Chapter 12-Close-Up and Macro Photography

Close-up images all taken with Hipstamatic on the iPhone

Close-up and Macro Examples

All taken with close-up filter or reverse mount lens

Macro Close-up Photography Tips

What is close-up or macro photography?

• A picture taken with the subject close to the camera-usually less than two or three feet away, but it can be as close as a few inches.

A macro lens

• A lens that provides continuous focusing from infinity to extreme close-ups, often to a reproduction ratio of 1:2 (half life-size) or 1:1 (life-size).

What was the problem with close-up photography in the early days? (37)

• Focus-Early cameras could not focus up close, they had limited focus capabilities so you could not get sharp images up close.

• Parallax-The lens and the viewfinder did not see the same thing with the early cameras.

What is parallax?-With a lens-shutter camera, parallax is the difference between what the viewfinder sees and what the camera records, especially at close distances. This is caused by the separation between the viewfinder and the picture-taking lens. There is no parallax with single-lens-reflex cameras because when you look through the viewfinder, you are viewing the subject through the picture-taking lens.

The digital SLR vs. the point-and-shoot with a viewfinder (38)

• With the digital SLR you see exactly what the camera sees because you view the subject through the camera lens

• With a point-and-shoot using a viewfinder you will have the problem of not seeing exactly what the lens sees every time because of the separation of the lens from the viewfinder.

• With an LCD view you can see exactly what the lens is seeing.

You can get a close-up by cropping the original image like the one to the right, but taking an original close-up is better.

Close-up pictures have impact (39)

Close-ups eliminate the clutter and define the subject in a better way!

The best part of close-ups (40)

• Close-up photography is always possible, in any place, at any time, in any season, indoors or out.

• You don’t have to go some place special, and you can take pictures whenever you have time if you look for the close-up.

• Close-up photography puts the viewer into a world that is usually not seen from the human eye.

Macro or close-up: What’s the difference?

• Close-up photography is a more general term that refers to any image that gives the viewer a close view of the subject.

• Macro photography is more specific and usually refers to extreme close-ups that show off subject details not normally seen.

• 1:1 ratio says the actual size of the subject is captured at the same size on the digital sensor as it is in real life.

• Any type of movement can make close-up images go out of focus because of how close you are focusing and the usual shallow depth-of-field.

How to get the close-up (41)

• Today most digital cameras have the ability to take close-up images.

• You can also use: – Close-focusing cameras-with macro features

– Digital cameras with foldout and tilting LCD’s

– Close-focusing lenses

– Close-up accessory lenses

– Extension tubes

– Bellows attachment

– Tele-extenders

– Macro lenses

– Reverse lens mount

Close-up filters attached to the front of the camera lens Using a reverse lens mount, turn the

camera lens backwards to get close

Use a bellows unit that goes between the camera and the lens

Extension tubes that go between the camera and the lens

These pictures were all taken with close-up filters that attach to the end of the regular camera lens.

Flash for close-up photography (42)

• Flash allows you to control the lighting on your close-up images

• Flash lets you use a much faster shutter speed so that you will not have to worry about camera shake

• Be careful of flash burn, where the flash is too close to the subject and therefore too intense and it causes overexposure of the subject (43)

• Experiment with flash and close-ups

Flash or no flash

Which image was taken with the flash?

Dedicated close-up flash units (45) Usually dedicated flash for close-ups are of two type: Ring flash and twin flash

Can also cover the flash unit or bounce the flash to prevent flash burn. (44)

Different focal lengths for close-ups

• Telephotos for close-ups: This type of lens can magnify your subject at a distance, letting you get close-ups without needing to get physically close to the subject.

• Telephotos allow you to get close and not be in harms way. You can also get close without harming the subject.

• If the telephoto is a zoom then you have the best of all lenses to take close-up images.

Different focal lengths for close-ups

• Wide-angle for close-ups: Most photographers don’t think of wide angles for close-up work.

• Wide-angle lenses change your perspective and depth of field and give your viewer the feeling that they are right in there with the subject.

• If your wide-angle lens is a zoom lens you can experiment with many different focal lengths as you shoot your close-ups.

Depth-of-field and close-ups • As you focus closer and closer, depth of field

starts to become a real challenge.

• With close-ups you must focus very carefully on your subject.

• Small apertures can mean slow shutter speeds: Small apertures give better depth of field but you will also get much slower shutter speeds. (46)

• Small apertures can cause diffractive effects: As you focus at and near macro distance the light become diffracted as it passes through the small lens opening. This diffraction can cause the subject to become less sharp.

Ideas to help improve your depth of field (47)

1. Use a higher ISO setting. Digital cameras today work well at ISO settings of 400 or 800 depending on the camera. Use the highest setting your camera has and see if there is too much noise.

2. Use a tripod or other support for all of your close-up images

3. Shoot multiple shots with the continuous shooting setting.

4. Watch the plane of focus: The plane of focus for your shot is parallel to the back of your camera for the typical camera and lens.

5. Use flash 6. Try a specialty lens 7. Use a mid-range f/stop like f/8 or f/11 as your f/stops

Depth-of-Field Preview Button (48)

Button on the side of the camera that allows you to stop down the lens aperture when you press the button. When you look through the lens you always see a wide open view unless you press this button.

Why is the D-SLR best for close-up photography? (49)

• Can focus closely

• Can change lenses

• Can see what you get in the LCD

• Can change ISO settings

• Can set color balance for the type of lighting

Focusing (50) • Know what is important:

– Focus on the most important part of the subject

– Take the image and then view it in the LCD and see if you need to refocus and take the image again

• Use manual focus:

– Autofocus (AF) can be a problem with close-up photography

– You can also work with your AF focus points to be sure you are focusing on the main part of the subject

• Move the camera:

Instead of trying to focus, physically move the camera closer or further away from the subject.

Making your subject the star

• Find tonal contrasts: Try to make the subject lighter or darker than the background. This will make the subject stand out more.

• Use deliberate sharpness contrast: Find an angle for the subject that puts the background further behind it to make it stand out more with extra sharpness from the background. Use a telephoto lens with a wide open f/stop. This will be sure to blur the background.

Macro Photography-Drops of Water