I don't know about you, but when I see macro photos, I'm completely spellbound.
I just love the richness of detail that you can get when shooting ultra-close to the subject.
Of course, getting high-quality macro photos requires much more than just shoving your camera up-close to a flower, insect or another subject.
In the video above, Micael Widell shares his 10 best macro photography secrets.
If you've been leery about trying macro, this video will help you figure out precisely what to do!
For a breakdown of a few of Micael's top tips, read on below.
Think About the Location and Weather for Macro Photography
What you photograph with your macro lens will, of course, depend on your personal tastes.
But many beginner macro photographers choose to photograph insects, flowers, and plants, and in those cases, you need to consider the location and the weather when you go out shooting.
As far as location goes, you can find flowers and insects anywhere - even your own yard.
That's beneficial because you don't have to spend hours in the car wandering around to find something to photograph!
As far as weather is concerned, insects are more active when it's warmer, say, 60 degrees or more.
Something else to think about is the cloud cover when you go out to shoot.
Though bright, sunny days might seem like the ideal lighting, shooting with cloud cover is actually more advantageous.
That's because the clouds diffuse the sunlight, making it much more even and soft. That helps eliminate harsh highlights and shadows that are difficult for your camera to accommodate.
Learn More:
Use a Flash
By using a flash, you help your camera get a good exposure without having to max out your aperture.
The problem with maxing out the aperture is that it creates such a small depth of field (sometimes just a couple of millimeters) that it's impossible to get the entire insect or flower into focus.
Now, sometimes such a narrow depth of field is desired, and that's fine.
But if you want to extend the depth of field, you need to give your camera more light to collect.
That's where the flash comes in.
You can use your camera's pop-up flash, if its so equipped.
If not, you can buy a lens-mounted ring flash that will give you a much better quality of light.
The brightness provided by a flash like this will allow you to step down the aperture by several stops, increase the depth of field, and create an even better macro photo.
Editor's Tip: Print your macro photos in large format to create an impactful piece of art. Find out how.
Crank the Shutter Speed
There are two primary reasons why you need to use a faster shutter speed in macro photography.
First, when handholding the camera, you need to ensure that the shutter speed is fast enough not to be impacted by camera shake caused by the natural movements of your hands and body.
Second, when photographing insects, you need a fast shutter speed to freeze any movement.
To do so, Micael suggests using a shutter speed of 1/250 seconds at a minimum.
Remember, if you shoot with a flash, your camera will have the light it needs to get a good exposure even with a fast shutter.
So, don't be afraid to shoot at 1/500, 1/1000 and above to get the sharpest macro photos.
Learn More:
- Everything You Need to Know About Shutter Priority Mode
- Shutter Speed Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
How to Do Macro Photography: Experiment With Angles
The beauty of macro photography is that you can easily move around the subject to find a more pleasing angle.
By experimenting with the angle from which you shoot, you can try different backgrounds, see different views of the subject, and discover ways to create a more compelling shot.
Changing your perspective from shooting top-down, for example, to shooting across at the subject, can completely change the look and feel of the shot.
So, as Micael says in the video, don't be lazy - work around the subject to find the most pleasing angle!
Be sure to check the video for even more great macro photography tips, and then use what you learn to start mastering macro photography!