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Sharp close-ups
Left Image: Minolta Maxxum
9, 100mm f-2.8 macro lens, Fuji Velvia 50, Bogen tripod and pan/tilt head.
Spot meter and opening up +1/2 stop, f-11, shutter speed not recorded. Manual exposure and
manual focus.
Taking sharp close-ups is different from
taking sharp photographs of a landscape or a building. At close range
depth-of-field is extremely shallow, and getting closer or farther even by an inch, makes
a big difference. If you are photographing a landscape, you can move several feet closer
or farther without loosing or gaining much depth-of-field. In close-ups however, every
inch counts. Stopping down the lens alone wont solve the problem. At high magnifications
you must align your camera so it is parallel to your subject. Position your camera and
check to make sure it is parallel to the most important part of your subject. Even a small
camera movement can throw your subject out of focus. Determine the most important part of
the subject. A piece of thin cardboard or your gray card can help in aligning your camera.
Set up and align your camera to your subject as closely as you can. Place the cardboard
parallel to the most important part of your subject. Align the back of the camera with the
angle of the cardboard. It is best to use pan-tilt tripod heads for close-up work. They
allow more precise focusing in close-ups. Ball heads are difficult to use since one
control loosens all movements.
Left Image: Minolta Maxxum
9000, 100mm f-2.8 macro lens, Fuji Velvia 50, Bogen tripod and pan/tilt head.
Spot meter and opening up +1 stop, f-16, shutter speed not recorded.
aperture priority and
manual focus.
Autofocus wont work well in close-up photography. You have
much more freedom by focusing your lens manually. This way you can choose exactly the
point you feel is the most important. Keep in mind that in close-up photography turning
the focusing mount changes the magnification. It is better to decide on a magnification
and move the camera to bring the subject in focus. If you do a lot of close-up
photography, invest in a macro focusing rail. Focusing rails are placed between the tripod
and the camera. You can simply move the camera closer or farther from your subject for
critical focusing. Some models allow movements in four directions for better positioning
of the subject. The hardest part of close-up photography is focusing. Take extra time and
care if you want to produce good close-up images.
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Macro photography: Learning
from a Master
The one book that any photographer needs to
become an expert in the art of portraying nature close-up,
Macrophotography invites readers to explore a magical world in which
miniature landscapes are magnified in all their radiant splendor, capturing
flora and fauna in exquisite detail. In these pages, in remarkably clear,
larger-than-life stop-action images, we see the delicate stamen of an
orchid, the intricate pattern of a butterfly's wings, snails climbing on
mushrooms, and the eye of a gecko. This splendid how-to manual not only
reproduces these images in glorious full-color photographs, but also
provides technical information of immense value to nature photographers,
both amateur and professional.
Topics covered in this outstanding guide
range from practical advice about basic equipment and more sophisticated
accessories to aesthetic concerns such as composition and color. After
explaining how to proceed in the variety of terrains nature photographers
may encounter in their travels, the book examines macrophotography in the
studio, discussing how animal and plant life can be shot in aquariums and
vivariums and using studio backdrops.
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Recommended macro Lens
Sigma 180mm F3.5 EX IF HSM Macro Lens
This high performance tele-macro
lens can focus from infinity to full 1:1 Life-size reproduction without
accessories. At 1:1 reproduction the distance from subject to film plane
is 18.1 inches, making this lens convenient for photographing subjects
which are not easily approached, such as small animals or insects, etc.
The apochromatic design and two SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass
elements, plus floating inner focus system effectively control Chromatic
and Spherical Aberrations as well as Astigmatism, providing superb
performance throughout the focusing range. The models for Sigma, Canon
and Nikon AF cameras employ Sigma's HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) for quiet,
responsive AF function plus "full time" manual focus. A Focus Limiter
switch aids in faster AF for closer or more distant subject situations,
by restricting the movement of the focusing mechanism. The HSM model
lenses can be used with Sigma's 1.4X EX teleconverter as a 252mm f/4.9
lens, with Sigma, Canon and Nikon AF cameras, providing AF function from
infinity to about 47 inches. At closer distances, the lens automatically
switches to manual focus. (The models for Minolta and Pentax cameras
will be manual focus with the 1.4X EX teleconverter.) This lens can also
be used with Sigma's 2X EX teleconverter as a 360mm f/7 lens, for manual
focus in all cases.
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