutions, a standard 50mm lens with a 50mm extension tube will give you 1:1 reproduction at a fraction of the cost of a macro lens. You can use this with any SLR but you'll lose autofocus, lens to camera information and most of your flash functions. If you are not comfortable with running your camera in fully manual mode, your best bet is a set of close-up filters, followed by autoextension tube sets if a set is available for your camera. The greatest flexibility is found in a prime macro, which will also accept all these other accessories as well and is an excellent general purpose lens too.
What follows applies to any camera, digital, film, compact or SLR. They are the technical issues that largely govern the success of close-up photography:
Depth of Field
The closer you approach your subject, the shallower your depth of field becomes. It is essential to focus critically on the most important part of the subject, as elements that are even a millimetre closer or farther from the focal plane might be noticeably blurred.
Three rules govern depth of field:
Rule 1: The depth of field is inversely proportional to the focal length of the lens; that is, the smaller the focal length number of the lens, the greater the apparent depth of field. For example, a 28mm lens has the ability to capture more of the picture in sharp focus than a 300mm lens;
Rule 2:Depth of field is directly proportional to distance; i.e. a subject at a greater distance will have greater depth of field than a close-up subject;
Rule 3:Depth of field halves every time the aperture is made one stop larger. A wider aperture (smaller f-stop number) will give a shallower depth of field.
In macro work you're generally not using wide-angle lenses and the subject distance is very short, so your DOF will be very shallow. It is very hard to keep the entire picture in focus unless you are taking picture of a 2 dimensional subject, like a postage stamp. You may want to limit depth of field, but mostly your problem will be to get enough!
Maximising Depth of Field
Your lens may have a Depth of field scale to help you predict how much will be covered at a given aperture. Focus on your subject and the scale will show the depth of field at a given aperture. For instance, if you are using a 50mm lens and are focused at 2.18 feet, the depth of field region will stretch from 2 feet to 2.5 feet.
Usually it will suggest that a third of the depth of field lies in front of the subject and two thirds lie behind. This is misleading...at macro distances, the depth of field behind and in front of the subject is the same.
Many modern lenses have abandoned the DOF scale, and I have never seen one on a compact camera. With an SLR you can use depth of view preview to actually see what will be in focus. this works on high resolution LCD screens too; unfortunately, you have to stop the lens down to be able to use preview, and at small apertures the image may become too dark to evaluate. If you really keen, you could set up shots of rulers and shoot at different apertures and record the results for future reference.
Another way to deal with shallow depth of field is to keep the focal plane and film plane close to parallel. Some bellows and shift/tilt lenses allow the focal plane to be tilted closer to that of the subject, but for most situations it means photographing say, a butterfly, side-on rather then head-on. That way the whole insect will be in the same plane (and in focus) instead of just the antennae being sharp and the body a blur.
Light Issues:
At macro distances, lighting is a problem. The rule about the sun coming over your shoulder is a bit impractical - your lens is often going to block it; in fact you are almost always be in your own shadow placing a light or reflector between the camera and a subject is not easy (some lenses focus down to the point where the subject touches them!), and a surprising number of photo opportunities occur in poorly lit locations, made worse by the need for small apertures to deal with the depth of field issue.
Many photographers use macro lenses with focal lengths from about 100 to 200 mm letting them move back further and also keeping them a reasonable distance from the subject; if you are photographing wasps or spiders, that is a nice bonus!
Speaking of lighting, many flash guns are either too bright, or can't be trained on subjects this close. Ring flashes, with flash tubes or LEDs arranged in a circle around the front of the lens are a useful adjunct for lighting at close distances. LEDs have the advantages of being able to provide a continuous light source for macro photography.
Another solution is specially designed brackets which train the guns on the subject from the sides. These usually screw into the tripod socket on the camera and lift the flash above and in front of its usual position. This way the flash can point at the subject without the lens in the way. Some have dual brackets for better modelling.
In settings where you can control the light, like in a studio, or in a terrarium, you have time to work out the correct aperture and shutter settings for your flash. Flash to subject distance and light lost from the use of
tubes isn't higher mathematics; on the other hand, with moving subjects, and just for the plain convenience, I personally have given up trying to out think the TTL system in my cameras: they are accurate and reliable with whatever macro gear I am using, and I suggest you use them. All you have to think about is how much fill I want and then just dial in some compensation if the shot isn't quite what you expected.
Flash has three main uses in macro. The obvious one is to light your picture. The second and more important, is for filling in shadows; the third is freezing motion.
Motion comes as much from the photographer as from the subject. Small animals and insects are seldom still (unless you catch them in the early morning before the sun has warmed them up); the wind is always moving leaves and petals and webs; your hand is a constants source of shake.
You really don't need a very powerful flash since the flash to subject distance is so short. A flash that can be turned to face away from the subject is also handy, as it can be bounced off a piece of card behind the camera, reducing the light and softening it, both of which can help quench the excess power of a flash designed to light a large object at a "normal" distance.
Non-Technical Aspects of Macro:
Technical aspects of close-up photography mastered, you are going to get photos. The very nature of macro photography produces unusual pictures with a good deal of impact: people are not used to seeing such magnified images of everyday objects.
Macros are by their very nature abstracts and call attention to a world all around us that many never notice. When the novelty wears off, however, not every macro will be so interesting, and with the greater ease modern digital photography brings to taking them, the time when the ability to make big pictures of little things is enough is quickly passing.
Lasting macro images need to have the same qualities as any other form of photography. They need to be well composed as well as properly focussed and exposed, and they need to make good use of lighting, colour, contrast, form and texture.
"Good" Composition:
Composition is about the subject and its relationship to other elements in the picture. What is good composition? It is placing the subject matter within a frame in such a way as to keep the viewer’s eye within the frame and their mind on the "story" you are telling. The eye should be drawn to the subject, and every other element should support, or at very least, not distract from it. Nothing in the frame should distract the viewer from what you are trying to show them.
Subject placement:
The temptation in macro is to centre the subject, but it's a temptation to be avoided! Just as in landscape or other types of photography, one of the simplest and best things you can do to add dynamism to your photographs is to shift the most important part of the picture out to a point 1/3 of the way along the vertical and horizontal frame of your picture. Don't be slavish about this; some images benefit from a more stable, still or balanced placement...but not so many.
Foreground and background
It might be fantastic to capture the decisive moment as a butterfly emerges from its cocoon or a mantis eats her mate, but not if the background swallows up the image or the foreground overwhelms it. Instead, let the foreground lead the eye towards the main story and keep the background neutral. This is one area where shallow depth is an advantage, but you still have to watch out for bright and distracting highlights and shapes.
Horizontal lines
The horizon is a common reference point and horizontal lines tend to provide a sense of stability, even immobility, within the image. Be careful not to let them divide the image into equal parts: the eye may not discern where the subject lies when the picture is "cut up" this way.
Vertical lines
Vertical lines may signify strength and power. Photographs dominated by vertical elements often have a sense of being rooted, or having an unmovable foundation. Both stability and continuity may be conveyed by the vertical lines, but like horizontal lines, be careful not to divide the picture into equal halves.
Diagonal lines
Diagonal lines tend to be dynamic. Placing the subject diagonally within a frame can convey excitement and is one of your most dramatc compositional tools. Combine this technique with the rule of thirds and you have a recipe for a successful photograph.
Leading lines
Leading lines draw the eye to the main focus of the photograph. A non-macro example might be a house with a driveway. Placing the driveway in the foreground, the driveway becomes a natural leading line to the house, which is the main focus of the photograph. Even better if the driveway is a diagonal element or a curve and better again if it starts at the lower third of the frame (think rule of thirds). Leading lines do not have to be straight, they can wind and curve as long as they take your viewer’s eye where you want it to go.
Internal Framing
Internal Framing is the compositional technique of using objects within a photograph as a frame around the main subject matter. Imagine looking at a house through surrounded trees: the trees become an internal frame, holding the viewer’s attention on the subject and acting as an element in the image.We have touched on lighting and the problems of getting light on the subject. Frontal lighting is basic and within the constraints mentioned above, easy - but frontal lighting tends to be flat, and best used for illustrations and recording. Side lighting give a better impression of three dimensions. By illuminating the subject from the side, shade and light highlight depth, as opposed to the flat, two-dimensional effect of front lighting. Side lighting accentuates textures in the subject.
Direct lighting produces high contrast photographs. Such high contrast photos can be dramatic with high impact and accentuated textures. They can make a clear bold statement, but often exchange subtlety for drama. Use direct lighting sparingly: it tends to make all your pictures look the same, and can overwhelm many macro subjects.
On the other hand, diffused, scattered light is softer and reduces contrast, smoothing out details in the subject. The resulting images may to be romantic even ethereal. This light is very good for shadow detail and to avoid exceeding the dynamic range of your camera's sensor or film. It is an excellent light for most macro subjects and probably the ideal light for producing richly saturated colours in flowers.
It is important to differentiate between light and colour contrast. Contrasty light shows extremes of light and dark and is quite dramatic, but is hard for the sensor to manage, as it demands extreme exposure range. Colour contrast, on the other hand, is about with the relationship of dissimilar hues and is independent of the lighting conditions, so it can be used with any lighting technique.
Positioning dissimilar colours next to one another can create dynamic photographs. The more dissimilar the colour shadings, the more vibrant and sometimes disturbing the image. Cool tones such as green and blue may provide a sense of tranquillity, while hot and bold colours such as red and yellow can evoke strong emotions. Mastery of colour is one of the most useful communication tools in achieving a great photograph.
The Idea that a macro photo is a form of communication might seem odd: surely it is just a picture? Every subject you photograph communicated something to you which you felt worth recording. Learning to understanding what drew you to this flower out of all those in the field, or that moth, or this object is a key to communicating your perspective, your emotional responses, your sense of humour to others.
Taking the photo is not the same as making the picture. The most successful photographs are the ones that invoke emotions. They express and communicate your vision.
