Teach Yourself Macro Photography 1st ED - 2018 UK

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EDITION
FIRST
tones in your close-up shots insects for an other-worldly feel macro images for the best results
Welcome to
Open up a whole new world of possibilities with the art of

macro photography. Capture tiny things in huge detail and make
everyday objects appear larger than life. Teach Yourself Macro
Photography covers everything you need to embark on a journey
of close-up photography – from the specialist kit required, to
picking the perfect subject, shooting creatively and editing to
absolute perfection. Inside you’ll find projects that will enable
you to shoot artistically and gain inspiration from the talented
image-makers that we’ve interviewed. If that wasn’t enough
we took some readers on a series of miniature adventures with
four professional photographers – they found tiny creatures in
Cornwall, photographed with a unique field setup, captured artful
water splashes and more. This brand new bookazine will help you
get up-close and more than personal with your subjects. Capture
ordinary things in an extraordinary way and record tiny details like
never before. So, let’s get started!
Photography
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CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
Techniques 14
Discover how to get started in the art of macro photography
and learn the essential tricks and techniques
Discover magical macro ..............................................................16

Macro on a budget .......................................................................30
Close up photography.................................................................40
Master creative macro ................................................................50
Edit your macro shots like a pro ................................................62
CHAPTER 2
Be inspired 72
Learn from the professionals. Take your photography to the
next level with expert tips and advice
Hidden world ................................................................................. 74

Help me shoot a bug’s life ...........................................................82
David Maitland ..............................................................................92
Meet your neighbours ...............................................................100
Master of macro ..........................................................................112
Life in miniature............................................................................118
Making a splash ..........................................................................130
CHAPTER 3
Projects 142
Take things a bit further with our in-depth step-by-step
projects for shooting up close
Frozen flowers .............................................................................144

Creative macro photography ..................................................150
Shoot black and white fine-art macro ...................................156
Stack ‘em up ................................................................................162
Think inside the box ...................................................................166
CHAPTER 4
Kit Zone 170

Discover the essential kit you need for the best macro
photography possible
Choose the best camera ......................................................... 172

Macro lenses ............................................................................... 178
Camera remotes ........................................................................186
Ring lights .....................................................................................188
Sensor cleaners..........................................................................190
FREE DOWNLOAD
Online resources on page 194
6 Teach yourself macro photography

CONTENTS
INTERNATIONAL
GARDEN
PHOTOGRAPHER
OF THE YEAR:
MACRO ART
Be inspired by our favourite entries
Page 8
Teach yourself macro photography 7

GALLERY
INTERNATIONAL GARDEN
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR:
Take a look at a collection of highly rated

imagery from the last few years of the
Macro Art contest www.igpoty.com
MINGHUI YUAN
LAST EMBRACE [2ND PLACE]
WUHAN CITY, CHINA
Dandelion seeds are destined to leave their mother, to fly away in the
wind and grow somewhere new; such is their life cycle. There is much
inspiration to be taken from this everyday scene: life is ordinary, but
ordinary life is also emotional, and even though this depicts a transient
event, I wanted keep that important moment of warmth.
Canon EOS 70D, Tamron 90mm macro lens, 1/100sec at f9, ISO 400

GALLERY
LBERTO GHIZZI
PANIZZA
ADORNED BY THE DEW [FINALIST]
LUZZARA, EMILIA, ROMAGNA, ITALY
A portrait of a damselfly with drops of dew
resting on his head. The dew is refracting a
wild flower behind the subject. I often take
long walks between the floodplains and the
riverbanks near my town. Here I found my
subjects and inspiration.
Nikon D810, Nikon 60mm lens with bellow,

3/5sec at f16, ISO 64. Post-capture: focus
stacking of 25 images, basic
image management.
BARBARA
GARDNER
ANEMONE [HIGHLY COMMENDED]
NORFOLK, ENGLAND
The photograph of this anemone was
achieved by focus stacking eleven
photographs to show its beauty and detail
in complete focus. A close-up study of the
flower revealed more detail than can be
seen with the naked eye and I wanted to
capture this in my photograph.
Canon EOS 7D, Canon 100mm macro lens,

1/30sec at f2.8, ISO 400. Tripod and remote
control. Post-capture: focus stacking.

GALLERY
YICAI CHANG
ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME [FINALIST]
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL BOTANIC
GARDENS, CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA
The grass stems look like roads. Travelling along
KALI VAN DER
just one of them, this creature tells us that there are MERWE
many roads that can take us to our goal. HORNED STAR FIRE
[COMMENDED]
Nikon D90, Nikon 105mm lens, 1/125sec at f5.6, ISO
200. Post-capture: basic image management.
CHRISTINE BLANCHIN
DOS SANTOS
METEOROIDS [3RD PLACE]
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Looking through my macro lens, these strange
seeds trapped behind a glass pane magically
transported me to their micro cosmos. I had
never seen such seeds and was fascinated by
their unusual shape. I also wonder a lot about
their origin; there was an aura of mystery about
them.
Canon EOS 7D, Canon 100mm macro lens, 1/4sec

at f11, ISO 100. Post-capture: added the blue colour
of the filaments.

GALLERY
VALERIA DONNELLAN
AUTUMN LEAFE [COMMENDED]
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
My neighbour has an ornamental grapevine
that overhangs our side fence. I never seem to
notice this plant until autumn comes along and
it bursts into colour. Growing up in an inner-city
neighbourhood in Melbourne, we lived in an old
fire station and in the backyard we also had an
ornamental grapevine that covered the back
of the house. In autumn it was an absolutely
spectacular sight, so special that I even had some
wedding photos taken underneath it. Having such
a plant near me still brings comfort and familiarity.
Nikon D800E, Nikkor 40mm lens, 3sec at f22, ISO

100. Post-capture: basic image management.
JAMES WOODEND
ANDROECIUM [HIGHLY COMMENDED]
WORCESTERSHIRE, ENGLAND, UK
I picked several flowers from the plant Rhododendron
‘Lee’s Dark Purple’. I then squashed the flowers between
normal stationary paper on one side and a sheet of
blotting paper on the other. I then held this tightly
together inside a 9” Microfleur Flower Press and then
microwaved the whole lot at full power for 35 seconds.
This is a well-known technique that rapidly dries plant
material, whilst preserving colour.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon 100mm macro lens, 1/8sec

at f13, ISO 400. Kaiser RS1 Photographic Copy Stand to
hold the camera. Post-capture: basic image management.

GALLERY
CHRISTL DECKX
DANCER [FINALIST]
BIERBEEK, VLAAMS-BRABANT, BELGIUM
This is a capture of an Anemone coronaria ‘Lord
Lieutenant’, which I was cultivating in a planter this
spring. It was too windy to shoot outside, so I took the
planter inside and placed it near a big south-oriented
window. The beautiful double petals reminded me
of a dancer so I softened the purple colours of the
flower to give it a lighter feeling.
Nikon D5100, Tamron 90mm macro lens, 1/50sec at

f4.5, ISO 100. Post-capture: basic image management.
STEFANO COLTELLI
SPIRAL [3RD PLACE]
SAN MINIATO, PISA, ITALY
One very early morning while I was taking some
shots of insects, I noticed this little snail crawling
along this strange stick near me, trying to find an
alternative way to go down.
Nikon D600, Nikkor 105mm lens, 1/100sec at f14,

Nikon AF-S Teleconverter and tripod
Post capture: basic image management.

GALLERY
ZORAN BULETIC
JUST A FLOWER [FINALIST]
SARAJEVO COUNTRY, BOSNIA
AND HERZEGOVINA
Tradescantia pallida ‘Purpurea’ or ‘Purple
Heart’, a flower from my balcony garden.
It is a trailing, tender perennial with
purple stems and violet-purple leaves; it
produces pink flowers in summer. I was
inspired by the shape, colour and beauty
of this flower.
Nikon D70, Tamron SP 90mm. f2.8 AF

Macro lens, 1/15sec at f11.Tripod used.
Post-capture: white background replaced
by a black background.
SARAH-FIONA
HELME
DELPHINIUM DEW [FINALIST]
MY GARDEN, SOUTH
LANARKSHIRE, SCOTLAND
The sparkling dew on this delphinium caught
my eye. The combination of the light and
water droplets on the colourful bud created
a metallic sheen. I particularly enjoy an
opportunity to revisit my garden in the early
morning to see what has changed from the
day before. The previous day nothing about
this delphinium had inspired me to reach
for my camera. Yet, a day on and the subtle
growth of this particular bud seemed more
JANE DIBNAH pronounced as the petals matured. The heavy
morning dew highlighted the delphinium bud
ASTRANTIA [COMMENDED]
and there was a dance of iridescence as I
SHROPSHIRE, ENGLAND, UK explored it from different angles.
The Astrantia has a wonderfully complex
bloom with many facets and is always a joy
Nikon D3S, Nikkor 105mm, f2.8 macro
to photograph. On this occasion I wanted to
lens,1/30sec at f11. Post-capture: cropping.
capture it from a different angle.
Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Canon 180mm macro

lens, 1/13sec at f6.3, ISO 100. Tripod, clamp,
reflector. Post-capture: used Adobe Photoshop
to create a sense of soft movement using layers.

TECHNIQUES
Discover essential skills

Discover magical macro Master creative macro
Learn these essential techniques and start shooting next- Look beyond the basics and learn to shoot close-up with
level close-up images like the pros added drama
Macro on a budget Edit your macro shots like a pro

Delve into this fascinating genre and get great results Give your images the ‘wow’ factor with four essential
without breaking the bank editing techniques
Close up photography
Follow our tips, ideas and techniques to capture amazing
macro shots that transform everyday subjects
“Macro photography is a genre of great
wonder, bringing to light the intricate and
beautiful details of our world that often go
unseen by the naked eye”

TECHNIQUES
DISCOVER
Learn these essential techniques and start shooting

next-level close-up images like the pros
acro photography is an incredibly that appear more like record shots than
popular genre, most likely due artistic works. In order for images to have
to the vast potential that high real impact they must offer perspectives
magnifications bring to almost that effectively convey the wonders of the
any subject. Even everyday objects can miniature world, while also attempting
be shown in a new light when shot with something different photographically.
a macro lens, as detail that is invisible Lowering the camera level is a good starting
to the human eye is revealed. There are point, as this brings the viewer down the
many challenges associated with the level of the subject. To inject further interest
area however, ranging from technical and into your composition, try shooting from
practical issues to creative difficulties, when below your subject, to capture unfamiliar
trying to capture unique shots that stand angles and to reveal detail in delicate
out from the competition. structures such as insect wings or leaves
In terms of composition, it can be difficult via use of backlighting. Beyond this,
to create an immersive experience for experimenting with natural and flash light
viewers of our images, as often we approach and trying technical effects, using aperture
macro with a very technical mindset, and shutter speed, will help inspire your
which can produce very ‘sterile’ images audience’s imagination.

TECHNIQUES
Close and colourful

Thinking creatively and
applying the same artistic
approach as you would to
other photographic
genres, your macro
images can leave a lasting
impression with viewers
© Artur BorzÛcki

TECHNIQUES
SELECT THE PERFECT LENS

Macro optics are highly specialised tools – understand their key features
When working in such a specific genre, it
is essential that you choose the correct
tool that will enable you to capture the
types of images you desire. If you are new Understand magnification
to macro photography, you may choose
to opt for a more general-purpose lens
Not all lenses capture ‘true’ macro images. Which optic is best?
model, as these will allow you to get to know Left
the field without making a large financial 300mm zoom
commitment. Ultimately however, the Taken with a
70-300mm lens in
best results can only be reliably captured close-up mode,
using dedicated equipment that has been this setup allowed
specifically designed with pro macro shots closer focusing,
in mind. Dedicated macro lenses can although small
reproduce the subject at life-size on the subjects are often
lost in the frame
camera’s sensor. These feature an optical with lenses such
design which permits very close focusing, as these.
while yielding the best possible sharpness Magnification is
and quality at these extreme distances. The roughly ¼ life-size
focal length you choose will depend upon
“Dedicated lenses
can reproduce the Left
subject at life-size Life-size

This shot was
made with a
on the sensor” 100mm macro
lens. Although the
focal length is
the subject and environment you expect to shorter than in the
find yourself shooting in. The shorter lenses previous image, 1x
have fewer and smaller glass elements and reproduction is
possible, showing
so provide weight and portability benefits, the subject larger
however their usefulness can be limited in the frame
under certain conditions. When shooting
wildlife subjects such as insects or small
mammals, the very close working distance
of a 60mm macro lens can be prohibitive,
as these animals are easily disturbed and
will likely run away as you bring the camera
near. In most cases 100mm to 180mm will
Left
be the better choice, as these models allow Reversed lens
high magnification when shooting from A 35mm wide angle
further away. For less expense, many zoom was reverse-
mounted using a
lenses feature a ‘macro’ mode for close-
reversing ring. The
up captures. These don’t offer true macro subject is
photography, although they can be useful magnified beyond
for capturing larger subjects in greater life-size, so fills
detail, especially flower structures. On some more frame area.
Wider lenses offer
lenses this mode is activated by a switch greater
on the lens barrel which locks the lens at magnification when
the upper end of the focal length range. they are reversed
Another affordable alternative is a macro
‘filter’ or dioptre, which attaches to any lens’
3x ©Peter Fenech
filter thread and increases the magnification

power. Available in multiple strengths, these
can be stacked for higher magnifications,
albeit with some quality loss.

Above
Get closer
For skittish subjects,
shorter lenses are often
inappropriate since the
photographer has to
place the lens very
close, triggering escape
behaviour. Telephoto
macro optics provide
comparable
magnification from
further away
Right
Reveal
hidden detail
Macro photography
is all about detail.
Well-captured shots
such as this are
magnetic to
viewers, but any
mistakes in
technique or
exposure are highly
visible and difficult
to cover up
2x © Mike Tully

TECHNIQUES
PICK THE RIGHT SUBJECT

Selecting the best specimen for study with your camera is an essential skill
A common mistake new photographers can lower-magnification lenses. Then there is balanced body proportions. Try shooting
make in any genre is to let the enthusiasm the matter of timing – both short term, insects early in the morning, as they will be
and eagerness to capture a photo get in when capturing moving subjects and longer at their most still at this time and will likely
the way of a well-considered composition. term, when considering flower development spread their wings as they bask in the heat
To arrive on location, set up your tripod for example. These will determine the of the sun.
and immediately start shooting is often orientation (posing) and overall appearance For floral photos, it is also desirable to
not an effective strategy for identifying capture well-spread examples for the most
the best possible viewpoint or subject for attractive proportions. For many flowers, the
your images. By instantly selecting one “Find an insect with optimum photographic window is during
example and focusing your attention on the reproductive and pollination stages of
photographing it, you will likely miss a its wings open, as development, as it is at these times that
plethora of other opportunities for great the petals are open and will be at their
shots – make sure you look around. this provides the most colourful.
By choosing the ‘wrong’ subject, you While many flowering plants have similar
may find it suffers from insufficient colour most balanced life cycles, you may find examples at
separation from the background, resulting different stages at your location, so pick one
in an image that lacks dimension and body proportions” that you feel is most attractive.
contrast, where your intended focal point Also choose flowers with good physical
is indiscernible. separation from its neighbours, to ensure
Furthermore, there can be significant of your subject, so capturing it at the adequate background diffusion when using
size variations among insects and flowers optimal time is important. When selecting wider aperture settings. Depth-of-field
of different ages, so picking a subject that a flying insect subject, such as a moth or effects can make the difference between
is too small can mean it becomes ‘lost’ butterfly, it is good practice to find one with a standard shot and a professional-level
within the frame, especially when using its wings open, as this provides the most image that is suitable for use commercially.
Shoot incredible insect studies

Insect expert Mike Tully (miketully.smugmug.com) reveals his key steps to stunning arthropod images
AFTER
The perfect location
Flower gardens are ideal locations for insects.
Bees, butterflies, flies and beetles go to
consume pollen. Assassin bugs, spiders and
dragonflies visit to hunt other insects. The
flowers make great visual backgrounds
© Mike Tully

Pick your posture
Not all specimens are equally photogenic
– when looking for subjects, select a
specimen that highlights the best qualities
© Mike Tully
of a species and whose pose provides the
most representative view
ENGAGE WITH YOUR SUBJECTS I’ve BE PREPARED Insect sizes range from tiny LIGHTING OPTIONS I prefer direct
1 placed my lens in the faces of thousands of
spiders, wasps and bees without incident. However,
2 aphids to giant butterflies. If you are set up to
shoot tiny subjects, then a beautiful large subject
3 sunlight for three reasons: 1. Small apertures
are needed to maximise DOF. 2. Moving subjects at
you should exercise the appropriate caution and appears, it helps to have a second camera prepared. close magnifications require high shutter speeds. 3.
care, nonetheless. Bright light aids accurate focusing.
APPROACH THE SUBJECT Slow, FOCUSING PART 1 The subject’s eyes FOCUSING PART 2 Align the focal plane
4 deliberate movement is needed to get close.
Once there, insects will perceive you as part of the
5 should always be your focal point. Get the eyes
in focus! Autofocus is ineffective for insect
6 so as much of the subject is focused as
possible. A full profile will accomplish this, as will
landscape. Insects eating or mating will often be photography – focus manually for a distance where a quartering angle that accentuates the face and
oblivious to everything around them. the subject fills the frame. body outline.

The perfect moment
To capture the maximum number of
images where the area of interest is
covered by the focal plane, shoot a
series of images in burst mode, while
moving focus across the subject
© Mike Tully

TECHNIQUES
Shoot studio-based macro

Overcome core difficulties of close-up work by moving indoors. Artur Borzecki (www.arturborzecki.pl) explains
GENERAL SCENE PREP Before planning STUDIO LIGHT SETUP Strong lighting is THE MACRO SUBJECT Next prepare
1 a macro shot I always need to adjust my studio
setup, to achieve the desired effect. I’m shooting a
2 necessary for studio macro, to compensate for
small apertures (f10 here). I’ve used directional side
3 the subject. This process varies depending on
whether it is a fly or spider/beetle. Put it into a small
minimalist picture here, focusing on details and flashes to avoid highlight burn and a lamp on full container and cool it down to around 5°C to imitate
depth of field. power. night conditions.
POST-PROCESSING – image stacking

4 In micro photography, 50-200 stacked shots
are needed. I use a macro lens and studio lighting
5 POST PROCESSING –
PHOTOSHOP Firstly, I use the Spot
Healing Brush with Content Aware to remove the
6 POST-PROCESSING –
LIGHTROOM Next I move to Lightroom,
adjusting Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows
allows me small apertures, broadening DOF with big dust spots from stacking. I then Dodge and Burn and Clarity. I apply a vignette, play with colours to
just 2-5 shots. for contrast and sharpen using Unsharp Mask. make the picture vivid and reduce noise.
AFTER
Close and flexible
By shooting under studio
conditions, living subjects can
be studied in a predictable and
controllable environment, free
from distracting backgrounds,
wind challenges and changeable
lighting
© Artur BorzÐcki

Freeze fast movement
Rapidly moving macro subjects
are amongst the most
challenging in photography, due
to the greatly restricted depth of
field. Consider using an external
speedlight flash to achieve
ultra-short exposure effects
© Mike Tully
RISE TO THE CHALLENGE
Perfect your technique and overcome the key challenges
of macro photography, for consistent professional results
Due to the close working distances between subject-specific basis. In addition, in order an angle, will also help maximise the
the camera and subject, very shallow to achieve front-to-back subject sharpness, range of focus throughout your frame.
depth of field and often unpredictable the small apertures required can reduce Regarding functionality, your equipment
shooting conditions, macro photographers sharpness further through diffraction. can also create hurdles. Autofocus is a
experience one of the most comprehensive A potential solution to these sharpness continuous problem, even amongst the
set of genre-specific challenges. The margin professional lenses, as AF systems can
for error when focusing and selecting a struggle to quickly refocus from infinity to
shutter speed in this area is very limited, as “Viewers expect a very near object. To speed up operation,
only a very minor shift in camera position try using your lens’ focus limiter switch,
or misjudgement of exposure can greatly to see lots of fine if your model has this feature, to prevent
degrade image sharpness. This problem is focus from ‘drifting’ into the upper
amplified by the highly detailed nature of detail, which makes regions of the distance scale and having
common macro subjects – viewers expect to be pulled back into the macro range.
to see lots of fine detail, which makes it it difficult to hide Lighting is also a difficulty, as the subject-
difficult to hide flaws in shooting technique. background separation and often shaded
It is essential that a high-enough shutter any flaws ” environments make even light coverage
speed is used, so that any movement almost impossible, especially when using
introduced by wind is frozen. However, challenges is to bring your setup indoors, flash. Moving your flash off-camera and
since depth of field is severely narrowed where you are able to control lighting in increasing the ISO to pick up more ambient
at high magnifications, smaller aperture a wind-free environment. Just make sure light will reduce light fall-off effects and
settings are often required, potentially you are responsible and do not damage unsightly dark backgrounds. On sunny days,
lengthening exposures. Therefore a perfect or injure your living subject. Keeping your use a diffuser to minimise ‘hotspots’ and
balance between shutter speed, f-stop lens level and shooting perpendicularly smooth shadows, whilst taking advantage of
and ISO must be carefully chosen, on a to the subject, rather than shooting at brighter light and saturated colour.

Structure your image
Use texture and shape to
arrange an image composition,
creating levels and depth. This
can be difficult in a compact
environment, but perspective
and creative focus can
produce dimension
© Mike Tully
Create dynamic compositions

The macro world offers a wealth of creative photographic options – you just have to find them
CHOOSE A SUBJECT Pick a focal point for LOWER THE CAMERA LEVEL If
1 your shots, based on the surrounding
environment. If you have a subject in mind, pick a
2 shooting on a tripod, don’t extend the legs or
open them into a low-level configuration. This will
3 PERFECT LATERAL COMPOSITION
Creative subject placement is now needed
within the frame. This can be done using the
spot that will contrast or complement it – allow a less top-down viewpoint and will give your conventional rules of composition, or by according
previsualise how the final shot may look. subject better context. to subject size, shape or colour.
LIGHT YOUR SUBJECT Experiment with SHOOT MULTIPLE ANGLES Explore USE CREATIVE PROCESSING Once
4 multiple lighting variations. With leaves or
winged animals, backlighting is an effective tool for
5 how visible detail alternates from a range of
perspectives. Moving a few inches to the left or right
6 back in software, experiment with blurs and
brushes for bokeh and colour effects. Here a
accentuating fine internal structures and surface can sometimes reveal images where the subject is coloured brush adds the impression of diffused
details. better proportioned and posed. highlights behind the subject.

TECHNIQUES
LOOK BEYOND THE OBVIOUS

Make your macro shots about more than
high magnification with these imaginative techniques
Since macro photography is such a precise the attention of the viewer within the frame. notice. Therefore you can use contrasts and
task, it is very easy to become so concerned Once the exposure has been calculated complementary shades to produce depth
with technical excellence that artistic and the lens correctly focused, the and lead the eye into the frame. Background
opportunity is then overlooked. Focus, photographer can concentrate on producing colour is a significant consideration for
shutter speed and exposure are all vital, this reason, as it can make or break the
but should be seen as fundamental aspects impact of the main subject. Next, decide
on top of which a creative composition “Compose your on the framing – compose your shot using
should be built. This restricted mindset is the conventional ‘rules’, but adapt them for
also partially due to the specific nature of shot using the use in the macro world. Use natural frames
the skills required for successful macro created by peripheral detail such as stems,
and the expected characteristics of the conventional neighbouring leaves and so on, and make
resulting images. There are far more artistic floral structures your leading lines and
possibilities from macro subjects than the ‘rules’, but adapt Golden Spiral template. Finally, select an
majority of photographers even attempt aperture that generates DOF appropriate
to explore – macro should be seen as a them for use in the for your image. It may be technically correct
method of accessing challenging subjects, to render your entire subject sharp, but it’s
rather than being the subject of an image macro world” also desirable to use selective blurring for
itself. The key ingredients in creative macro creative purposes. Focus half way into the
and close-up imagery can be broken down a shot that complements the subject. image, rather than the conventional third,
into a three-point system – colour, framing Colour is often a key part of a macro image, to place more of the foreground out of the
and focus. In this case focus refers to the as due to the restricted perspective it is plane of focus. This renders blurred petals a
depth of field, which can be used to direct one of the first things that viewers will colourful ‘mist’.
AFTER
More than the ordinary
With a little extra time invested
in finding the perfect angle
and lighting combination, you
can produce shots that go
beyond the obvious and are
artistic, not merely functional
© Peter Fenech

Above
Consider your
background
The restricted field
of view macro
possesses creates
very tight frames.
Therefore it is
essential that
background colour
and details
complement your
subject and don’t
act as distractions
Right
Fill the frame
The most engaging
macro shots are
often those where
the subject
occupies much of
the frame area.
Unless you wish to
show more
environmental
context, aim for
life-size
reproductions
2x © Mike Tully

TECHNIQUES
Delve into this fascinating genre and get great results

without breaking the bank
acro photography is a genre of Over the next few pages you’ll discover
great wonder, bringing to light the differences between specialist kit
the intricate and beautiful detail and budget options, provide tutorials
of our world that often goes on adapting your existing lenses and
unseen by the naked eye. There’s great address the challenges you might face
excitement to be had in discovering flora along the way. When you’ve managed
and fauna up close, but in reality this to master magnification, you might find
added magnification can be pricey. yourself facing another challenge; how to
All image making benefits from a little ensure subjects are exposed effectively.
investment, and macro in particular is Of course, macro flash sets are on
often accomplished with highly specialised offer at a premium price, but a standard
lenses and accessories. Fortunately, speedlight can also be used creatively to
though, there are plenty of alternative kit great effect.
options that will enable you to tackle the If you’re interested in trying out this Above
genre on a budget. fascinating genre but don’t want to blow A whole new world
One simple way to magnify subjects is your dough in the process, read on, as Macro photography may be a fiddly
by using close-up filters; while a specialist you’ll learn cover the many ways that you business but thankfully there are
plenty of affordable alternatives to
lens might set you back hundreds, a set can create great macro shots using little expensive kit
of these costs little more than £15/$20. more than the gear you’ve already got. © Siddant Sahu

TECHNIQUES

TECHNIQUES
MAKE THE RIGHT KIT CHOICES

Explore the benefits of both pro and inexpensive shooting options
The most desirable macro lenses on the the waters before spending more money Depth of field becomes very limited at
market have fairly long focal lengths, on a dedicated macro lens. However, these such close focusing distances and you will
offering greater working distances as well cheaper alternatives can be fiddly to use, find that you will almost always need to
as close focusing capabilities. This means negate your camera’s automatic functions use the narrowest possible aperture. If your
that you’re less likely to disturb any and in some cases, have a negative effect subject is in motion, you’ll need to boost
flighty creatures you’re trying to on image quality. the ISO, increase the ambient light or use
photograph, and also makes it Of course, however much flash so that you can retain a fast enough
less likely for shadows to be TIME OF DAY your kit costs you, the shutter speed, generally 1/250sec or faster,
cast over your subject. If your subject involves principles of camera to freeze motion.
In short, such macro outdoor creepy-crawlies, aim to settings remain similar. It’s more than possible to achieve
lenses are an expensive shoot early in the morning. At this Focusing up-close is one stunning 1:1 magnifications using both
outlay, so you have to be time of day, not only are winged of the genre’s biggest specialised macro lenses and their more
sure that you truly need insects covered in dewdrops and hurdles, and manual affordable counterparts, so long as you’re
their benefits. slower moving, but the light is also focus is often the easiest aware of the challenges and how to
Having bundles of softer, enhancing their colours approach. To obtain the overcome them.
specialist kit doesn’t and textures. largest possible image Opposite-top
Below
guarantee better images of the subject in the frame, Professional equipment Capture character
though, and there are plenty set the lens to its minimum Turkish photographer Arslan Macro photography lets
of budget ways to get closer to focusing distance, and move the Uçar used the (500px.com/ you see the smallest of
your subjects if you don’t have a macro camera until the subject appears sharp. arslanucar) Canon MP-E creatures in a way
65mm f2.8 lens to obtain that you’ve never seen
lens. For example, close-up filters screw When using a tripod, you may find it easier them before
this shot of a jumping spider
on to the front of your lens and enable instead to adjust the focus ring. For moving
you to focus closer than usual. Like all the subjects, once you’ve achieved focus Opposite-bottom Opposite-inset
options we’ll explore in this feature, they’re manually, activate the autofocus system to Budget solution Strive for sharpness
an economical option if you want to test maintain it. Reverse lens techniques It’s often best to focus
can provide a similar level manually with macro
of magnification and image subjects, so turn on
quality as a true macro lens Live View and zoom in
at a fraction of the cost to check that your
intended focal point is
pin-sharp

© Devid Camerlynck
Meet the pro
Find out how photographer Siddhant Sahu uses
affordable kit for high-impact insect captures
There are several ways of doing length, then change if needed.
macro photography apart from When it comes to using a tripod, I
using an expensive macro lens, personally don’t like using [one]
[and] even if you own a dedicated because it slows me down a lot.
lens there’s no guarantee you’ll
get a perfectly focused shot. 500px.com/siddhant_sahu
First, [I use] close-up filters www.siddhantsahu.com
that screw in front of the lens,
basically acting as a magnifier.
Below
The second method is the ‘reverse
Without macro lens
lens technique’ – shooting macro 16-year-old Sahu knows firsthand that
© Siddant Sahu
by reversing a normal lens. I having the most expensive equipment
often start with a 35mm focal doesn’t necessarily mean better images 2x © Siddhant Sahu
© Arslan Uçar

TECHNIQUES
REVERSE YOUR LENS

This quirky method is an obvious option
for affordable macro images
You might be sceptical about using your lens to the body, autofocus and aperture with certain lenses, but can be overcome
lens backwards, but in fact reversing rings control won’t work. If you own an old lens by adding in extension tubes or widening
provide one of the cheapest ways to adapt with an aperture ring you can control it the aperture. Although the reverse lens
an existing lens for macro magnifications. manually, but as modern lenses don’t technique comes with a few difficulties,
Starting at around £5/$7 each, they take have an aperture ring you have to set the most are conquerable with patience. Few of
the form of a small metal ring, with a aperture before reversing,” he explains. the disadvantages impact image quality, so
standard filter thread on one side and a lens Another downfall is that there’s an they make one of the best budget solutions
mount thread on the other. When screwed incredibly narrow range of focus, even by for getting started.
on, the lens can then be mounted onto macro standards. However, if the subject is
your camera in reverse, causing subjects relatively stationary you can overcome this
to become impressively enlarged on the by focus stacking. Take a multitude of shots
sensor at shorter focal lengths. As a rule, at very slightly different focal distances,
Opposite
wider angle lenses will provide greater then combine them together at the editing Enlarged potential
magnification. For example, near life-size stage using Photoshop layers. When reversing wide-angle lenses, subjects can be
reproductions can be achieved with a kit In absence of the autofocus system, you’ll captured larger than life-size on the sensor. Sahu
lens such as an 18-55mm, or the popular need to physically move the entire camera already owned an 18-55mm kit lens, and a 52mm
reverse ring costs less than £30/$40
50mm, on a cropped-frame sensor. back and forth, often mere millimetres, until
One of the main downsides of using a your subject is acceptably sharp. As with all Below
lens in reverse is the loss of the camera’s macro, even small movements can make a Double the effect
automatic functions, a problem that great difference to your outcome, so hold Dedicated macro lenses can also be reversed
photographer Siddhant Sahu knows well. your breath to steady yourself before and to provide even greater magnification.
Gustavo Restrepo (500px.com/grestrepo13)
“First, forget about trusty autofocus. Since while taking the shot. Vignetting can also used a Sony 100mm f2.8 and reverse ring for
there aren’t any electronics connecting the become noticeable if you use a high f-stop this shot
© Gustavo Restrepo

TECHNIQUES
LOCK THE
APERTURE
When you remove lenses to
reverse or couple them, they
default to their widest aperture.
Overcome this by setting your
desired aperture and holding the
DOF preview button down while ©
Sid
untwisting the lens. dh
an
tS
ah
u
Use reversing rings Follow these steps to mount your lens backwards onto your camera body
1 SET THE APERTURE

For lenses without a manual aperture ring, the
aperture needs to be set in advance. Mount the lens
2 REVERSE THE LENS
Depress the depth of field preview button and,
while doing so, detach the lens from the camera.
3 FOCUS AND SHOOT
In manual focus, turn the ring to the closest
focusing distance and hone in on the subject until sharp.
normally first, then set your desired f-stop. Screw on the metal ring, then remount the lens Review your images by zooming in to check the focal
backwards. point.
Stack your lenses Get closer still by using a coupling ring to attach your reversed lens to another lens
1 PREP THE SETUP

Choose two lenses, preferably with fixed focal
lengths. Set the shorter lens to its widest aperture,
2 COMBINE THE GLASS
Reverse the shorter lens and connect it to the
other using the ring. Mount the longer lens to your
3 PREPARE TO SHOOT
Set the maximum focal length possible on the
longer lens, and the minimum for the secondary lens.
then remove it and screw on a coupling ring adapter. camera. Switch the main lens to manual focus. Move the camera to focus on your subject.

TECHNIQUES
© Gustavo Restrepo
hu
Sa
ant
dh
d
Si
©
© Gustavo Restrepo

TECHNIQUES
TRY CLOSE-UP FILTERS

USE EXTENSION TUBES Attach these extras to your lens and
extend its focusing reach
Gain magnification using your existing lens and Attaching a close-up filter (also called a close-up
overcome a few drawbacks lens) to the front of your existing lens is a simple
way of reducing its minimum focusing distance.
Sets of different strength filters start at around
Extension tubes are light, tight cylinders area is acceptably sharp. Although it’s
£10 (approx $13), which makes them a worthy
that attach between your camera body possible to handhold the camera and still
tool for macro experimentation without great
and virtually any lens. Because they move retain a sharp result, always use a tripod
investment.
the front element of your lens closer to the where possible. Aim for a minimum shutter
subject and therefore further away from speed of 1/250sec to minimise camera
the focal plane, they enable closer shake, and if you need to boost
focusing and an even greater the exposure, increase the
magnification. These hollow ISO instead of widening
CHOOSE YOUR
tubes are inexpensive the aperture. How close
PRODUCT
when compared to you can get depends
a macro lens and You’ll find both single and double on the lens used and
© Siddhant Sahu
they don’t introduce element close-up filters on the market. the width of the tube,
any additional Although the second element versions are and a rough way to
glass elements, so slightly pricier, they tend to yield a superior calculate the added
there’s generally image quality with less chromatic magnification is to
no significant loss aberration. Budget filter sets such as divide the length of
in image quality. The those by Polaroid are particularly the extension tube by
main price difference cost-effective, as dioptres the focal length. As an
between extension tubes can be combined. example, this means that
comes from the fact that a 25mm tube and 50mm
some maintain the connection lens would yield a 0.5x gain in
between the camera and lens, whereas magnification. Shorter lenses such as
the cheaper versions don’t. For tubes a 50mm can actually cause you to get too
without electrical contacts you’ll still be able close to your subject so that shadows are SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE
to meter effectively, but autofocus will be cast across it, but also bear in mind that a The longer the focal length used, the greater the
disabled and you won’t be able to change telephoto lens only provides minimal gain. A magnification you’ll achieve. Screw on the
the aperture unless your lens has manual medium zoom such as an 85mm is ideal for close-up filter, use manual focus and set the lens
rings. As depth of field is already limited striking a balance between magnification to its minimum focusing distance. Move the
with macro, being forced to shoot wide factor and breathing room. camera until the subject appears sharp
open is a definite downside.
Another obstacle to overcome is a Opposite-top Opposite-bottom Opposite-inset
certain degree of light loss, so ensure you Shift the lens focus Vary the effect Simple to use
compensate for this when setting the Extension tubes increase the You can combine several Because there are no optics
distance from the back of the extension tubes and involved, generic sets of tubes
exposure. In terms of focus, it’s best to do lens to the camera sensor, experiment with varying start at around £35 (approx $45).
so manually, checking Live View and gently which enables closer focusing focal lengths to suit the size Image quality should match that
turning the focusing rings until your desired and greater magnification of your subject at hand of the branded alternatives
Mount and magnify Increase the focusing capabilities of your existing lens with extension tubes
1 CHOOSE YOUR SETUP

Position your subject, attach the selected tubes
onto the lens, then mount the setup to the camera
2 EXPOSE THE SHOT
If using tubes with electrical contacts, select
Aperture Priority mode and start with a narrow
3 FOCUS AND CAPTURE
Focus manually, physically moving the camera or
subject closer if necessary. Use the histogram to
body. You should always use a sturdy tripod where aperture of f8. Boost the ISO if needed, and check the exposure, and add in artificial light if you’re
possible. experiment with different combinations of tubes. casting a shadow on the subject.

TECHNIQUES
LEARN TO LIGHT EFFECTIVELY

There are plenty of different solutions for brightening your
close captures
Many lighting approaches exist for macro or use a bracket to attach it directly to your camera’s
photography, and while natural light is a simple and tripod mount, ensuring that the light isn’t going to
affordable option, alone it can’t always be relied be obstructed by your lens and that the boost in
upon. Even in the brightest conditions such as broad exposure doesn’t look unnatural. When using his
daylight, the intimate working distances needed in speedlight, Siddhant Sahu uses a power of around
the genre often cause shadows to be cast on your 1/128, “just to add a little more light, freeze the motion
subjects. When you also factor in the use of narrow and to prevent images from looking too ‘flashy’.”
apertures to retain detail at such close proximity, Most specialist macro flashes offer two separate
boosting the exposure with artificial sources of light lights, which can be individually powered and
often becomes necessary. positioned to add depth to subjects. In the same way,
Fortunately, even lighting setups can be found you’ll improve your shots even further by introducing
to suit a modest budget, and the most common a second flash unit, positioning the two either side
specialist macro options are ring lights and flashes. of your subject. Sufficient lighting is critical to macro
Circular ring flashes attach to the front of your lens, photography, but that doesn’t mean you have to
enabling the light to remain close to the subject. splurge on fancy setups for success. Whatever your
Starting at around £30/$40, they’re generally cheaper light source, experiment with its direction and power
than off-camera flash options, but they’re also less to ensure you use it in a way that flatters your subject.
powerful. Bear in mind that higher-end twin flash units If there isn’t enough available light to work with
can cost into the thousands, making them unfeasible and you don’t have artificial options, don’t be
4x © Siddhant Sahu
unless you’re really serious about the genre. disheartened. Purposely using a shallow depth of
While these dedicated macro options offer field such as f5.6 or wider can create a dramatic
professional results, a standard speedlight can also composition and hone in attention to specific
be used to stunning effect. Handhold the speedlight, elements in the scene.
Above Opposite-top
Utilise daylight Position the light
Sunlight can yield dreamy results. Using your flash off-camera will
It’s generally best to avoid using enhance image quality. Angle the
on-camera flash as it casts a harsh light until it creates the dimensional
light and has limited reach effect you’re looking for
WORK WITH Inset Opposite-bottom

SUNLIGHT Diffuse the light Cast no shadow
Sahu uses a Yongnuo YN560-III Lighting can be tricky in macro
When shooting outdoors, aim to Speedlite (£48/$64), wireless photography because you are
use natural light when it’s plentiful trigger set (£23/$33) and generally working very close to your
enough. Shooting slightly into the Sun homemade diffuser in his setup subject and so casting a shadow
and making use of backlighting will
highlight intricate details such as Left
hairs on insects. Experiment with Dedicated flash results
Uçar uses a Canon Macro Twin Lite
the angle until you find the MT-24EX (£950/$830) in his work.
best position. Specialist units offer great flexibility,
but come at a cost
© Arslan Uçar

Light with a flashgun Forget specialist flash units and use a speedlight to boost the exposure
1 MOUNT THE KIT

Find your position, mount the camera and handhold
the flashgun. Connect the flashgun via a trigger or wire.
2 SET COLOUR TEMPERATURE
Set the camera’s white balance to Flash or
Daylight. Shoot in RAW mode, as this will provide more
3 PREPARE THE FLASH
Switch the flash to Manual mode, and start with a
power of 1/32. Outdoor shots may require a lower
Perfect the composition and focus on the subject. room for tweaking the temperature when editing. power, so be prepared to adjust again later.
4 SELECT SETTINGS
Use Manual mode, start with an ISO of 400 and
minimum aperture of f8. Exact settings will vary, but
5 EXPERIMENT FOR EFFECT
Hold the flashgun to one side of the subject and
tilt the head, starting with a 45-degree angle. Take a
6 EDIT TO FINISH
Import the image into Camera Raw and boost the
exposure if needed. Use the Tone Curve and add in
ensure your shutter is less than your flash sync speed. test shot and review the histogram. contrast by creating an S shape. Sharpen images last.

TECHNIQUES
6 PHOTO PROJECTS
Follow our tips, ideas and techniques to capture amazing macro shots that
transform everyday subjects into extraordinary images
f you can make your camera focus really closer by adding extension tubes or close-up
close on your subject, you can reveal filters – but the better solution is to invest
texture and form the unaided eye simply in a dedicated macro lens. These lenses
doesn’t see. By magnifying detail that focus down to life-size, where the subject is
would otherwise go unnoticed, you create a recorded at the size it would be if you placed
whole new world for your viewer to enjoy. it directly on the sensor.
In this guide we’ll give you six cool creative Prices start from around £360-400
projects that together teach the basics you for good-quality Sigma and Tamron models,
need to make every macro shot you take but you’ll soon forget about the cash outlay
spot-on, with plenty of shooting and settings when you start to unlock the creative
tips along the way. potential of these dedicated lenses. It’s time
But your first task is to make sure you have to enter a completely different world – one
the lens you need to capture your images. that’s been all around you the whole time
You can actually make any type of lens focus without you realising…

TECHNIQUES

TECHNIQUES
PROJECT 1
FLORAL BEAUTY
Turn simple garden blooms into fine-art photos
aking your ideas and set-ups simple keeps
macro shooting free of frustration. There’s
seldom room for visual complexity when you
work on a small scale, and revealing the intricate
detail in nature’s humblest specimens makes for
an excellent photo project. Although exotic plants
are available all year round at your local florist or
supermarket, a simple garden daisy offers all you
need for a cracking shot.
Place a flower on a blob of Blu-Tack or a similar
adhesive on a worktop near a window. To create
a focal point, carefully add a drop of water to the
centre with a small paintbrush. This will add interest
and work as a tiny lens on the stamen. To give
a fine-art feel, a coloured sheet of paper keeps the
background plain and simple; if you pick a bold
blue, it will complement the yellow in the flower
very nicely.
With your camera on a tripod and a macro lens
fitted, focus manually on the water drop, and
use a large aperture of f5.6. This will make the
areas around the water drop fall away into a
gentle blur.
8 00 0 6400 128 0 0
40 C
SE
32
5
00
00
ISO
1 SEC 2 S EC
2000
1/
60 F5.6 200
16 0 0
10 0 0 5
42
8 00
00
25
50
0 1 8 40 0
2 5 6 0 3 0 15 100
2 00

TECHNIQUES
TIP 1 Stake it out

Under the magnification of a macro
lens, the slightest breeze will cause
flower heads to bob around as
though they’re in a gale. When you’re
outdoors, support stems using a
bamboo cane and a twist tie. Get the
tie as close to the flower head as you
can so it isn’t visible in the image.
TIP 2 Use a water spray

Whether you’re shooting indoors or
outside, a water spray adjusted to
a fine mist will add a layer of extra
detail to your florals. It will also give
the feeling of fresh, early-morning
dew. Build up the effect gradually,
though, as it’s much easier to add
than remove.
TIP 3 Manual focus rocks!

When you hand-hold with a macro
lens, AF can be difficult to control.
Instead, switch to MF mode and after
focusing manually, rock the camera
and lens slowly back and forth to find
your focusing sweet spot. Shoot a
Jon Adams
burst of shots while slowly rocking to

get a sharp result.

TECHNIQUES
PROJECT 2
GETTING
FRUITY!
Take a backlit shot using
natural light and the glass
in a window pane
ou can capture the amazing
detail in fruit slices without
any specialist lighting kit
– all you need is a sunny day.
Any citrus fruit will work fine as
a subject, but kiwi fruit is a great
starting point because the seeds
and radiating patterns provide
extra points of interest. With this
technique, you need to work quite
quickly, or the fruit slice will dry
out and lose its sheen.
If you find that the backlighting
is a little flat, augment your fruit
slice with a little front lighting.
To do this, hold a small white
card alongside the lens. This will
bounce light back onto the surface
of the kiwi. Varying the angle of
the card will give different lighting
effects across the surface.
8 00 0 6400 128 0 0
40 C
SE
32
5
00
00
ISO
1 SEC 2 S EC
2000
Jon Adams
1/
60 F16 200
16 0 0
10 0 0 5
42
8 00
00
25
50
0 1 8 40 0
2 5 6 0 3 0 15 100
2 00
TIP 1 Slice it up TIP 2 Frame and focus TIP 3 Get the shot
Slice the fruit as thinly as you can, and With your camera on a tripod, use Use your self-timer and set a delay
place it directly on a window pane hit Aperture Priority mode, and dial in a of 2 sec. This will get around you
by direct sunlight. Its juices should small aperture of f16 or f22. To ensure knocking the camera when you press
hold it in place, but if it slides, a couple noise-free results, set your ISO to 100. the shutter. Take your shot. If it’s
of blobs of Blu-Tack will support it. Put Fill the frame with the slice, and switch too bright, hold down the Exposure
these on the window first, though, to Manual Focus. Now tweak the Compensation (+/-) button and dial in
otherwise they won’t stick! focusing ring to get the details sharp. -0.3 or -0.5 to slightly underexpose.

TECHNIQUES
PROJECT 3
PA P E R C U R L S
Create arty abstract images
from a few sheets of A4
nashamedly abstract in nature, this
project gives an endless range of
opportunities to turn a few sheets of
A4 into modern art.
Getting an array of neat curves is often
trickier than taking the shot itself, but a
couple of clothes pegs can help. Put four or
five sheets in a stack, and place each one
about 1cm lower than the last. Hold all the
staggered ends in place, then gently fold
the other ends over, bringing them together
so they’re all lined up at the bottom. Peg
the curled sheets together, and you’re all
set. –After framing your shot, an aperture
of f4 will give you a blend of diffused and
sharp paper edges – and by using manual
focus, you can choose exactly where you
want your sharp edge to fall. A torch will let
you control the shadows and highlights.
8 00 0 6400 128 0 0
40 C
SE
32
5
00
00
ISO
1 SEC 2 S EC
2000
Jon Adams
1/
60 F4 200
16 0 0
10 0 0 5
42
8 00
00
25
50
0 1 8 40
2 5 6 0 3 0 15 0 100
2 00

TECHNIQUES
Jon Adams
6400 0
00 0 20 0
0 00 4 128 0
10 80
32
00
00
ISO
500
1/
6 F8 200
EC 5 C
16 0 0
SE
25 0 125
8 00
2S
60
50
30 C 40
15 8 4 2 1 SE 0
2 00 100
PROJECT 4
PENCIL TIPS
Sharpen your focusing skills with colourful crayons
etting precise and accurate a magnified view of the point you’ve
focusing is much trickier focused on. (Most cameras give 10x
with a macro lens, and using magnification – plenty to allow highly
the viewfinder can be a hit-or-miss accurate focusing.) By switching to TIP 1 Let it slide!
process. Instead, frame up with manual focus and gently tweaking
your camera on a tripod and switch the focusing ring, you can then get Make framing and
to Live View mode to see your your focus point exactly where you focusing easy
composition on screen. Use the want it. You may still want to make
screen’s zoom controls to go in tight, some tiny adjustments – eyes right With the small stage that a typical
then scroll with the D-pad to display for this... macro set-up gives you, even the
subtlest changes to the focus
and the composition can make
all the difference between a
shot’s success and failure. But
adjusting the camera can feel really
clumsy when your scene is highly
magnified, as tripod heads don’t
offer the precision of movement
needed. For table-top shots like
these coloured pencils, get into
the habit of always placing your
subject on a sheet of paper. You can
then make very small changes by
moving the sheet of paper rather
than the camera.

TECHNIQUES
PROJECT 5
FA B F L O W E R S
Control lighting and colour backgrounds for next to nothing
o bounce extra light into a subject, to get the desired effect on the scene.
scrunch up a piece of tin foil to To alter the mood of your fine-art shots,
break up the mirror finish, then drop different coloured sheets of paper
flatten it out and fold it into the shape behind the subject. It’s cheap, fast and
you require. Position it how you want it to very effective! It helps isolate the subject
sculpt the lighting, bending it into place and you can get really creative with it.
0 0 0 2 0 0 0 10
6400 128 0 0
00 04
00
32
8
50
00
ISO
0 25
1/
2 F22 200
16 0 0
0 125 60
SEC
C 5
8 00
0
SE
50
3
15 2 40
8 4 2 1 SEC 0 100
2 00
Jon Adams

TECHNIQUES
8 00 0 4 00 0 20
6400 128 0 0
0
32
01
00
ISO
000
2 S EC 5 S EC
1/
10 F8 200
5 0 0 250 1
16 0 0
8 00
EC
25
50
60 1S 40 0
3 0 15 8 4 2 100
2 00
P R OJ E CT 6 he patterns and textures lurking within

machined parts take on a new life
a soft, diffused blur. This is determined
by two factors – the point on which you
TURN T H E under magnification. Add a splash of

colour from a well-placed paper background
focus, and the depth-of-field in the shot.
By using Manual Focus mode, you can
SCREW and a little extra light from a torch, and

you have a classic still-life in the making.
rotate the focusing ring to pick the sharp
point in the scene (in this case, the tip of
Once you’ve meticulously arranged your the screw), but by using Aperture Priority
Raid the shed for subjects and background, you need to mode and dialling in different f-stops, you
machined detail decide which parts of the scene are held can choose how shallow or deep the band
in sharp focus, and which fall away into of sharpness appears. The largest aperture
LARGE APERTURE (F4) SMALL APERTURE (F32)

TECHNIQUES
TIP 1 Hands off! Stay shake-free to banish blur

When you’re focusing your
lens really close, even the
slightest movement from your
camera will be exaggerated in
the viewfinder. Also, because
macro shots often require a
small aperture to get enough
of the scene in sharp focus,
shutter speeds can be slow,
and this further increases the
chances of blur.
To minimise the possibility
of this happening, you need
to make sure you’re not in
contact with the camera when
the shot is taken. Even when
the camera’s on a tripod, the
simple movement of a finger on
the shutter button can cause
camera shake, so use a remote
release to keep your hands off
at the critical moment. If you around is to use the camera’s
don’t have a remote release or self-timer. Set it to a delay of 2
you’re still seeing some blur in sec to allow vibrations to settle,
images even with the use of a and leave the camera to fire
remote release, a good work- itself automatically.
Jon Adams
(the lowest f-number) will give your

viewfinder image with a very narrow
band of sharpness, while the smallest
aperture (the highest f-number) will
hold most of the scene in sharp focus.
With most shots, the best results are
often found between the two extremes,
and an aperture of f8 or f11 will give a
bitingly sharp focal point, with the rest
of the scene falling away into a beautiful
blur. Once your picture is set up, it
doesn’t take long to run through the
apertures and get a sequence of shots,
stopping down to a higher f-number TIP 2 Light up with a torch
with each successive frame. The higher
the f-number you use, the more of the With a small-scale subject, you need equally
scene you’ll hold in focus, and when small-scale lighting, and a hand torch like
the pics are on your computer, you can a Maglite AA is hard to beat. You can light
decide which gives the best result. Our from any direction, and by rotating the bezel,
shot was taken at f8, and gives just the you can focus the beam to create different
right blend. The screw tip is super-sharp, effects. It’s a great way to add an extra
the screw heads are nicely diffused. sparkle to any close-up shot.

TECHNIQUES
UP CLOSE AND CREATIVE

By composing macro images while considering the surrounding environment,
subject context can be finely controlled, for greater interest and impact. Colour,
texture and backgrounds all play important roles in artistic macro

TECHNIQUES
Look beyond the basics and learn to shoot close-up with added drama
lthough it is highly specialised, there is a This is most likely due to the sense of wonder can be found in sweeping landscapes, intimate
wide-reaching appeal of the ability of created by freezing these often fast-moving subjects portraits or energetic wildlife shots.
creating close-up images to reveal in a moment and allowing the viewer a glimpse of the Over the following pages we will explore some
previously unseen details, in a unlimited world from their perspective. When you have effective techniques and creative ideas you can
number of potential subjects. Even the most mastered the basics of focussing and exposure, it employ, to elevate your macro shots to new levels of
mundane of everyday objects can be shown in a new can be difficult to devise creative compositions and impact and engagement. We’re working on a smaller
way, when it is explored with a macro lens; hidden produce images that have some sort of artistic flare. scale when shooting with macro equipment, but,
colours and textures are magnified to frame-filling It’s common for macro shots to become lighting, exposure and composition can still be
dimensions and placed in a novel context. The most formulaic and while sharp and well-exposed, varied, to generate unique and dynamic photos.
popular subjects tend to be those from the natural function as little more than to record images of the These methods will encourage you to try new
world; insects and plant life make an appearance in subject. Creative macro photography aims to shooting approaches and rediscover the potential of
the majority of photographer’s macro portfolios. introduce the same levels of drama and intrigue as macro, allowing you to get more from your kit.

TECHNIQUES
Look more closely at easily accessible subjects and shoot

mesmerising natural and artificial patterns where you can
Textured surfaces can be fascinating of honing in on texture is that you can with depth; if the lighting is not
subjects for your macro portfolio. Since employ everyday objects to make images directional enough to accentuate the
the key attraction of macro as a genre is with the ‘wow’ factor. topography of the subject’s surface, the
the ability to emphasise minute details, Since you will only be shooting an frame can seem two-dimensional and
texture is a natural area on which to isolated area of your subject, regardless lacking in impact. In addition, the tightly
focus. Both artificial and natural of how lacking in shape and form it may cropped framing requires decisive
materials have textures that can look be as a whole, it is possible to craft composition, in order to truthfully reflect
stunning when thoughtfully captured up engaging frames, without even leaving the natural structure of the subject.
close, producing images that demand your own home. Furthermore, the The main solution to all of these
multiple views and careful consideration simplicity of many texture-focussed potential setbacks is to approach your
from the audience, in order to place them images means this type of frame is often subject with the correct mindset –
in a rather artistic context. easier to light, using either natural light minimalist objects require minimalist
The main job of any photographer is to or a stripped back flash setup, employing compositions, to ensure there is no
produce a composition which holds the a single speedlight or studio strobe. jostling for attention within the frame.
viewer’s attention, and so by using There are some associated challenges Try varying the lighting angle and
texture to your advantage, it is possible to consider however. The relatively flat perspective, to observe how this affects
to present almost any subject as worthy nature of many appropriate subjects the apparent depth of the texture.
of closer inspection. The main advantage means it can be difficult to shoot images
ROUGH AND SMOOTH

The deep texture of the main subject contrasts well here with the
silky background blur, creating a pleasing three-dimensional feel
Marie Gardiner (mariegardiner.co.uk)
NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL GLOSSY SURFACE

Look for texture in both nature and man-made objects. Decaying urban areas Sometimes a lack of fine texture can be a subject - glass and other reflective
provide many varying textural photo opportunities materials scatter light in an engaging way
52 Teach yourself Astrophotography

macro photography
TECHNIQUES
FIND SUBJECTS
FOR TEXTURE
Opportunities for amazing images
of texture can be found where you
might least expect them
STONE
Rock and stone are great places to start
when seeking out texture-centric
images. The variance in the surface
is often quite pronounced, making it
easier to capture shots with a sense of
depth and structure. Look for lighting
between 45° and 90° to the subject
for the strongest effects – try shooting
early or late in the day for harsher,
directional light. Stone walls or coastal
rocks make for reliable subjects.
VEGETATION
Leaves, petals and flower stems are excellent
subjects for textural shots, due to their
fine (so not easily observable with the
naked eye) but relatively pronounced
structures. Leaf surfaces are often
quite symmetrical, so make pleasing
compositions, while petals can be
delicate and colourful, when viewed
at higher magnifications. Look for fine
hairs on stems, which form attractive
repeating patterns and can demonstrate
depth, via focus fall-off, when shot side-on.
WOOD
Whether it is bark, on an old oak tree, deep
in a forest, or the surface of your kitchen
table, wood demonstrates fascinating
natural patterns and colour variances.
For finer patterns, often found on
artificially treated wood, higher
magnifications are needed to
discernibly capture the intricate
lines and depressions of the surface
– use a ‘true’ macro lens, for life-size
reproductions or greater. Here a shallow
MONOCHROME depth-of-field creates an abstract background.
MASTERPIECES SKIN
While it may not immediately occur to you
By stripping away the colour from an image, you can
immediately focus your viewer’s attention on the light to turn a macro lens on yourself or other
and detail of your shot. With only luminance to form the people, the human body is constructed
image, there are less distractions to worry about, of many complex structures, which
simplifying the shooting process. While converting to exhibit arresting patterns and
black and white in processing is often more textures. When using a high-powered
effective, shooting in mono makes it easier to macro lens, the surface of skin takes
visualise your final composition and on an otherworldly appearance. Try
monitor the impact of the frame. studying fingerprints, as these are
intricate patterns, that are abstract, yet
recognisable. Soft, diffused lighting often works
best, for realistic tones.
Teach
Teach yourself
yourself Astrophotography
macro photography 53
TECHNIQUES
Add extra depth to your images by introducing perfectly

complementary backdrops for your subjects
Backgrounds are an often overlooked, yet they’re vitally important
component of a successful picture. While this is true for all genres, it is no
more so than for macro photography. Due to the narrow framing
conditions, objects are close together and therefore, at risk of jostling for
attention. When shooting flowers or insects, you are also working with
brightly coloured subjects, compounding the problem with considerations
regarding colour contrasts and clashes. Natural backgrounds are often
‘busy’, especially when shooting in undergrowth or close to the ground. A
potential solution is to introduce an artificial background, which’ll enable
you the control to choose an ideal blend of colour and detail.
To create eye-catching compositions, a popular technique is to utilise a
seamless coloured background. This produces a highly stylised look, since
the frame setup is clearly artificial, placing the subject in its own, isolated
context. Coloured paper or card is an affordable choice, with brighter CONTROL
colours, such as light blues or purples, offering a more manageable
exposure balance and global contrast. When lighting a coloured BACKGROUND
background there are several options – the most simple style is use
natural, diffused light, for even colour across the background. For shots BRIGHTNESS
inside, you may have to use two speedlights, aimed at 45˚ from either side The luminosity of your background is as important as
of the frame, to achieve even lighting. Or, use a single flash, zoomed to the the colour, to control contrast with the subject. By
highest setting, to create a focussed ‘spot’ of light, with darker edges, switching to manual on your camera and stopping down
drawing attention to the centre of the frame. This is effective for creating the aperture or increasing the shutter speed, you can
additional contrast and separation from the subject. Beyond coloured darken the background by cutting ambient light.
backgrounds, other options to try include using fairy lights and very The inverse is true by lengthening the exposure
shallow depth-of-field, to generate a contrasty bokeh. or opening the aperture. The advantage is
you can get multiple colour effects
from one background.
DIFFUSED HIGHLIGHTS
Incorporating points of light in the background of a shot can create
attractive and contrasty bokeh details, for a unique style
Rebekah Nemethy (rebekahnemethy.com)
NATURAL GRADIENTS TEXTURED BACKGROUNDS

Solid colour backgrounds or gradients of colour can be sourced in nature, with Place an artificial patterned background or position a textured wall behind your
careful composition, using brightly coloured background flowers subject for interesting, but suitably blurred complementary shapes

TECHNIQUES
SEAMLESS BLACK AND WHITE

For a unique look, place solid black or white card behind your subject or under/
overexpose for a faux studio style

TECHNIQUES
Look beyond the obvious and find unique images

in both novel and often-shot subjects
Many macro photographers strive for sharpness, since capture of detail is
the reason they perceive for owning a macro lens. While it is true that we
should aim for technical accuracy in our images, there are times when it’s
difficult to achieve, or undesirable. When shooting outside, we have little
control over the elements, which means we must adapt our shooting style
to gain usable shots from the conditions available. However, images taken
under controlled conditions can look ‘staged’ and lacking in creativity.
Macro photography is a good candidate for a more abstract approach,
since the close nature of objects within the frame make it easier to blend
colours, shapes and light for fun effects.
The unfamiliar nature of small structures, which are difficult to see with
the naked eye, means it’s simpler to create abstract looking compositions
from the subject you’re shooting – many images have an otherworldly
quality to them by default. Creative ideas for producing abstract
compositions start with the photography essentials – exposure, focus and
depth-of-field. Begin by experimenting with focus placement, to alter the
areas of the frame and the subject which contain the most detail and which
therefore attract the most attention. Next, alter the f/number to extend or
greatly limit DOF, vary the degree of subjects separation from the
background. By shooting wide-open, at f/2.8 for example, only a fraction of
the subject will be sharp, rendering most of the frame a blur. Extending the
shutter speed is another popular technique – an exposure of over one
second will blur fine detail and blend colours within the frame. Whatever
you choose, ensure the effect is intentional – a blurred image will look like a
mistake, reducing the impact of the shot.
LAYERS OF COLOUR
By zooming in for a tight composition, it is possible to create a shot
that focuses on specific areas of colour and detail
CREATIVE CACTUS PORTRAIT TEXTURE AND FORM

From a wider perspective, this cactus didn’t appear photogenic, but a top-down The building blocks of many abstract shots. Here diffused lines and surface
shot gave it a fantastically abstract look topography dominate in the absence of strong colour

TECHNIQUES
MAKING USE OF COLOUR

Take control of the colours present in your images
for multiple abstract effects
All images, other than monochrome shots, are made up of two components
– luminosity and colour. Both aspects have potential for capturing the
attention of your audience, meaning the balance and placement of areas of
strong lighting or colour greatly affects an image’s impact. This is just as true
in abstract shots. While your subject may not be instantly recognisable, the
rules of composition still apply, meaning it is vital to consider how you use
colour in the frame, ensuring it works to draw the eye towards the important
areas of the scene. Likewise, if focussing solely on colour, it is vital that the
relationships between the hues present are complimentary – any clashes will
be evident in the absence of detail.
The placement of blurred colours within this image does not conform to the
usual compositional rules and creates an unbalanced frame
COLOUR AND LIGHT By cropping out the strong colour, the image now has a pleasing ratio, allowing
By shooting into the setting sun, these raindrops take on an almost metallic the abstract blurring to have impact
appearance, creating a familiar but engaging scene

TECHNIQUES
Consider new camera angles to reveal the macro world in an original and exciting way
As stunning as well-executed macro images are, challenging to hide through blurring. Since we – the opposite to what we usually see from the
from the photographer’s position it is one of the should be working without impacting on the standing position. Another effective technique is to
most difficult genres in which to create unique, environment, physically removing distractions is not use elements from the environment as framing
dramatic compositions. This is due mainly to the an option, leaving limited framing decisions to tools. If you can’t exclude foreground details, open
compact nature of the surrounding environment. exclude these from our images. the lens aperture to blur these and frame you
In sports or wildlife photography, there is great Creative thinking provides solutions to the subject with what becomes a colourful mist. By
scope for dynamic camera movement, to introduce majority of these problems. For a highly unusual varying magnification and composition, you can
creative effects and quickly make great changes in perspective, go to the extremes and shoot directly offer your viewers an unfamiliar view of the world.
framing. When working with macro lenses, shooting up at your subject, from ground level. The purpose
very small subjects, the close working distances can of macro is to offer a ‘bug’s eye’ point of view, so
prove prohibitive, when seeking novel and engaging placing the camera below a small subject
camera angles. Additionally, since depth-of-field is pushes this theme. This extends to
so restricted, any alterations to composition must focussing on the underside of
be conducted with care, to ensure the correct areas an insect’s wings, for
of the subject remain sharp. example, of the
This can be problematic when trying artistic sepals of a
perspectives, as DOF is even more limited when flower
shooting at oblique angles to the subject.
Furthermore, even though focus fall-off is
significant, in very crowded conditions, such
as in dense undergrowth for
example, extraneous
vegetation behind the
subject is often
NATURAL LENS
Incorporating water in macro shots creates abstract
reflections or distorted refraction – perfect for unique
views of well-shot scenes and subjects

TECHNIQUES
MINIATURE SUNSET
Using high focal lengths, close focussing
and wide apertures will alter relative sizes of
near and far objects within the frame
LINE-OF-SIGHT
While a profile view of a living subject shows
more detail, an eye-line perspective creates
more intimacy and viewer engagement

TECHNIQUES
Build your own scenes and take advantage of shallow

depth-of-field for unique, imaginative images
Miniature photography has become a popular genre
and involves placing scale models of subject in an
environment, to create a false scene. With careful
subject placement, camera angle consideration,
depth-of-field management and lighting, a situation
should seem close to reality, at least on initial viewing.
Ordinary subjects such as grass can take of the role
of a dense jungle, or the inclusion of insects and other
small creatures will add a surreal element, with great
eye-catching properties. Being able to move around,
above and below your subject gives you scope to
create perspectives that are impossible in the real
world, opening up opportunities for fun and playful
photos. The challenges of the genre are often caused
by the aspects which make it unique.
Depth-of-field is limited, which produces the
characteristic narrow focus look, often copied in the
real world by using tilt/shift lenses, but it makes fine
sharpness control difficult. If needed, focus stacking
in software can extend sharpness, without introducing
blur through aperture diffraction. Shooting in a
controlled environment or placing generic patterns,
like plants or bushes, in the background will remove
features that could ruin the effect.
BELIEVABLE LIGHTING
When positioning light sources so they are visible in the
frame, be sure that reflected light and shadows look
correctly proportioned
USE PROPS CREATIVE INCREDIBILITY

Look for ways to utilize everyday household items as elements of your miniature Sometimes miniature images benefit from emphasised scale, whereby absolute
scene and find creative inspiration without cost realism is not the main goal – make use of strong backgrounds for depth

TECHNIQUES
CREATE A MINIATURE WORLD

Macro specialist Ashraful Arefin (ashrafularefin.com) explains the process behind his storybook miniature images
Use natural light and toys to

create a beautifully subtle shot
There are a few choices when deciding on the final
style of a miniature image. Firstly, the photographer
can aim to produce as realistic an image as possible,
tightly controlling depth-of-field, shooting angle and
lighting to within ‘normal’, real-world parameters.
If conducted with care, the relative sizes of objects
in the scene can make it difficult for the viewer to
distinguish between a ‘real’ scene and a miniature.
Or, the unnatural fall-off in focus can be exploited
and the photographer might make a main feature of
this. Whichever option is used, it’s important to be
focussed on emphasising the appearance of choice
- blending styles may not work well and lack of DOF
or scale can seem unintentional.
1 MAKING PLANS 2 USE A FAST LENS 3 SET UP YOUR SCENE

Making a plan and sketching the idea can save so A fast prime is perfect for miniatures. You can use a Think about the story you are going to tell and use
much time. I start by doing a quick sketch of my macro lens, but the focus can be too shallow and props and subject according to that. I used a
composition and lighting setup. I also write down all remove that real-life impression. I recommend using diorama asphalt to mimic city streets and some LED
the little details I can think of. It doesn’t matter if you at least a 50mm lens. The bigger the focal length, string lights in the background for city lights and
can’t draw, just take notes and plan out everything the more separation from the background you will bokeh. The advantage of still life is that your subject
before the actual shoot. get. A faster lens will also be handy in low light. is stationary, so take your time composing.
4 CAMERA SETTINGS 5 LIGHTING SETUP 6 SHOOT FROM A LOW ANGLE

Adjust the shutter speed and ISO depending on You don’t need expensive or complicated lighting – This is key to getting realistic miniatures. Shooting
available light. I suggest using a large aperture like use natural light! Windows are great sources of from the subject’s level gives it depth. If shooting
f/1.8 or f/2.8. Since it’s a miniature, you can still get diffused light indoors. Use white paper as a reflector outdoors, lower the camera to get to the level of the
details with a small focus area. A shallow depth of while using a backlight. Consider time for natural miniature, using live view mode. Think of the
field will not only give you beautiful backgrounds, light - early morning and late afternoon will give you miniature as if it’s a real vehicle and match your
but also more realism. more soft, diffused light with less harsh shadows. eye level, just the way you shoot a real one.

TECHNIQUES
© Bogdan Ch

TECHNIQUES
Use focus stacking for a large

depth-of-field that guarantees
the subject is pin-sharp
When you’re working at a 1:1 ratio subject,
sharpness and depth-of-field become more
critical. Depth-of-field in macro photography is
a huge challenge, because when you’re working
so close to the subject, a middle aperture such
as f/8 will provide a relatively shallow depth-of-
field. You could of course stop down the lens
down to f/22, which would increase depth-of-
field, but at this setting, diffraction – a softening
of the image – would occur.
The alternative and preferable technique is to
focus stack. This is where you set the lens to its
sharpest aperture – usually f/8 or f/11 – and
then take a series of images with focus, starting
© Bess Hamiti
at the front of the subject with the first shot, and
ending at the back of the subject for the final
image. It’s typical to need 12 or more individual
images to successfully focus stack, and once Bold shapes
these are taken we can blend them together in Close-up image of a gerbera
Photoshop for sharpness throughout the against a dark background
EDIT NON-
desired part or whole of the subject. DESTRUCTIVELY
This is where you apply all
adjustments and cloning etc to
individual layers rather than the
background layer. The underlying Punchy colours
Abstract close-up shot
pixels never change, and at any of an orange stamen
point during processing you against violet petals
can revert back to a
previous state.
© Mister Starman

TECHNIQUES
FOCUS STACKING Stack images together to ensure sharpness throughout your whole image
1 LOAD FILES AS LAYERS

Open Photoshop with no images open and then go
to File>Scrips>Load Files into Stack. When the dialogue
2 BLEND IMAGES TOGETHER
Photoshop will load the images as layers on the
Layers panel. Once it finishes, the bottom layer will be
3 FLATTEN THE IMAGE
When Photoshop finishes the blend, you’ll have layer
masks attached to each layer in the stack. You will also
box opens, set Use to Folder and click on Browse to active and highlighted. Hold down Shift on the keyboard see that there are gaps at the edges of the image and blur,
locate the folder containing your individual focus- and left-mouse click on the top layer so all are now which we will crop out in the next step. For now, click on
stacked images. Once this is selected, the image names highlighted. Next, go to Edit>Auto Blend Layers, and the menu represented by four horizontal lines at the top
will be visible. Next, make sure Attempt to Automatically when the dialog box opens make sure Stack Images is right of the Layers panel, and select Flatten Image from
Align Source Images is checked, and hit OK. selected and Seamless Tones and Colors is checked. the list of options.
4 CROP OUT IMAGES EDGES

Press C on the keyboard to activate the Crop tool.
Now, go to the dropdown menu at the top left of the
5 CLONE OUT BLEND ERRORS
Blend errors will occur if stacked images don’t have
an overlapping depth-of-field, so you need to zoom in on
6 APPLY ADJUSTMENTS
At this point the stacking process is complete, so
you can now apply any necessary adjustments. For this
interface below the main Photoshop menu and select the image and look for areas of blur. If you find them, image, a Levels Adjustment layer was created by clicking
Original Ratio to maintain the original ratio, or just Ratio simply create an empty new layer to clone into, and use on the half-white half-black circle at the bottom of the
for a custom crop, as we’ve done here to centralise the the Clone Stamp tool or Healing Brush with Sample set Layers panel and selecting Levels. The white and black
subject. When using Ratio, make sure the Dimensions to Current and Below to clone sharp nearby areas over arrows below the histogram were dragged inwards to the
and DPI boxes next to the menu are empty. the blur for a better blend. edges of the histogram to add contrast.
BEFORE AFTER
© James Abbott

TECHNIQUES
Enhance fine detail with a sharpening method that

focuses on all areas of images, including texture
Image processing should always be a way of is the perfect amount of sharpening. Well want to use it for portraiture because it
enhancing images to make them look their done Adobe! would highlight every pore and blemish which
best, rather than a process of fixing poor So with this in mind you may be thinking that may be far from ideal. But with macro
shooting technique. But even with the there’s no need for additional sharpening photography, which is all about texture and
sharpest lenses focused perfectly on the because it’s all been taken care of. But with fine detail, the fact that everything is
subject, most if not all digital images can certain macro subjects and those shot at a sharpened works perfectly. Every single part
benefit from sharpening. wide aperture and featuring a shallow depth- of the subject that’s in focus will benefit from
If you shoot in Raw and of-field, there is a specific sharpening appearing sharper.
process your files in Adobe technique that works well because The great thing, too, is that High Pass
Camera Raw or Lightroom, ADD of the indiscriminate way it sharpening is incredibly easy. It’s one of
an amount of sharpening CONTRAST applies sharpening across the those techniques that only takes a couple
is applied automatically. WITH CURVES whole image, picking up every of applications to learn, and once you know
This can be adjusted or Left mouse click ¾ of the way up little detail. how to apply it you’ll have a powerful editing
even turned off, but for the Curve and drag up and to the High Pass sharpening in tool in your arsenal. Let’s take a look at how
nine out of ten images this left. Next, click ¼ of the way up the short is brutal – you wouldn’t it’s done…
Curve and drag down to the right
slightly. Reduce opacity of
the Adjustment layer if
required.

TECHNIQUES
HIGH PASS SHARPENING

Accentuate detail with a sharpening technique that could’ve been made for macro photography
1 DUPLICATE THE BACKGROUND

Open your image in Photoshop and make 2 APPLYthe
normal rules when shooting
sure Go to
THE HIGH PASS
night
Filter>Other>High
sky. Ignore the light meter in your
the background layer is active. Press Ctrl+J to copy dialog
exposures,
Pass,
FILTER
and when the 3
with the lens as wide asCHANGE
it will toTHE
The
go. Focus to infinity. Keep the aperture image
checkBLENDING
will
that you’ve gotMODE
the focus as
sharp as possible. If you’re nottohappy
now look grey, so we need add
camera telling you yourbox
shotopens, setto
is going the Radius
large,toand
between
bump5.0up and
the ISO totransparency
3200 towith
the the
layer. Click
final on the
result, dropdown
adjust the focus
this background layer, which will now be active and
be overexposed. 15.0 Pixels. The exact amount required
or higher. depends on menu at the top of the Layers panel
slightly and reshoot. that’s set to
highlighted. This is the layer that the High Pass the resolution of your camera, but as a guide you’re Normal by default and select Overlay. You can leave
sharpening will be applied to, and working on a aiming to clearly see the outline of the subject. In this Opacity at 100% for the full effect, or reduce it if you
separate layer provides more control later if image the front of the fly is the clearer part because feel the sharpening is too strong. If you can see halos
necessary and the ability to work non-destructively. it’s sharp and in focus, while its body is out of focus. around subject edges, reduce Opacity.
Sharpening BEFORE
High Pass sharpening has
helped to emphasise the
detail in this shot of a
jumping spider
AFTER
© James Abbott
© Wynand Uys
Teach yourself macro

Teach photography 67
yourselfXXXXXXX
TECHNIQUES
Left
Bleach bypass
Applying bleach bypass
with this softly toned
image has helped to make
the focal point stand out
Bottom-left
Subdued
This image has benefited
from darker more
subdued tones in the
background, which makes
the subjects stand
out more
Below
Pull back colours
The colours in this image
were slightly off, but the
desaturation effect of
bleach bypass has helped
to pull them back
ENHANCE
INDIVIDUAL
COLOURS
Create a Black & White Adjustment
layer and change the Blending
mode from Normal to Luminosity.
You can now use the colour sliders
to lighten and darken
the different colour
channels.
© Francesco Mazzoli
Use an unconventional technique involving desaturation to draw attention to detail

The idea that applying an effect that The bleach bypass effect has been around The reason bleach bypass works so well for
desaturates an image to increase detail may for a long time, and was first used in the macro photography is that it accentuates
sound impossible, but by applying a bleach movie industry as a colouring effect. As the texture and detail, and also takes the edge off
bypass effect to your images, you will quickly name suggests, when processing the oversaturated parts of the image – a problem
see how this effect is actually much more transparency film the bleach step was that can reduce the appearance of detail
useful than simply applying a movie-style missed out, resulting in increased contrast because the colour effectively bleeds into it.
colour effect to your shots. It will, of course, with desaturation and washed out-looking Bleach bypass is a simple technique that can
change the colouring of your images slightly, mid-tones. The effect has been replicated in be applied to literally any image to good
but they will maintain a natural look, and the Photoshop, and while there are a few ways to effect – here’s how it works so well with
overall effect can be controlled with ease. achieve the effect, this is the best method. macro photography…

TECHNIQUES
BLEACH BYPASS
Use the Photoshop version of an old film effect to enhance detail and control oversaturation
1 CREATE A LEVELS
ADJUSTMENT
Open the image and click on the Create
2 USE A BLACK &
WHITE LAYER
Click on the Create new fill or
3 LIGHTEN THE IMAGE
The first step with Levels will have
darkened the image, so we now need to
4 REFINE THE EFFECT
The curves adjustment layer at the
top of the stack should be active, so hold
new fill or adjustment layer icon (the adjustment layer icon and select Black & lighten it to roughly its original brightness. down the Shift key and left-mouse click
black and white circle at the bottom of White. When the Adjustment Layer Create a curves adjustment layer and on the levels adjustment layer above the
the Layers panel). Select Levels from the dialog box opens, close it immediately left-mouse click in the centre of the Curve background layer. You should now have
menu, and when the dialog box opens, because the default settings are perfect, before dragging up to the left until the three layers selected. Press Ctrl+G to
type 200 in the box below the histogram then reduce the opacity of the layer to brightness looks correct. If you place a group the layers, then double click on
set to 255. Close the box and change the 40%. This can be found at the top right point you don’t need, simply left-mouse Group 1 to rename it before lowering the
Layer Blending mode to Multiply. of the Layers panel, and is set to 100%. click on it and drag it off the Curve. opacity to between 25 and 50%.
Left
AFTER Enhance detail
Reducing saturation and the overall
effect of the bleach bypass has
made more detail visible in the leaf
Below
Too saturated
The red leaf is too saturated and the
result is that the colour of the leaf
has bled into the finer detail,
making it invisible
BEFORE
“Bleach bypass is a simple

technique that can be applied to
literally any image to good effect”
© James Abbott
Teach
Teach yourself yourselfXXXXXXX
macro photography 69
TECHNIQUES
w When you’re working with images of tiny

subjects at a 1:1 ratio, detail quickly becomes
to the highlights. Even though we have detail
here, we can still lighten the shadows further
much more important than in other types of to reveal more detail and soften the highlights
images. The most obvious way to enhance to the same end using Shadows/Highlights
detail is to use sharpening techniques such within Photoshop.
as High Pass sharpening, but as always These two elements can both be controlled
Show more detail across the Photoshop provides more than just one way in Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom and other
to enhance images, with each technique raw processing software, but Photoshop does
image using a highly effective and providing a different result from the next. provide a little more control with three rather
easy to use formula in Photoshop Let’s assume that the image you’ve than one slider, alongside other controls. Best
taken has a perfect histogram and you’ve of all, there’s a simple formula for getting
maintained detail from the shadows through great results every time…
RECOVER AFTER
SHADOWS AND
HIGHLIGHTS
Reveal and recover Shadow and
Highlight detail using this tried and
tested Photoshop technique
BEFORE
© James Abbott
1 DUPLICATE THE BACKGROUND
Open your image and click on the background
layer to make sure it’s active before pressing Ctrl+J.
2 LIGHTEN THE SHADOWS
The simple formula for achieving great results is to
position the sliders in the formation of a forward slash.
3 ENHANCE THE HIGHLIGHTS
Highlights follows the same formula as Shadows,
so it’s all about creating that imaginary forward slash
Next go to Image>Adjustments>Shadows to open the So, Radius should be closest to the left, Tone further to with the sliders. The highlights in this image didn’t need
dialogue box we’ll be using to recover shadows and the right and Amount furthest right. This can be as any recovery. We set Amount to 20, Tone to 10 and
highlights in the next step. strong or as subtle as you require. Radius to 5 and this was perfect for this image.
4 ADJUST THE MIDTONE

A small amount of Midtone in the Adjustment
section of the dialogue box is often a necessity. We set
5 REDUCE MUDDINESS
Click on OK to close the Shadows/Highlights
dialogue box. Even with the Midtone adjustment we can
6 REDUCE THE EFFECT
At this stage if you think the effect may be too
strong, it can be reduced with ease. Hold down the Shift
a small amount of +20, but adding more counteracted still work on the muddiness of the image, so click on the key and left mouse click on the Shadows/Highlights
the shadow recovery. At this stage you can click on Create new fill or adjustment layer icon and select Layer above the Background. Now press Ctrl+G to
Save Defualts to save these settings as a starting point. Levels. Now drag the black and white points inwards. group both Layers, and now we can reduce the Opacity.
70 Teach yourself XXXXXXXX

macro photography
TECHNIQUES
Below
Rose
USE THE Using Shadows/
HISTOGRAM Highlights has worked
with the pastel tones
When you take care to get your present in the image
images as perfect as possible
in-camera, it makes sense to
continue during editing. Use the
histogram in to make sure no
detail is lost. If it’s not visible, go
to Window>Histogram and
it will appear.
© James Abbott
Dahlia Shadows and Highlights
A light use of Shadow/ The result is a lightening of
Highlights has revealed darker tones and more
detail, but helped to
maintain shape and form refined highlight detail
in this detail shot
© Patrick Brinksma
© James Abbott

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Learn from the professionals

Hidden world Master of macro
Macro photography specialist Mike Tully discusses his Alessandro Zocchi discusses his love of getting closer to
approach to shooting detailed close-up images flora and fauna
Help me shoot a bug’s life Life in miniature

Wildlife pro Ross Hoddinott takes reader Andy Stafford Our apprentice learns the art of taking larger-than-life
as they travel around Cornwall in search of tiny things shots of creepy crawlies
David Maitland Making a splash

Discover how to freeze close-up shots of water with
Explore Maitland’s striking imagery and find out more our pro David Lund and create artistic masterpieces
about his passion for both art and science
Meet your neighbours

We introduce our pupil to a unique macro style with a
field studio setup

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Macro photography specialist Mike Tully discusses his

approach to shooting detailed and creative close-up
images of insect and spider subjects
Backgrounds matter
Always consider how the
background will interact with
the subject – be sure it does
not dominate the composition
All images © Mike Tully

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acro photography
is capable of
revealing the
natural world in an
entirely new light, capturing
detail invisible to the human
eye. As popular as the genre is however,
creating successfully engaging images
is not easy. Experienced photographer
Mike Tully (miketully.smugmug.com)
combines his in-depth knowledge of his
subject’s behaviour with artistic expertise,
to produce intimate studies of spiders and
insect life.
How long have you been a photographer

for and what initially got you interested in
macro imaging?
I got my first SLR 43 years ago. I was
always fascinated by optical devices like
microscopes and telescopes that allowed
a look into otherwise unseen worlds. In
1977, when the original Star Wars movie
was released, I read of how the film crew
had chosen the 55mm f3.5 Micro Nikkor
for its optical excellence, to film close-up
scenes of the spacecraft models. Here was
a world-class lens that a student with a
part-time job could afford! With the Micro
Nikkor I began looking closer at things and
realised that even the most modest garden
was full of beautiful tiny scenes and real
life-and-death drama.
Above
Focus the eyes
What are your favourite subjects to shoot A fundamental rule of
and why? macro imaging is that (as
Dragonflies are my favourites. They are with portraiture) the
relatively large, easy to find, colourful and subject’s eyes need to be
perfectly sharp
approachable. They have a top-of-the-
food-chain attitude and seem unconcerned
about threats, so they can be comfortable Right
Bee close-up
with a camera in their face. The small-to- As one of Mike’s
medium size dragonflies like to perch and favourite subjects, bees
sun on flowers, while scanning the area for make up a significant
food. This behaviour makes it easy to get portion of his portfolio
great shots. The largest dragonflies, the
aeshnids (Hawkers in the UK or Darners Far right
in the US) are the most spectacular, but Nursery web spider
One of Mike’s favourite
more challenging to shoot. Their long,
images from his portfolio is
pendulous bodies must hang, rather than this shot of a nursery web
perch at rest. This means they are often spider. His creative
in the shade and camouflaged by their composition clearly shows the
surroundings. They are harder to find, but spider’s parenting behaviour
always rewarding.
Top right
How do you decide on a composition for Body profile
The vast variety of body forms
your amazing macro images? found amongst arthropods
With the severe depth of field limitations demands the photographer to
in macro imaging it is tempting to shoot find the angle that best
subjects in profile to maximise the in-focus illustrates the subject
area. Some long and slender subjects such
as damselflies demand this, but I find it
a bit too static. I prefer to approach the
subject face to face, but at a quartering

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“Something plain can become striking and huge amounts of light. I prefer to shoot
between f8 and f11 to preserve DOF. Hand-
beautiful when its full detail is revealed” held shots of moving subjects at close
distances limits maximum exposure times
angle. As long as the eyes are in focus What cameras and lenses do you usually to 125th-160th/second. I like to limit ISO
it is acceptable for the rest of the insect use for your shots? to 800 or less, for noise considerations.
to fade out of focus. The depth-of-field I use a Nikon D7000 and a D600. They This all adds up to nothing less than full
preview button is handy at this point, have the same control layout and use the sunlight for naturally illuminated shots.
to check and see how the background same cards and batteries. The most-used I use a speedlight with diffuser in most
appears. The background elements tend macro lenses are the 55mm f3.5 Micro shots, to fill in the shadows, which casts
to become vague shapes and tones, but it Nikkor AI and the 105mm f4 Micro Nikkor a huge shadow when I’m inches
is very important to find an angle at which AI. These old manual-focus lenses are away from the subject. It can
these add to the composition rather than extremely rugged and optically equal to become very frustrating
detract from it. their new auto focus counterparts. They when pursuing a moving
are still performing brilliantly after decades target, so I only search
In your opinion, what makes a successful of hard use. Since autofocus is of little for subjects in areas
macro photo? use at macro distances, I may never have where I would not get
An image that is instantly recognisable for to upgrade. between them and
what it is, but reveals interesting or even the sun.
unsettling details upon closer inspection. What are the greatest challenges you
If I have to read a photo’s caption to learn find in your line of work and how do you
what it shows, then it has failed. Every overcome these?
day we share space with little creatures – Getting enough light on the subject is the
something common, plain or even biggest challenge – macro requires
ugly can become striking and
even beautiful when its full
detail is revealed in a
well-executed
macro shot.

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Adapt for
your subject
One key challenge of insect photography is
the inherent skittishness of these organisms.
As Mike explains, a pro macro photographer
knows to adapt their shooting style to
match the behaviour of the current subject.
No single approach is compatible with all
specimens, since their design and reaction
to the photographer is varied. Only when
behaviour can be predicted can individual
characteristics be accurately captured.
“Years of observing insect behaviour has
taught me that each insect has a best time
of day to be approached,” says Mike. “I’m
fascinated by bees and in the heat of the
day they can be found all over flowers. The
problem is that they move so fast I can’t
compose and focus a shot. I’ve learned to
look for them in the early morning, when
it is cool and they are asleep or sluggish.
Butterflies and dragonflies are very hard
to find when it is cool. They are active at
midday, but can easily be found resting.
Spider webs can last for days or longer, so I
make notes of where I find them and return
when the light is best for that location.”
Researching a subject’s lifestyle will yield
more successful results.
Use depth of field

Mike aligns his compositions to make the most
of DOF, rendering his subject sharp but also
pleasantly diffusing his backgrounds

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Do you have a favourite image from the
selection you sent us and why?
My favourite is of the nursery web spider
guarding her brood. It is always great to
be able to tell a story with a picture. These
spiders, from the family Pisauridae, are pretty
big and dramatic, but their most prominent
characteristic is featured right in their name.
The females carry around a big white egg sac,
find a safe place to make a nest, bond the sac
to a leaf, then roll the leaf into a nursery web.
The female then guards the nursery until the
eggs hatch and the hatchlings leave the nest.
I was delighted to capture most of that story
in a single image.
What are your favourite locations for Above Below Right

Pick your time Local opportunities Direct lighting
capturing close-up wildlife images? Knowing when your subjects will Mike is an advocate of exploring Mike prefers direct natural
Public botanical gardens are the best. The be least active is the best way to local backyard wildlife with a light as good light intensity
cultivated selection of flowering plants give yourself time to explore camera, rather than travelling great is necessary to freeze
provides the widest array of insects among unique compositions distances in search of images subject or camera movement
beautiful fresh blossoms. I also explore
areas around small ponds, where dragonflies
emerge from the water as larvae, then live
and hunt.
My most productive place is my own
backyard, where I have a modest garden.
Every day, in the summer months, I spend
time there in the early morning. I like to shoot
when the first rays of sun splash across the
flowers and the insects come to life. Many of
my friends will travel to exotic locations like
Iceland just to get photographic inspiration –
I can find that in my own yard.
What advice would you give beginners in the

macro field?
Look closely at everything! Shoot the same
subject repeatedly, as even the act of taking a
breath can cause the camera to move in and
out of focus. Turn of AF, set the focus for the
distance you want to shoot at, then move the
camera in and out until the subject is focused.
When shooting insects, make sure the eyes
are in focus. Use aperture-priority mode and
shoot between f8 and f16, while making sure
ISO is high enough to keep the shutter speed
above about 1/125sec.
What are your ambitions for the future?

I would like to develop a curriculum
for teaching macro photography to the
handicapped or elderly. It is an ideal creative
activity for people who can’t go far. Even if
you are mobility restricted, the world around
you is vast when viewed one square inch at
a time. Communing with the natural world
around you has proven emotional benefits –
there is nothing like examining things at the
macro level that makes you realise how much
of the natural world exists just outside
your door.

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THE PRO
NAME:
ROSS HODDINOTT
CAMERA:
NIKON D810
Ross Hoddinott is one of the UK’s leading
nature photographers. Best known for his
evocative landscape images and intimate
close-ups of nature, he is the author of several
photography books, including Digital Macro &
Close-up Photography. He has a lifelong
passion for wildlife and conservation, and is a
multi-award-winner in both the Wildlife
Photographer of the Year competition and
British Wildlife Photography Awards. He has
been using Nikon cameras since his teens and
was a Nikon UK Ambassador between 2013
and 2015. He is also an Ambassador for
Manfrotto and a Global Icon for F-Stop gear.
To see more of his images visit
www.rosshoddinott.co.uk

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Join wildlife pro Ross Hoddinott and reader Andy

Stafford as they travel around Cornwall looking
for summer insects to capture in close-up
APPRENTICE
NAME:
ANDY STAFFORD
CAMERA:
NIKON D750
Andy is an IT analyst whose loves of fly fishing
and photography keep him in the great
outdoors when he’s not in the office. His two
passions work in tandem, because when the
fish stop biting he’s ready to start shooting
with his Nikon. Ever since he upgraded from
his D5300 to a D750, his focus has been on
macro photography, and as well as tying his
own flies for his fishing expeditions, he loves to
have a critter or two in front of his lens.

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INTRODUCTION ANDY’S COMMENT

On a hot summer’s day in Bude, “I took my first shots at Meeth Quarry,
Cornwall, Ross and Andy packed photographing the damselflies that flew around
their Nikons and macro lenses the pond there. Many of them were mating, and
and headed out to capture wildlife during one such courtship I spotted a couple
on a small scale. Photographing perched on the long grass. Taking shots at f5.6 meant I
insects requires a lot of patience couldn’t get both the male and female in focus, so Ross
as they tend to fly or scuttle away recommended setting my aperture to f11. Now both the
on approach, so before they got insects were in focus, with only their wings falling into
started, Ross took a look at softness. With my ISO bumped up a little to 500 I achieved
Andy’s settings, to make sure a shutter speed of 1/640 sec, which froze the movement of
he could hit the ground running... the grass as the wind blew threw it.“
TECHNIQUE GO LONG
ASSESSMENT “I prefer longer macro
lenses,” says Ross, “as
the reach a longer lens
APERTURE PRIORITY gives you means you
Ross says.. I recommended Andy shoot
can shoot from further
in Aperture Priority mode, starting at
back without disturbing
f5.6. This is to maintain a fast shutter
the insect. Also, you only
speed, especially while initially shooting
have to recompose a
handheld. A mid-range aperture like
fraction to dramatically
f5.6 also allows a decent depth of field
change your backdrop.
– enough to get the insect in focus, at
My favourite is Nikon’s
least. Even so, you may need to increase
200mm f4, but anything
the ISO a little – Andy set ISO400,
around 100mm or
resulting in 1/500 sec, which is the sort of
above, such as Andy’s
shutter speed you should be aiming for.
Sigma 105mm f2.8, is
perfect for an insect
MATRIX METERING shoot.”
Ross says... At first, Andy had Spot metering
mode engaged, but I suggested he
change to Matrix metering instead. After
concentrating on getting the right
amount of depth of field, focusing
correctly and a good composition, to
then have to spot meter accurately
off such a small area of the scene is an
DITCH THE BAG
unnecessary extra you can do without.
One mistake many
Matrix metering is usually uncannily
beginner macro
accurate, so you shouldn’t need anything else.
photographers make is
that they keep their bag
SLOW AND STEADY on when shooting. This
Ross says... Correct camera operation has a detrimental effect
is crucial to shooting your miniscule on macro photography,
subjects from up close, without scaring because not only can
them off. That’s why I showed straps swing around when
Andy how to approach a subject you’re crouched down, and
first, before taking a picture. Take so disturb the wildlife, but
gentle steps and make no sudden a bag can also make your
movements to reduce your impact movement cumbersome
on the animal as you approach, and awkward. Drop the bag
and the hand should mimic the body, down before you approach
with slow, deliberate movements on the your subject and you’ll
barrel of the lens. feel much freer, and have
a much better range of
movement for shooting.

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HOT
SHOT
#1
Lens 105mm f2.8
Exposure 1/640 sec, f11, ISO500

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HOT
SHOT
#2
Lens 105mm f2.8

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ANDY’S COMMENT PRO PORTFOLIO

“We happened upon some meadow thistle in a field.
Ross told me that there might be crab spiders hiding IT’S A SMALL WORLD
amongst the flowers, and before long we found one Take a closer look at Ross’s Favourite
clinging to the underside of a thistle. Because the macro images
spider wasn’t going anywhere fast – unlike the damselflies – I LACEWING
could set up my tripod. Up close the depth of field was very With their bright
narrow, so I upped my aperture to f16, which gave me a shutter green bodies,
golden metallic
speed of 1/250 sec. My test shot was slightly dark, so I dialled in a eyes and delicate,
stop of positive exposure compensation to lighten it up. “ transparent
wings, lacewings
EXPERT INSIGHT PRO’S KILLER KIT #01

MANFROTTO GEARED HEAD
are unmistakable.
They feed on
PERSEVERE! Ross says… A geared tripod head offers more

precision than other heads. With handles that
aphids, so are
a favourite among
Ross says… With macro photography you can gardeners.
move the head millimetre by millimetre, you can
expect to have a high percentage of unusable Backlighting will
be incredibly accurate with composition
shots, whether it be due to wind movement, highlight their
and depth of field.
camera movement, poor focusing, or your shape, form and the translucency of their
subject simply running away! There are so incredible wings. A macro lens is the best
many variables, and the technical aspects of option for frame-filling shots.
taking the photo are so extreme, that there’s
a lot to go wrong. But the longer you
persevere, the higher your shot count – and
success rate – will be.
BANDED DEMOISELLE
Banded demoiselles can be found along
CHECK YOUR SHOTS
slow-flowing lowland streams and rivers.
Checking your images throughout a macro shoot
The male has a dark, blue-black band across
is vital to maintain good-quality photography.
the central portion of its wings – the female
Check the histogram to ensure that highlights
is iridescent pale-green. They can be flighty
aren’t clipped and zoom into the image to see
and tricky to approach during daytime, so
where the focus lies and whether your depth of field
a longer focal length is advisable to generate
has captured all the important detail. Revise your
a practical working distance.
settings and reshoot if necessary.
ROCK BACK AND FORTH…

Depth of field is incredibly tight
at macro focal lengths, and when shooting
handheld any number of things
can throw your shot out of focus. Switch to
manual focus, focus on the insect as best you can,
MARBLED WHITE
A widespread but beautiful British butterfly
then gently rock back and forth while shooting
with distinct black-and-white markings, the
in Continuous Low mode. Using this technique
Marbled White favours grassland and, being
means that you won’t have tons of images to hunt
a larger, lazier butterfly, is a good subject for
through, but you will still fire off enough to get one
newcomers to insect photography. They
that is (hopefully) in focus. With macro, you have
look particularly photogenic when backlit
to play the numbers game!
by warm, evening sunlight.

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PRO’S KILLER KIT #02 PLAMP

A plamp is a plant-holding device that grips onto a
stable surface, like a tripod leg, and also onto a plant.
It’s designed to reduce movement of the subject due
to wind. When photographing at high magnification,
even a slight breeze can move grasses and flowers
wildly around the frame, so holding it in place
increases your chances of taking a sharp shot. It’s
advisable to only use it on thicker-stemmed plants
though, because gripping more delicate flora,
such as Orchids, could damage the plant.
PRO’S KILLER KIT #03 DIFFUSER

Ross says… On bright days with direct sunlight, the contrast
between highlights and shadows can be too extreme. Placing a
diffuser between the sun and the subject will give you more
flattering light that produces softer shadows and gentle
highlights, and that reveals delicate details in the petals, scales
and grass. You have to be careful not to knock the subject or
HOT
your tripod with the diffuser though, especially if you have to
hold the diffuser and take the photo at the same time. SHOT
#3
Lens 1/640 sec, f8, ISO800
Exposure 105mm f2.8
ANDY’S COMMENT
“My initial images of this Marsh Fritillary were
slightly soft due to my shutter speed being too
slow. To enable me to set a faster shutter speed
Ross suggested I increase my ISO, but he didn’t
want be going up above 800, as he was concerned about
noise. My shutter speed still wasn’t quite fast enough, so I
opened up my aperture from f11 to f8. This reduced the
depth of field slightly, but by composing the shot so that the
entire butterfly was on the same plane of focus (see right), I
was able to ensure most of it was pin-sharp.”

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Focus in Live View EXPERT INSIGHT

When shooting macro on a tripod, focusing
through Live View is always the easiest and PLANE OF FOCUS
most reliable method. Unlike looking the Ross says… When shooting big winged insects like
viewfinder, it shows you the effect that the damselflies, dragonflies and butterflies, you have to
aperture has on the image, so you can see keep your plane of focus parallel with the insect. If you
exactly how much depth of field you have to tilt your Nikon at an angle to the butterfly only a small
work with before you’ve even taken the slice of the insect will be in focus, with everything else
shot. The zoom button magnifies the image blurred. Ensure your camera is flat-on to the subject
on the LCD and allows you to manually to increase your chances of getting it all sharp.
focus with incredible precision.

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ANDY’S COMMENT
“My photo of a Common Blue taken at the
end of the day turned out to be my favourite. Kissed
by the sunset, this Blue was originally facing
downwards, tucked up for a night’s rest, but after
being disturbed it fluttered around and settled face up on the
stalk. It remained calm afterwards, though, so I used my tripod
and geared head to ensure my focusing was precise. I set an
aperture of f11 for the best compromise between depth of field
and avoiding diffraction, and managed to get a shutter speed of
1/160 sec with +1 stop of exposure compensation, after
increasing the ISO to 1250 because of the lower light. By
backlighting it with the evening sun, I captured a wonderful halo
around the butterfly and grass. The Leaf Hopper, lower on the
stalk, was a welcome bonus!”
ROSS’S COMMENT
“This image has so many qualities; it is beautifully
simple, the background is attractive and
uncluttered, and it is warmly backlit. Quite simply,
it’s a gorgeous close-up that neatly demonstrates all
the things Andy learned – and perfected – throughout the day.
Photographing insects can be incredibly tricky – in terms of
both getting close enough to them, and also the technical
challenges involved. However, Andy’s patience, enthusiasm and
persistence was rewarded towards the end of the day with this
wonderful shot. The inclusion of space gives the shot context
and the out-of-focus grasses behind accentuate the feeling of it
being in a summery meadow. A top shot Andy – well done.”
EXPERT INSIGHT
PRISTINE
SPECIMEN
Ross says… If you do your research
you’ll know at what times of year
particular creatures are out and
about. Common Blue butterflies,
for example, hatch twice during the
summer, and we were lucky enough
to find a young specimen to
photograph here – the scales on its
wings in particular were fantastic.
The older a butterfly is, the more
likely it is to look a bit tatty. Always
try and find good-quality subjects
to photograph, whether
you’re shooting insects, flowers
or even simpler subjects, such
as leaves.

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SHOT
OF THE
DAY
Lens 105mm f2.8

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01

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David Maitland’s striking

images have made him
one of today’s leading
nature photographers.
He talks to David Clark
about his passion for
both art and science
avid Maitland’s photography
reveals weird and wonderful
details of the natural world that
are usually too small for us to
see with the naked eye. Armed with
plenty of photographic expertize and the
scientific knowledge gained during his
academic career, his photographs are a
perfect combination of science and art.
Colourful, intriguing and often quirky, his
work ranges from detailed macro shots
of reptiles, amphibians and insects to
microscopic studies of organisms up to
1000x life size. However, as well as being
visually striking, the tiny details they
highlight also tell us something about
individual species and their behaviour.
Maitland, 58, has been fascinated
by the close examination of natural
subjects since his childhood in St
Andrews in Scotland. As he explains,
this coastal environment was the ideal
catalyst for developing what has become
a lifelong passion…
Have you always been fascinated by

the natural world?
Yes, from an early age I fished in the
sea or local streams, and, in terms of
interests or background, everything I did
01 GECKO SILHOUETTE
This gecko was photographed while resting
on an arrow-root (Marantaceae) leaf in São
Tomé e Príncipe on the West African coast
Lens Canon EF 180mm f3.5L USM Macro

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02
03
was nature-related. I was always beach- as a tool to do the research. But instead
02 EYE OF RED-EYED TREE FROG
combing or looking in rock pools. As a of making dry, normal science pictures,
Taken in Costa Rica, this macro shot was child I made a huge collection of seabird I wanted to do something more artistic
taken as the frog sat in a lily above a pond skulls that I found on the beach and with it, while at the same time illustrating
Lens Canon MP-E 65mm f2.8 1-5x Macro Photo took home. the research.
Exposure 1/1000 sec, f11, ISO50 Luckily my parents were quite tolerant.
Now, instead of collecting objects, I What was your first SLR?
03 MOSS collect pictures of interesting creatures I had a Praktica LTL 35mm camera and
Taken through a microscope at 40x and suchlike. I tried shooting close-ups using a standard
magnification on the EOS 5D Mark II, this 50mm lens with some extension tubes.
shows leaves of Selaginella or club moss When did you first to develop I kept getting this horrible hot spot in the
Lens Olympus Microscope an interest in photography? middle of the pictures, and in those early
I was always interested in looking closely days I had no idea what that was all about.
Exposure 1/6 sec, ISO50
at things like the skulls or butterflies, So even if I couldn’t actually do it, I was still
04 GECKO FOOT PADS and really focusing on details. interested in trying to get closer.
Taken through the glass on which a gecko That translated to taking pictures Later, I had a Vivitar 90mm macro lens
was clinging and backlit with a ring flash when I was a teenager. Later, when I was and I kept it permanently on the camera. I
Lens Olympus 80mm Macro doing my PhD, I was quite passionate realized that what I saw through the lens,
about photography, but not in any kind that crop, was what I saw with my mind’s
Exposure 1/125 sec, f16, Kodachrome 64 film
of aspirational sense. I wanted to use it eye and was the way I looked at the world.

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04
Were you inspired by well. It was also great training because, on What cameras do you use now?
any other photographers? transparency film, it’s very important to I use EOS 5D Mark IIs but I’ll be updating
Initially it was nature itself that took get the exposure spot-on and make sure fairly soon. I’ve stuck with them for a long
my eye, but once I tried to improve what the lighting is right. time because I’ve been doing a lot of
I was doing, I started to look at microscopy and I haven’t needed any
photography books. I remember getting Was it easy to change to digital? other fancy features. It does what I want it
Ernst Haas’s book The Creation quite early Yes, luckily I timed the transition perfectly. to do, but the drawback is that it’s not
on, and I found that very inspirational. My first professional kit was an Olympus good at high ISO. For my pictures, I can’t
Some of the pictures were very abstract OM-4, which I chose because the OM go over ISO400 and ideally not above 200.
and I loved that. I was also inspired by system had spectacular macro lenses. That’s why I want to update, because the
Frans Lanting. He was certainly one of the Around 2002 I started using a Canon newer models have gone on leaps and
pioneers for combining graphic design EOS-1V, but I kept watching the increasing bounds with high ISO quality.
and colour, and keeping things simple. quality of digital and reading camera
reviews. Then, in 2003, I sold all my
What film did you use? Olympus gear and bought a Canon “As a child I made
I photographed exclusively on EOS-1Ds. It was the best decision I ever
Kodachrome film. For me it was pure made. I couldn’t tell the difference a huge collection of
economy, it was the cheapest way to between hi-res scans of Kodachrome and skulls that I found on
do lots of pictures without having any the Raw digital files, so I wasn’t losing
development costs. And it worked very anything and I was gaining a lot. the beach.”
05
05 THRIPS
Taken at 100x magnification, these tiny
insects, known as thunderflies or storm
bugs, appear in large numbers in August
Lens Olympus Microscope
Exposure 4 secs, ISO50
06 GREEN LACEWING
This lacewing was resting among some
young maple leaves in Calne, Wiltshire
Lens Canon MP-E 65mm f2.8 1-5x Macro Photo
Exposure 1/125 sec, f2.8, ISO100
07 ZEBRA JUMPING SPIDER

This small spider kept still long enough
for a focus stack sequence of 80 images
Lens Zeiss Luminar 65mm Microscope Objective
Exposure Multiple exposures at ISO50 06
Which lenses are in your kit bag? What do you use for your I’m working with are very skittish. It’s hard
I have every single macro lens that ‘super macro’ work? enough getting an animal that allows you
Canon produces, including the MP-E For that I use the old Canon 35mm and to get close to it, without trying to set up a
65mm f2.8 Macro. That’s a really 20mm lenses. They look like microscope tripod. Now that I’m older and more shaky,
special lens and goes up to five times lenses and have a microscope screw I find a monopod works very well. That
life-size. It’s very difficult to use thread, and they’re designed to magnify third leg is really helpful. At least it
because you’re so close to the subject, up to 20 times life size. I put them on removes that up/down motion, so I can
but when you’ve got high magnification extension rings or bellows. sway in and out to find the plane of focus.
work to do, it’s brilliant.
I also like using the 180mm macro Do you use a tripod for your standard Your pictures often have a very shallow
for extra distance. My longest lens is macro work? depth of field…
the Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II I do occasionally, but on the whole I prefer Yes, I’ve always like shooting with the
USM. It’s a lovely lens and, at my age, to handhold the camera as it gives me aperture wide open. This partly comes
the Image Stabilizer makes such a much more freedom to move around. I from working with Kodachrome, which
difference. don’t like plonking animals in the places I was ISO64, so you had to shoot wide open
want them to be, I like working with them to get a faster shutter speed. So for a lot of
in their environment. Most of the subjects the stuff I do, the biggest problem is

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STORY BEHIND THE SHOT
WHO EATS
WHO?
David Maitland reveals the
story behind his frog vs
snake prize-winning shot
“This shot was taken in the forests of
Belize, Central America,” says Maitland.
“The snake is trying to swallow the frog
head first, but the frog has opened its
mouth at the moment the snake struck,
so it’s a stalemate. I saw them in a bush
about waist height. To get down to the
right angle I had to bend my knees,
and I held that stance for three hours,
before we called it a day. All the time
we watched, there was no change in the
situation. I went back the next morning
but they had gone. Above is the original
vertical picture, with the snake hanging
down, but I also flipped it 90 degrees
and cropped to make it a horizontal
07 picture that was easier on the eye.”
getting the plane of focus just right. I look stay still for long enough to do the especially bad if I do stop down. This
at the subject and decide which bit of it stacking. There’s a tendency for is even worse when doing microscopy. I’ve
I want in focus, then I go to great lengths to photographers who do these images to spent upwards of three days solid cleaning
make sure that happens. I like trying to put animals in the fridge and kill them first, some images. Other than that, I don’t
find subjects where the out-of-focus bits and I don’t like that. fiddle with pictures because I like it to be
are as important as the in-focus bits. real. A lot of the images I take now are
Do you spend much science-based, and I want the science to
Do you ever use focus stacking? time in post-processing? remain valid.
I don’t have many shots using that process Again, because of my training with
because it’s tricky to get a subject that will Kodachrome, I do everything in-camera. Do you need a huge amount of patience
I do sometimes crop in Photoshop, for your work?
“Some people put because sometimes I just can’t frame
a subject in the way I would like. For
Everybody that sees me working says
I have a huge amount of patience, but
animals in the fridge and instance, there may be a leaf in the way I wouldn’t sit in a hide with a long lens
and I can’t disturb it or I might lose the all day. So it’s not really patience; I want to
kill them first, and I don’t picture. The main thing I have to do is do what I do and I’m going to persevere
like that” remove all the dust spots, which are at it until I get the image I want. I think

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08 STARRY NIGHT
Shot using Differential Interference
Contrast microscopy at 40x magnification,
the star-like siliceous spines, covering the
leaf surface of Deutzia scabra, protect the
plant against herbivores
Exposure 0.8 sec, ISO50
09 FISH LOUSE
Taken at 40x magnification, this tiny
crustacean lives on a fish’s surface scales
and feeds by sucking the fish’s blood
Exposure 0.8 sec, ISO50
10 PASSION VINE AND BUTTERFLY EGG

The Costa Rican Passion Flower Butterfly
lays eggs at the tips of the coiling tendrils
of the vine as a defence against ants
08
Lens Olympus 80mm Macro
Exposure 1/125 sec, f16, Kodachrome 64 film
nothing of spending four hours in one spot

on my knees, trying to take a picture. I’ve
been so long in one place, lying on
my belly, that once someone came
running up to me in a field because they
thought I had collapsed.
How do you choose what subjects to

photograph?
Most of my work is done serendipitously.
I like going to a location, finding things and
then working around that. I have
sometimes gone to locations with the aim
of photographing a specific subject, but in
my experience it’s quite stressful because
you might not find the thing you want, or it
might not be doing what you want to
photograph. From a purely financial point
of view, if you’re paying to go somewhere
you can’t take that risk. You have to keep a
much more flexible approach to what 09
you’re going to photograph.
Do you seek out quirky subjects? everything I take, because if there isn’t one Which of your awards has been the
No, I like design and I like colour, and I’m I don’t take it. So I’m looking for an most important to you?
drawn to take a photograph almost interesting story that also has a visually The biggest international prize was the
subconsciously by a combination of arresting composition or pattern. European Wildlife Photographer of the
shapes, colours and patterns. There’s also Year award in 2008, which I won for
an interesting story behind pretty much Are you consciously aware photojournalistic images of the illegal
of composing your pictures? bush-meat trade in the Gabon, Central
In terms of composition I just throw the West Africa. It was a hostile, dangerous
”I like design, rule book out, because I know when
something works for me. Designing a
environment to take photographs because
it’s illegal, and the whole situation was
and I’m drawn to take a picture on the thirds is right, and that’s quite horrific and shocking. I’ll never forget
why it is a rule, but it doesn’t mean you it. These awards are really fantastic
photo by a combination have to stick to it. So I simply place things because they increase your profile, but
of shapes, colours within the frame according to whether it that particular story I knew was bigger
feels right to me. than me, and important from a human and
and patterns” environmental point of view.

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PROFILE
DR DAVID
MAITLAND
Macro Nature
Photographer
After an Honours degree in Zoology
at St. Andrews University, Scotland,
Maitland followed up with a PhD in
Zoology at the University of New
South Wales, Australia, then took up
a lectureship in South Africa.
He became a full-time
photographer in 2006 and has
won numerous awards, including
European Wildlife POTY in 2008 and
prizes in the Veolia Wildlife POTY
and International Garden POTY
competitions.
He has worked in Australia, Central
America, West Africa and Borneo,
as well in the UK. His commissions
include being a specialist and macro
photographer on the BBC2 series
Wonders of Life in 2013.
10
What projects have you got coming up ability to tell stories, often conservation- need that background of an interest in the
in the pipeline? related, in a documentary and journalistic natural world. In terms of practicalities,
I do a few commissioned jobs a year style. I’m different because I tend to take if someone is just starting out, I’d suggest
and I’ve just done one for a malting images that have a story in them, so I can that they work off the cuff and shoot a
company, shooting super-macro images get away with doing single images. range of subjects. However, eventually
of their malting process for their annual But most of my colleagues who are you’re going to have to specialize. You
report. I’m also working on a television earning a living from nature photography need to become good at doing something
series for the BBC at the moment, which are telling stories. that nobody else can do. Clients want
we’re hoping will be shown during the next specific things, and that’s where you
year or so. Do you have any advice you can share need to get if you want to be a jobbing
with the next generation of aspiring professional photographer.
What skills do you think that nature photographers?
nature photographers need? You have to be really well informed about To see more of David Maitland’s work,
It can be having an eye for a picture your subject. Everyone I know in the or take part in one of his macro
and a particular way of doing things, but business is extremely knowledgeable photography workshops,
invariably today it’s more about having the about what they’re photographing, so you see www.davidmaitland.com

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We introduce our pupil to a unique macro style with a

field studio setup at Hengistbury Head nature reserve

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FACTFILE
The fine details of this shoot
WHAT IS THE ‘MEET YOUR
NEIGHBOURS’ PROJECT?
Meet Your Neighbours is a
worldwide photographic initiative
that was created by photographers
Niall Benvie and Clay Bolt in 2009.
The project aims to reconnect
people with the wildlife on their
own doorsteps. Each subject is
photographed on location in a field
studio, with a brilliantly lit white
background to remove the context.
“‘Meet Your Neighbours’ is an
ongoing project that involves
documenting species diversity
within a particular area. My study is
THE PRO mainly based within my garden,"
says Tim. Find out more at
APPRENTICE NAME:
www.meetyourneighbours.net
NAME: TIM HUNT WHERE WERE WE SHOOTING?

Our shoot took place at
VANESSA LINDA CAMERA: Hengistbury Head, a headland and
area of nature reserve jutting into
CAMERA: CANON EOS 5DS R the English Channel between
CANON EOS 5D MK III With a passion for documenting the natural
Bournemouth and Mudeford in
the English county of Dorset. It’s
world, Tim has won a number of awards,
a fascinating outdoor spot (with
Vanessa is semi-retired and an active Canon including the British Wildlife Photography
plenty of habitats for finding
shooter from Dorset, England, with a passion Awards and GDT European Wildlife
different species to photograph)
for photography – landscape and nature in Photographer of the Year. With the aid of his
and is a site of international
particular. Vanessa tries to shoot fully field studio and trusty Canon, Tim’s latest
importance in terms of its
manually, but sometimes goes back to auto ‘Meet Your Neighbours’ project is a diverse
archaeology, geology and biology.
when she needs to snap something quickly selection of images portraying the hidden
After exploring the area, the visitor
before the subject has moved! She was keen creatures that are often overlooked in UK
centre and cafe proved the perfect
to thrive and learn more macro tuition tips gardens.
spot for reviewing some shots...
from our pro. www.timhuntphotography.co.uk

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EXPERT INSIGHT
FIELD STUDIO SETUP
Tim showed Vanessa how to get set up. “As it was
windy, we positioned ourselves behind a hedgerow for
shelter.” He attached a sheet of glass to a suction cup,
then positioned a white sheet underneath. “It’s good to
have separation between the white backdrop and the
glass, as this gives greater clarity and contrast,” Tim
explains. “You need to avoid the white background
being too close to the subject, otherwise the light wraps
around the edges of your subject and this reduces edge
contrast.” One Elinchrom Quadra flash head was aimed
down at the white backdrop, and the second head had
an octobox, angled towards the glass and the insects.
TOP GEAR #1
TECHNIQUE Acrylic sheets
One transparent and one white
ASSESSMENT sheet are required for this instantly
recognizable image style. “You
Tim helped Vanessa to set up her Canon for
could also use perspex or a white
some intimate close-ups of the local wildlife cloth to get that nice separation
between the subject and the
CAMERA SETTINGS
backdrop," Tim says. It’s best to
“We needed to use manual
choose a material that won’t flap
exposure mode, otherwise
around in the wind.
the camera’s meter would
try to underexpose the white
background as grey, and
also as we’re using lights,"
BIG BLOWOUT
PRO TIP
Tim explains. “I got Vanessa to set a shutter speed of

1/200 sec, the optimum for syncing with the flash units.
The aperture was f11 – the sweet spot for sharpness with
Tim got Vanessa to turn off auto brightness on the camera’s
our Canon 100mm macro lens. We started with the ISO
LCD screen, to make it easier to judge exposures across the
at 200, but you could up the value if you needed to save
images. “It’s also a good idea to enable Highlight Alert from the
flash power," Tim adds.
menu,” he says. “Unusually, we actually wanted the white
background to be overexposed. During playback mode, any
MASTERING MACRO overexposed areas will blink between black and white. The
“We used the lens’s autofocus here, and kept the image whole background should be blown around the subject,
stabilization feature on," Tim reveals. “On Vanessa’s although avoid ‘ghosting’ around the subject if possible.”
camera, I made sure the centre focal point was activated
– this is generally the most reliable and the most
accurate point, compared to those on the perimeter of
the viewfinder.”
PICTURE MODE
“As Vanessa would do less
editing of the final shots
than I would, I got her to
set her Canon’s Picture
Style to Landscape," Tim
says. This meant her Raw
images would look less
flat straight out of
the camera.

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HOT
SHOT
#1
VANESSA’S COMMENT
“Tim’s lighting
setup really did
this devil’s coach-
horse beetle
justice. Although black, the
detail was spectacular,
particularly towards the
end of his thin legs and his
feelers. I was instructed to
lean right over the setup,
aiming directly on top of
and close to the beetle. It
was quite awkward holding
the camera and leaning
over, but it produced a
pleasing result.”
Lens Canon EF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM

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HOT
SHOT
#2

TOP GEAR #2 VANESSA’S COMMENT

“This millipede’s minuscule
Portable pro lights legs are simply incredible and
Tim uses two Quadra Elinchrom lights, with one attached to
an octobox. He powers each light with a compact and I love the way it curls its body
portable battery flash system (each providing around around in a spiral.
350 shots on full power per battery charge), and controls
the power output of each with a transmitter on the I found this one of the easier insects to
camera’s hotshoe. photograph, as it was more docile
compared to the other, speedier, ones.
Tim got me to focus along its back
using autofocus for a sharp photo. I
also had to make sure I was shooting
completely top-down. With these
techniques, and shooting at an
aperture of f11 aperture, this has made
sure its all in focus. “

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TOP TEN CONSISTENT

RESULTS TIPS TOP GEAR #3
Clamps and supports
1 HUNT AROUND...
...for a nice specimen. Macro obviously enlarges
every detail of the subject, so try to find the most
Stands, clamps and supports
help Tim to create his field
aesthetically pleasing insect or plant you can. setup. A bendy clamp holds
subjects, such as flowers and
2 COMPOSITION TOOLS
Think about the direction your subject is travelling in
through the frame, or whether you can use stems and
stems, in place when shot in
an upright position.
A suction cup is also ideal
blades of grass as leading lines. for supporting the sheet
of glass that the insects are
3 CONSISTENT LIGHTING
If you want to create composites of several subjects
at the editing stage (see page 18) make sure your
laid on top of.
lighting of each subject is as similar as possible. PRO TIP

4 FIRE OFF QUICKLY
Don’t be too picky about the framing – you can
always crop out white space later on.
CHECK TEST SHOTS
It can be hard to judge the exposure of test
5 CHECK SCREEN BRIGHTNESS

Turn off auto screen brightness, otherwise your
results might become misleadingly bright or dark.
shots on the back of the camera’s LCD
screen, particularly if you’re shooting
outside in bright daylight. Getting the
exposure spot-on is important for this
6 GET EVEN
Shoot subjects at eye level or straight on. This
ensures you get more of the subject in focus.
genre, so while they were still tweaking the light power,
TIM got Vanessa to play back her initial images with the
histogram displayed on-screen. Attaching a sun shield hood to
the LCD screen can also help when you’re reviewing your
7 SET LIGHTS SEPARATELY
Whether you’re using flash or continuous units, set
the power of both lights up separately first.
photos outside.
8 SAFE SPECIES
Make sure you have permission to handle subjects.
Some are protected or (more rarely) dangerous.
9 CONTENT CRAWLIES
Handle subjects with care and respect. You’ll find that
calm subjects are a lot easier to photograph.
10 SHUN THE SUN

Avoid shooting in the direct sun. Harsh light
can sometimes overpower the flash.
EXPERT INSIGHT
LET THERE BE LIGHT
Once the kit was in place, Tim showed Vanessa how to use the
flash lighting units.“With a dense blackberry placed on the
glass to take a test shot, we set up the backlight separately first
directed at the white sheet and aiming for a blown-out
background with the subject as a pure silhouette,” Tim
explains. “Next, the side light with the Rotalux softbox was
added in, to light up the subject and fill any shadows. We
changed the flash power with a transmitter on top of the
hotshoe. Take test shots and keep tweaking each flash as you
go. Always get your setup and lighting perfect before
introducing fast-moving insects,” Tim says.
BACKLIGHT SIDE LIGHT BOTH LIGHTS

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HOT Exposure 1/200 sec, f11, ISO200
SHOT
#3
VANESSA’S COMMENT
“For this shot of a cricket, TOP GEAR #3
we changed the set and Macro lens
placed him on a blade “I use the Canon EF
100mm f2.8L Macro IS
of grass, directly in front USM, which is also the
of me, moving the backdrop lens that Vanessa brought
along with her,” says Tim.
behind him. I knelt down at his level It has a true macro
and focused on his eyes for the magnification ratio of 1:1,
best composition. I watched in awe meaning that the subjects
our pair were capturing
as he jumped around with such would be the same size on
power, using spindly rear legs, that the camera sensor as they
were in real life!
it made him hard to catch!”
PRO TIP
POWER UP EXPERT INSIGHT

“It’s impossible to
predict the
LIVE SUBJECTS
required power Tim had brought a number of subjects with him to the
settings of the shoot, including a millipede, a newt and a spider. This was
flash, as these so that Vanessa could learn to photograph and work with
will vary under specimens in all shapes and sizes. Tim usually spends time
different in an area to find wild, local subjects, but adds that you
conditions,” Tim can’t guarantee you’ll always find something. Working with
says. “As always, live critters can be unpredictable, and you should always
enough practice handle your subjects with care. Keep them in small
with your kit will make the process intuitive. containers until you’re ready, then release them on the
You get used to your own kit the more you glass when your finger is poised, ready to fire the shutter.
use it. Different units record light Speed is a more important element when you’re dealing
power differently.” with animals that can scuttle away quickly.

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HOT TIM’S WILD

PORTFOLIO
SHOT Our tutor shares his favourite
images of the natural world
#4
SNOWY EGRETS
These two took to the sky after a
squabble. I wanted to capture the
whites of their feathers against
an overcast sky, so I had to
overexpose by nearly three stops.
JUMPING SPIDER
Whilst editing on my computer, I
saw this tiny jumping spider out of
the corner of my eye. I wanted to
reveal its size, so I included a pencil
that was on my desk.
VANESSA’S COMMENT
“This little raft spider didn’t
half move quickly, which made
it incredibly difficult to get a
shot in focus without motion
blur. Once again, I was advised to lean
right into the shot in order to try to
capture a good composition showing all
eight legs. I took a great many photos of BARRED OWL CHICK
him scurrying off out of the frame. I heard strange sounds coming
Finally, he stayed still for a few seconds, from a crack in a large tree trunk,
so I grabbed the opportunity, quickly and after an hour of waiting, this
chick appeared. I used a 500mm
fired the shutter several times.” lens, so that I didn’t disturb it.

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EXPERT INSIGHT HOT

POLISHING
YOUR
SHOT
PHOTOS #5
TIM needs each image to be
edited consistently before
he can make a convincing
composite of all the species.
“Firstly, I make several
adjustments to the Levels and
VANESSA’S
Curves, making sure that the
whites are white and the
COMMENT
blacks are black,” he says. “I was glad to
“I find that Capture One and
Lightroom will try to protect
photograph something
the highlights, so sometimes that didn’t
the white background is not
255 (pure white) once the
scurry off! Yet, I also
images have been imported) found it challenging, as this
– this can easily be corrected flower blew around in the wind.
with the highlight slider in
levels. I finally apply lens To help secure it, a clamp was
correction and a small boost to used. Moving back a little meant
saturation, before exporting to
I could focus towards the centre
of the delicate bloom, capturing
a good depth of field to include Lens Canon EF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM
the entire plant.” Exposure 1/200 sec, f11, ISO200
Photoshop as a TIFF file.

PRO TIP
From here, I duplicate the

image and underexpose it,
PULL BACK
using a Curves adjustment and “WITH subjects that are less
dragging the blacks slider to flat, it’s best to shoot them
the far-right. This will reveal from further away and then
any dirt and will also show up crop in to the frame later.
areas of the image that are not Otherwise, you run the risk of
255 white. After that, the only getting part of the
images are ready to be subject in sharp focus.”
comped or saved for later!”
TOP GEAR #4
Reflector
“THE reflector I use has several
coverings. The silver side works best,
as white usually isn’t bright enough,”
Tim says. “I attach it to a boom arm
and then swivel it around. Larger
reflectors catch in the wind but also
protect subjects from the breeze.”

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HOT
SHOT
#6
VANESSA’S COMMENT
“To bring some colour as an
added interest, we picked a
nearby rose hip and placed the
cricket on to the fruit. I like the
contrast between his brown body and the
vibrant red rose hip and green foliage. I
was amazed by the length of his feelers.
They were so dainty and fine in contrast to
his hardened body. “


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VANESSA’S
COMMENT
“Here’s a selection
of some of nature’s
wonders that I was
blessed to photograph,
combined into one image in
Photoshop. The intricate detail on
each of them is truly beautiful. This
fantastic opportunity made me
stop to look at these little
creatures through different eyes. A
huge thank you to Tim, who shared
an abundance of his photographic
knowledge and instruction, helping
me to achieve photos to be proud
of. Also, many thanks to PhotoPlus
magazine and the team, who gave
me this incredible opportunity.
I had a simply amazing day!”
TIM’S VERDICT
“Vanessa was a fantastic
Apprentice and
approached the setup
with a professional
manner. Making sure to shoot
square-on and waiting for the
subject to pose aesthetically were
a couple of the challenges.
Vanessa took note of every tip and
improved quickly over the course
of the shoot. Insects and other
small creatures are always on the
move (which many people find
frustrating) but Vanessa was very
calm and enthusiastic – as a result
of this, she came away with some
great images!”

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Right
Twin butterflies
I used a very shallow depth of field with
an f5 aperture to have a background as
blurry as possible. Careful focusing of
the wings’ plane was applied
All images © Alessandro Zocchi

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Alessandro Zocchi
discusses his love of
getting closer to nature
or some, the appeal of macro first thing I did was to insert a cardboard
photography lies in mastering the tube between the body and a 50mm lens.
considerable technical challenges involved That’s how I took my first macro shot, and I never
in capturing incredible close-up images, stopped. I think photography is magic for many
while for others their inspiration is the subject people. Apart from pictures taken to remember
matter itself and the desire to get closer to it. people and places we’ve been, to me macro
Photographer Alessandro Zocchi is definitely an photography was a means to better study the
example of the latter. “When I was a child I was small creatures I could find around. It revealed
very attracted to nature,” he recalls. “I loved to so many details and could make even the ugliest
go to parks and observe in detail the plants and insect an interesting subject.”
animals. One day my father gave me a book. It Indeed, everything about macro photography
was the only available book in macro photography. felt right for Zocchi. “I just always had this passion
We had a reflex camera in the family and the for observing in detail what surrounds me. Macro

BE INSPIRED
photography was a natural development,” he techniques with original ideas I have in mind.” Zocchi’s
explains. “Also, the fact that every time I go
out on a macro shoot I come back home with
In terms of specific field techniques, Zocchi
has this to say: “I definitely use all field Favourite
something interesting is incredibly satisfying.
It never disappoints me and the possibility to
techniques I know, but one that I particularly
like is just shooting in available light with a Photo
just go to a public park or even a small garden
to take beautiful pictures fascinates me.”
long macro lens and a tripod. Natural light is
often the best to me. [During a] day, we can
Great white
Like most photographers who attempt
macro, Zocchi had to first come to terms with
have so many different situations that it is
a pleasure to explore the many possibilities.
butterfly
One of my favourite
the inherent focusing issues involved. “The For example, the light at sunset or sunrise pictures is the one of
first challenge I encountered was getting the is perfect for high-contrast backlit pictures, the flying Great White
right focus. At the beginning, just finding the while on a cloudy day we have a natural butterfly among the
subject through the viewfinder was hard to diffusion panel ready for us to take pictures purple flowers of
perform, and the difficulties due to any kind that accentuate details and colours of flowers’ Dimorphotheca. I have
of vibration were a nightmare. I had to study petals. With the strong light of a bright to say that it was a
and practise a lot before starting to become midday sky, we can dare to create original combination of proper
techniques and luck, as
“The possibility to just go to a public the position of the
butterfly was not
park or even a small garden to take planned of course. I
was just using the
beautiful pictures fascinates me” ‘shooting through’
technique, where a
small subject (the two
confident in what I was doing. It was not only images that have the colours as their main, distant flowers) is in
a matter of mastering the equipment but impressive subjects. Quite often I also like to focus and is visible
making decisions about the compositional take pictures handheld and with a wide-open through an out-of-focus
aspects of the picture. When I teach in my aperture. This allows me to have very fast foreground. I was
courses and workshops I constantly see exposure times in most situations, and any actually photographing
the same problems in beginners, but I still vibration as well as subject movements are just the flowers when
remember my own troubles and am ready to frozen. However, very careful attention must the butterfly came
give proper advice.” be paid to choose and focus on a specific, jumping from one flower
Zocchi doesn’t consider that he has a important detail of the scene, as that will be to another in a total
particular trademark or signature style, the only sharp part. All the rest will be so frenzy. I started to
instead preferring to be flexible and change blurred that it will become a compositional shoot in continuous
his approach according to what suits the element as important as the sharp one.” high speed hoping the
subject. “I don’t think I have a special style. Zocchi’s kit bag features both full-frame butterfly would have
I like to adapt to the different situations I and crop-sensor bodies. “I often like to have positioned itself in a
encounter and practise old as well as more with me a full frame and an APS-C camera good place, and this
recent techniques. Experimenting is my (Nikon), a carbon fibre tripod with ball head was the result.
favourite approach though and I like to mix (Manfrotto), Micro-NIKKOR 200mm f4 IF-ED,
Far-right
Honeybee
I applied f8 with this
honeybee that was
resting on some
blue flowers
Middle
Swallowtail
I waited for the
butterfly to come to
a group of
flowers I chose
Right
Snail-killing fly
I used a remote
control and mirror
lock up to obtain a
vibration-free
picture

BE INSPIRED

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“It is very common to
think that one needs
special expensive
equipment to get
attractive photos,
but that is not always
the case”
Left Right
Poppy buds Ground snail
Poppies are among At ISO 1250 and f13
my favourite flowers I could have
and the California exposure times of
ones are spectacular around 1/500 sec
Zocchi’s macro tips

The five most important factors
to take into consideration
Master your photo gear Its use must
1 become second nature. Be aware that
you do not need lots of equipment and
accessories to achieve good results. The
important thing is to know how to use
what you have well.
Understand aperture Study the

2 possibilities you can achieve using all
stops of your aperture. Depth of field is
not only a mere ‘wall’ of sharpness, it is
also a powerful compositional tool, and
contrary to what many believe, using wide
Zeiss Makro-Planar 100mm f2, Zeiss Makro- to inform ourselves about the gear and the apertures can help you take fantastic
Planar 50mm f2, infrared remote control techniques one can use. It is very common macro pictures.
and 90cm diffusion and reflection panels. to think that one needs special expensive
Although I regularly use macro lenses from equipment to get attractive photos, but that Concentrate on composition It’s
50 to 200mm of various brands, I tend to
favour two in particular: the Micro-NIKKOR
is not always the case. Very beautiful pictures
can be taken with cheap gear and simple
3 the number one characteristic to take
excellent photos. Be prepared to not take
200mm and the Zeiss Makro-Planar 100mm. techniques. The important thing to know is a picture if you think the situation isn’t
The first one for the possibility that it gives to how to approach the subject, favourable. Being able to judge when it’s
be far from the subject, for its narrow field of decide the composition and apply an not a good moment to shoot will make
view and its spectacular sharpness at medium according technique.” you a better photographer.
and closed apertures. The second one for its Going forward, Zocchi is going to be finding
general rendition of the image but especially ways to combine his work as a neuroscientist Work without a specific plan Be
for its stellar sharpness when wide open at
f2. I love to use it at f2 to create soft images
with his love of photography. “Recently, I have
been also involved in a research study where
4 alert at whatever you encounter and
focus on taking original pictures. Practice
with a beautiful bokeh and only one or very nature macro photography was taught to a will make you see the environment with
few small details in extreme sharpness. I wish group of elder people as occupational therapy, the ‘eye’ of the lenses you have and help
to see a Zeiss 200mm macro lens available with great results. As I am a neuroscientist you find the best scenes to photograph.
one day. The remote control is very important specialised in trying to better understand
to me, as it allows me to avoid vibrations how our brain works and help people improve Edit for success Learn how to edit
induced by touching the camera and to shoot
far from the camera, to hold a reflecting panel
their learning abilities, I think that learning
photography can be a very interesting activity
5 your pictures with a photo-editing
software. Knowing what you can and
or to bend a disturbing twig.” for our brain as it stimulates many different can’t do in post-production will help you
For those wishing to follow him into the cognitive functions.” to better evaluate how to go about taking
world of macro photography, Zocchi has this For more information, visit Zocchi’s website pictures in the field.
advice to offer: “I think the first thing to do is at naturemacrophotography.com

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APPRENTICE
NAME:
SIMON BUNKER
CAMERA:
CANON EOS 7D MK II
FROM Milton Keynes, Simon’s a 48-year-old
maintenance engineer. He’s been a keen
amateur photographer since his late teens,
when he had a Minolta 35mm film camera.
More recently he bought a 600D, then a 7D
Mk II, to photograph butterflies, crickets and
grasshoppers, and he hasn’t looked back. He
asked for our help to take his macro
photography to the next level.

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THE PRO
NAME:
ALEX HYDE
CAMERA:
CANON EOS 5D MK III
BASED in the Peak District, 33-year-old Alex is
a freelance natural history photographer.
He’s had an interest in wildlife photography
from an early age, getting his first Pentax SLR
when he was 12. He went digital with an EOS
20D in 2005, and now uses an EOS 5D Mark
III. He’s amassed an extensive archive of
invertebrate images from all over the world. To
see his portfolio, and for workshop info, go to
www.alexhyde.co.uk
Our Apprentice learns the art of taking larger-than-life shots

of creepy-crawlies using a macro lens and off-camera flash
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TECHNIQUE
ASSESSMENT
Alex helped PhotoPlus Apprentice Simon get
his camera and flash set up for macro shots
TOP GEAR #1
Macro lenses
“I carry two main macro lenses, the
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS
USM and Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8
1-5x Macro Photo. I generally use
the 100mm, but the MP-E is
incredible, as it captures close-ups
up to 5x life size. I often use it
MANUAL SHOOTING MODE handheld and to focus just move
“Simon was used to shooting outdoors, so usually works in Av very slowly forwards or backwards
mode with natural light. Here we were working indoors with flash until the insect’s sharp,” says Alex.
as our light source, so needed to lock down our aperture, shutter
speed and ISO independently,” advises Alex. “I got him to switch
to Manual mode and helped him set his exposure; we started at
PRO TIP
f/16 for good depth of field when using a macro lens, 1/160 sec
and ISO100. We then adjusted our flash power (see below).” LEARN ABOUT LIGHT
“To start off, we photographed an ammonite fossil, as its shape
is perfect for learning how to use off-camera flash and how
shadows can change the look of the shot to create a real three-
dimensional image,” explains Alex. “We played with flash
direction, adding a softbox, and also introducing a reflector on
the opposite side to fill in shadows. I usually stick with one
flashgun, and I like to use simple lighting setups that I can rely
on, whether I’m indoors or in the jungles of Borneo.”
MANUAL FLASH SET UP Flash straight-on Flash side-on

“I nearly always use off-camera flash to ensure the invertebrates
are shown clearly and brightly in my macro shots. However,
using Canon’s auto E-TTL setting often results in exposure errors
when trying more creative lighting setups, such as backlighting
a subject. I suggested we to go straight to Manual flash mode,
meaning we can light our little subjects how we want, rather than
how our flash thinks we want to light it,” smiles Alex. “I often start
at 1/4 power with the flash and alter it as necessary.”
Flash side-on with softbox Flash side-on, softbox and reflector

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HOT
SHOT
#1
SIMON’S COMMENT
“For our first Hot Shot
we used a dead teasel
seed head that didn’t
move, which, as Alex
pointed out, meant it’s easier to
photograph than some of the
invertebrates, but still
wonderfully attractive, with
great textures. We experimented
with flash power, but stuck to
1/8 power, instead moving the
flashgun further away to reduce
the light. We found it best to
backlight the head, then use a
small reflector to bounce light
back into the front. We shot at
f/16 for good optical quality;
while my Sigma 105mm macro
lens goes up to f/22 at
its narrowest aperture,
Lens Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro EX DG OS HSM diffraction means that edge
Exposure 1/160 sec, f/16, ISO100 sharpness will begin to suffer.“

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SIMON’S COMMENT
“Although incredibly
well camouflaged
against the underside
of a log, focusing in
EXPERT INSIGHT close with my Sigma 105mm
macro lens and firing my
LIVE VIEW flashgun with softbox from the
Alex suggests using Live View when shooting close-ups. “It’s
much easier than peering through the viewfinder for focusing
side has helped reveal an
and composing, but switch Exposure Simulation off in the amazing amount of detail in this
Live View menu as it displays your shot with available ambient Tanzanian giant tailless whip
light – so when you’re using flash it will show a black screen!
Also, the on-screen image shows the shot at the lens’s widest
scorpion (as Alex called it),
aperture, even if using f/16, but by holding down the Depth of especially considering it has a
Field Preview button (on the front of your camera) once
focused, you can see the shot at your chosen aperture, and
body about the size of
double-check your focusing is good and your subject is sharp. a 50 pence piece. Close-up
Take a test shot with flash then use the histogram to fine-tune really reveals its terrifying spines
the exposure.”
and features, from its armour to
its eyes and barbed arms –
making it look like something
out of sci-fi horror movie!”
Lens Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro EX DG OS HSM

Exposure 1/160 sec, f/16, ISO100
PRO TIP
USE MOBILE PHONE LIGHT

“Before setting up your
TOP GEAR #2 flash, using a torch – or
light on a smartphone
Off-camera flash and softbox – can reveal how a
“I never use my flashgun on top of the camera, as subject will look with a
the direct light is so flat and unimaginative. direct light source
Instead, I position it off-camera to create a nice falling on it. By moving
side light or even backlight,” says Alex. “I also use it around, you can see
a small Lastolite Micro Apollo softbox, but bear in which angle is best to
mind that flash power is reduced when using a show the shape of the
diffuser, so you’ll need to bump up the power subject,” suggests Alex.
to compensate when in Manual flash mode.”

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HOT
SHOT
#2
TOP GEAR #3
Hear mat & water spray
“Warm and humid is how many
tropical insects like it, so I try
and recreate their natural habitat
and conditions indoors. I use an
electric heat mat that’s essential
for most of my invertebrates, as
in extreme cold they could die if
not treated properly. I also use a water spray to maintain the
humidity they’re accustomed to, though each species has its own
specific requirements,” says Alex.

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TEN TIPS FOR BETTER

CLOSE-UPS OF INSECTS
1 KNOW AND RESPECT YOUR NATURE
The welfare of your subject always comes first, and
a soft paintbrush is often the best way of moving
insects as they can be very delicate. Different
species also require different conditions, such as
light, temperature and humidity.
2 SEARCHING FOR INVERTEBRATES

Compost heaps and log piles are good places to find
invertebrates. Even indoors there’s plenty to see; in
autumn, house spiders come looking for mates, so
super photographic opportunities await!
3 CONNECT WITH YOUR SUBJECT

For intimate insect portraits, get right down to eye
level. This often means getting down on the ground,
so there won’t be room for a tripod.
4 KEY CAMERA SETTINGS

Macro lenses allow you to get very close to your
subject. However, as camera-to-subject distance
decreases, so too does depth of field. When lighting
the subject entirely with flash, use Manual mode,
TOP GEAR #4
with f/16 aperture to get plenty of your subject in Sturdy tripod
focus, a shutter speed of 1/160 sec and ISO100. “A good tripod is imperative
for long shutter speeds using
5 MACRO LENS BENEFITS OVER TELEPHOTO
ZOOMS
A macro lens gives far more magnification than a
ambient light, but is also ideal
for accurate composition, so
you can fine-tune focusing,”
telephoto zoom lens. The working distance will also says Alex. “I use a ten-year-old
be less, allowing you to work close to your subject. Gitzo carbon fibre tripod that
is fairly light but still sturdy.
6 FLASH SETUP TIPS
If the image is too bright in Manual flash mode, turn
the power down or move the flash further away. If
Crucially it doesn’t have a
centre column, so doesn’t
restrict how low I can get to
using a diffuser, set the flash zoom to a wide angle the ground for close-ups of
setting to avoid a hotspot in the centre. small things. Even when
working indoors with flash
7 OFF-CAMERA FLASH
An off-camera flash cord or radio trigger will
transform your flash photography. Placing the flash
that will freeze movement, a
tripod will help you tweak your
compositions till they are just
to one side of the subject creates shadow and, with as you want them. Often we
it, texture. Hairy or translucent subjects look great don’t have enough hands to
with a flash behind them to create backlighting. hold the camera, flash and
reflector anyway!”
8 FREEZING THE ACTIONS
When using flash to light an image, the rapid pulse
of light is usually sufficiently brief to freeze camera
shake or subject movement, so you can handhold it.
PRO TIP
9 FOCUSING MANUALLY
When handholding, set Manual focus and rock
KEEP IT REAL
“I’m a natural historian first –
slowly backwards and forwards until the focus is photographer second – and like to make my
in just the right place. When using a tripod, zoom photos look as natural as possible, so when indoors I use
in to x10 in Live View to check the focus. old logs and branches with moss on them to make a more
realistic-looking environment; they’re also more
10 Tripods
TRIPOD FOR SHARP SHOTS
are great for outdoor macro with natural
light as slow shutter speeds are often needed.
comfortable for insects to grip, stand and crawl on, as well
as making your indoor setups look great,” says Alex. “I keep
these outside so they don’t dry out or gather dust.”

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HOT
SHOT
#3
Lens Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro EX DG OS HSM
SIMON’S COMMENT
“Alex told me this
is a ghost praying
mantis, and it’s
amazing as it looks
exactly like a dead, shrivelled
up leaf. Again we used off-
camera flash, which Alex held
from above at an angle, but
we used an A3 sheet of yellow
card as a background to add
some colour, and to help the
insect stand out! Alex
suggested I shot vertically, so I
focused in close and carefully
on its head for an alien-like
portrait. Shooting at f/11
helped drop the background
out of focus more,
and we dropped the flash
power to compensate for a
good exposure.”

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SIMON’S COMMENT
“We perched this ‘black
HOT
beauty’ stick insect on an SHOT
old log, positioning a
second mossy log behind
to add context and contrasting
#4
colour. I framed to include the whole Lens Sigma 105mm f/2.8 Macro EX DG OS HSM
Exposure
body and antennae in shot, and 1/160 sec, f/16, ISO100
composed from a low viewpoint to

make it look more imposing. I set
f/16 to blur the foreground log and
background moss, keeping the
majority of the insect sharp.”
TOP GEAR #5
Clamp it!
“I always carry a couple of Wimberley ‘Plamps’.
When clamped to a table, the foam-coated jaws
gently secure a plant stem without damaging it.
I also have a Plamp with a spike in one end, for
sticking into the ground to carefully clamp a plant
stem to keep it still during breezy conditions
when out in the field,” says Alex.

BE INSPIRED
EXPERT INSIGHT
BUCKETS
O’ BUGS!
Over the years Alex has built up his own

jungle of invertebrates: “I love travelling
off to far-flung rainforests to find and
photograph nature in its habitat, but
having lots of insects at my fingertips
at home means I can study and
photograph them indoors, so I have a
constant supply of subjects and new
photos for my clients, and for when I
hold photo workshops. But please note
that all my tropical invertebrates
are captive-bred stock from
established breeders in the UK. When
I’m photographing UK species
I generally work with them in the field
where I find them.”
TOP GEAR #6
Home-made silver reflector
“I made this little reflector by cutting up a juice
cartoon that had a silver surface inside, it’s great
for bouncing a little light back up to brighten the
dark side of the shot that’s not lit. It’s also foldable
to tuck into my camera bag!” laughs Alex.

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SIMON’S COMMENT
“It’s amazing to think this
baby praying mantis is
only about 2-3cm tall
from head to tail, but by
using Alex’s unbelievable Canon
MP-E 65mm Macro lens, at 2x
life-size and an aperture of f/9, its
microscopic power has made the
miniature appear massive! To
capture this super close-up, while
Alex directed the flash, I had to
focus manually by moving in and
out carefully, balancing the end of
the lens on my hand, which was
resting on the table top. We
practised focusing on the moss
first, then brought the mantis in
when we were ready. He was a
feisty fella, but after several shots
I managed to get this winner,
showing both its tiny eyes sharp.
When processing in Photoshop I
had to make sure that the colour
temperature wasn’t too warm, and
the tint was more green than
purple for accurate colours.”
ALEX’S VERDICT
Simon was already an experienced amateur and
had a good eye for close-up compositions, and his
knowledge of crickets and grasshoppers was very
impressive, too! He just needed some assistance
using off-camera flash, setting his exposure in Manual
mode, and focusing manually. I’m pleased to see that he has
put all these techniques together for a classic close-up shot
of this juvenile Australian giant rainforest praying mantis’s
head and fantastic eyes. His manual focusing is spot on and,
zooming in to 100% on the computer screen, you can see
the hexagonal details of the compound eyes wonderfully.
What a fabulous Shot of the Day!

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SHOT
OF THE
DAY!
Lens Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro Photo

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FACTFILE
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
David Lund offers unique and
bespoke teaching on a one-to-one
basis or for small groups. He covers
THE PRO
everything from still life to his NAME:
stunning signature liquid imagery.
To find out more, contact david@ DAVID LUND
davidlund.co.uk and go to www. CAMERA:
davidlund.co.uk.
CANON EOS 5D MK III
David’s background is in graphic design and
marketing, but he always knew he could
combine these skills with his passion for
photography to push creative boundaries.
David shoots liquids in motion: drinks, still-life
scenes and aerial views, and is constantly
being inspired to experiment. He’s currently
working on a stunning 4K video commission
for British Steel.

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APPRENTICE
NAME:
HELEN DAVIES
CAMERA:
CANON EOS 77D
Helen is a retired nurse. She bought her own
Canon DSLR last year after borrowing her
husband’s (and him wanting it back). She’s
been using a splash art water photography kit
to get her portfolio started and picked plenty
of tips with the aid of internet searching, but
wanted to work with our pro to see how the
experts do it.
Discover how to freeze close-up shots of water with our pro

David Lund and create artistic masterpieces

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TECHNIQUE
ASSESSMENT
Is our splash-shooter ready to capture time-
defying stills? David sets up with reader Helen
STARTER SETTINGS
Helen was used to shooting in
Manual mode for splash images
at home, but wasn’t familiar with
high-speed flash lighting. At the
start, the pair talked about DSLR
settings. “When working in a
studio, always shoot fully manual," David says. “The point is to be in
full control. The shutter speed doesn’t need to be too high, as the
high-speed flash will freeze movement. In terms of aperture, we
don’t want to go past around f18, as that’s when the lens will start to
lose clarity. We also want the ISO as low as possible.”
LINKED UP
For this genre of photography,
sharpness and detail are both
incredibly important. David
showed Helen how she could
tether her DSLR to a computer, so
that the pair would be able to view
the images full-screen on the
monitor as they were shooting.

HELEN’S COMMENT
Top gear #1
“David showed
me how to set up Broncolor
the lights one at a lighting pack
David uses a Broncolor
time so we could Scoro 3200 S Power Pack,
see the effect that each which provides a maximum
1/10,000 sec flash
individual flash had on the duration and 10 frames per
bubbles. We used blue and second with the power at
full output. The pack also
red filters at the back, and has three individually
green and yellow on each adjustable power outlets,
ON EXPOSURE side. We used David’s which David had attached

to his Broncolor Unilite
“I have a light meter, but don’t use it very often,” David says. “I have a Broncolor flash at 1/10,000 flash heads.
rough idea of the settings I need, already. I tend to take one shot, and sec. Coordinating when to
then another shot, and refine the exposure as I go.” He went through
the different settings available on his Broncolor lighting pack with drop the water to make the
Helen, and explained what shutter speed was best to use. “For the bubbles and release the
purposes of this demonstration, we want the lighting at a setting of
around 1/7,000 sec to 1/10,000 sec. You can change the colour
shutter was the main
temperature of the Broncolor lighting and also add the option of challenge as this involved
shooting a sequence of shots.” great timing and patience.”
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EXPERT INSIGHT
STEPS FOR
SETTING UP
The first thing on a liquid
shoot is to set up the tank or
water container. “You can use
a standard fish tank,
but my tank is made from
Pilkington Optiwhite glass.
This is extra clear, low-iron
glass with a very high light
transmission, which improves
the clarity of the shots.” The
HOT next thing was to set up the

tripod and mount the camera.
SHOT For more accurate autofocus,

David set the tripod and DSLR
face-on to the tank of water.
#1 This avoids the lens hunting or

picking up reflections.
PRO TIP
TIMED TO
PERFECTION
It’s a major challenge to get
the timing of the shutter
right as you drop items into
the water. Too late, and
you’ll miss the bubbles and
splashes in the water. “It’s
a game of practice and trial
and error, especially if
there’s shutter lag," David
says. He taught Helen how
to fire the shutter several
times and become attuned
to how long it took to fire
by listening. When they got
into the right rhythm, they
were able to get a higher hit
rate and capture the most
dynamic splash effects
every time.

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TOP TEN TIPS FOR

HAPPY SPLASHES
1 PRACTICE RUN
On complex commercial shoots, a mini-rehearsal
helps ease the pressure. It will also highlight any
potential challenges before they crop up.
2 MAKE KIT LIST

Studio shoots require extra accessories and bits.
Make a list ahead, so you don’t forget anything.
3 TAKE OFF THE STABILIZERS

When shooting with a tripod, turn off the Image
Stabilization on your lens as it can cause blur.
4 CONTROL THE SPLASH

Try using a syringe to inject water into the tank. This
will create a more even spread of bubbles.
EXPERT INSIGHT
ADDING COLOUR
5 KEEP IT TIDY
Clear the floor of gels and props as you go, or they’ll
be a trip hazard. Clean up spills as you go, too.
For the optimum clarity in coloured water shots,
you want to colour the water with light or gels,
rather than inks or paints. David has Heavy Frost
6 HEAD-ON ANGLE
When shooting through glass, always ensure that
your camera is perfectly parallel to the surface.
Diffusion Lighting Gel Sheets in front of his
coloured gels. This paper can be bought in rolls
and cut to size. It’s ideal for creating an even
spread of ambient colour.
7 SHOOT TETHERED
Link your Canon DSLR to a computer. Review the
exposure and focus on a large screen as you shoot.
PRO TIP
8 KEEP A RECORD
Take photographs of your setup, so you can FOCUSING
recreate the effect. Note camera settings and gel
numbers. ACCURACY
“When you’re photographing liquids, you
9 EXPERT FRAMING
A photo composition needs to lead the eye in, and
have a sense of direction. Also use negative space.
want the focus to be about 20% in from the
front of the tank, as it’s much less
important if the background of the liquid
falls out of focus," David explains. He held
10 AVOID FIZZ
If you’re going to be shooting fizzy liquids like Cola,
leave them out awhile to go flat, otherwise they’ll
objects still in the tank of water, so that
Helen could pre-focus on them with her lens
manually to fix the point of focus.
become frothy (not a good look).
TOP GEAR #2
Pocket wizard
For splash photography,
the right timing is
everything. When David is
shooting on his Canon, he
uses a Pocket Wizard Plus
II to remotely trigger the
lighting as he fires the
shutter. He attached one
trigger to the hotshoe of
Helen’s DSLR, and the
other to the Broncolor
lighting pack.
134
BE INSPIRED
HOT
SHOT
#2
HELEN’S COMMENT
“We used a clear
cylinder with a
rotating blade at
the bottom for this
shot to get the tornado
effect. The tricky part was to
capture the tornado in sharp
focus while it still had a nice
tail, all before it disappeared.
It look a lot of shots to get
this one. We shot it with a
small aperture in order to get
everything in focus. I like the
Lens Canon EF 17-40mm f4L USM effect that the water looks
Exposure 1/125 sec, f22, ISO100 like ice.”

BE INSPIRED
HOT
SHOT
#3
HELEN’S COMMENT
“For this shot we used David’s acrylic ice cubes,
and the same flash gels and setup as Hot Shot #1
with the bubbles. David showed me where to focus
the camera and where the ice cubes would enter
the water. The challenge was to wait until the ice cubes had
just entered the water, just far enough before I pressed the
shutter. I love the colours made the trails behind the ice cubes
make, the image has also been flipped to create a more Lens Canon EF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM
abstract result.” Exposure 1/125 sec, f32, ISO100

HELEN’S COMMENT
“For this shot we used
gallium that melts
at fairly low
temperatures. David’s
5x macro lens had a very narrow
depth of field. David poured the
gallium over the back of a spoon
and told me to use a high speed
burst continuously while the
liquid was pouring over the
spoon. The challenge was to try
and get the drop in sharp focus,
along with composing a
balanced frame. The silvery
HOT colours on the metal look great.”
SHOT
#4
TOP GEAR #3
PRO TIP
LIGHTING
CONTRAST Extreme macro lens
David sometimes uses a
“The key to clarity in water is
Canon 65mm f2.8 macro
contrast of light. When the
lens to focus super-close on
lights are further back, it
liquid subjects. This manual-
creates an even spread of
focus lens requires precision
light, but less depth," David
for pin-sharp images. “It’s a
says. He showed Helen how
beautiful lens, but the narrow
changing the light position
depth of field (even at f16)
affected the textures in the
means it can be limiting.”
water vortex.
TOP GEAR #4
Coloured gels
David uses Lee colour gel
sheets that can be cut to size
for different light sources.
“They’re fireproof, which is
important as they’re close to
hot lights for long periods,”
he says. “Experiment with
different colours, take test
shots and to see how the
addition of different sheets
affects the colour of the
liquid,” advises David.

BE INSPIRED
TOP GEAR #5
HOT Specialist liquids
David experiments with a wide range
SHOT of liquids, including children’s poster

paint. More specialist options include
Ferro Liquid (used to create the shot
#5 above) which is magnetised in the

presence of a magnetic field. Another
is the metal Gallium, which will melt in
a pan of hot water.
HELEN’S COMMENT
“For this shot we used Ferro liquid which is
magnetic, so when David put
an electro magnet underneath it rose up into
these lovely peaks.
We started off with just one light, then David
suggested we introduce a blue gel which gave these
lovely blue colours to the peaks. I tried to focus on the
middle peak which I think I achieved.”

BE INSPIRED
DAVID’S BEST
LIQUID SHOTS
David shares three stunning
examples from his portfolio
HIGH SPEED
PAINT POWDER
I love this image. I started by pouring paints
onto a balloon and popped it using a high-
speed sound trigger. That amazing moment
was captured on camera.
WATERFALLS
RECORD ALBUM
This was for a record label, who wanted a
coloured waterfall shot. I didn’t want to use
inks and paints, as I wanted an image with
Lens Canon MP-E 65mm f2.8 1-5x Macro Photo clarity and structure, so I used coloured gels
to colour the water!
PRO TIP
CHECK
SHARPNESS
Liquid splashes need to be pin-sharp.
When you shoot with the DSLR
tethered to a computer, it’s quick to COKE SPLASH
check the focal point. Here, it was I used a single Speedlite and silver
easy for the pair to review images on reflectors. The ice cubes are acrylic and are
Helen’s Canon 77D, as they could glued together with a glue gun. I attached a
quickly zoom in and out of shots thin acrylic rod from the top to suspend the
using the camera’s touchscreen.
cubes in mid-air.

BE INSPIRED
SHOT
OF THE
DAY!
HELEN’S COMMENT DAVID’S VERDICT

“I love this shot, “Helen had two
and really enjoyed things that are
my time with exciting to see;
David! He was an potential and
excellent teacher and very passion to learn. I am known
patient, and explained so for my passion for shooting
much about setting up the liquids, and Helen absorbed
flashes which is the key to every bit of advice and
great liquid splash photos. I guidance well. She showed a
shall be putting my keen interest to understand
knowledge into practice how to shoot, as opposed to
from now on. For this shot, just going through the
David dropped a bottle of motions. It’s very rewarding
Russian vodka into water, to see someone get
and we used gels on a light energized in their work, as
to add colour to the Helen was throughout the
background and water, and day. Since the shoot she’s
a yellow gel on a light to moved straight onto a new
highlight the bottle and project with fantastic results.
trails it’s left behind. We Well done!”
then flipped the image on
its side”

BE INSPIRED

PROJECTS
Take your skills further

Frozen flowers Stack ‘em up
Encase petals in ice to create an unusual Uses focus stacking to maximise depth of field in
artistic effect close-up photography
Creative macro photography Think inside the box

Shoot and edit incredible images of insects with this We show you how to make a quick and easy DIY
advanced technique backlit light table
Shoot black and white fine-art macro

Use a macro lens and a different perspective to create
monochrome fine-art photos

PROJECTS
FROZEN
FLOWERS
Encase petals in ice to create an
unusual artistic effect
hotography is often about
capturing beautiful, organic things
in their natural environments, but
it’s also about trying to present
the everyday in a way that’s surprising,
unusual or unique. Flowers are clearly
a hugely popular subject matter for
photographers, which is not surprising
when you consider the abundant beauty,
colour, texture and detail that they offer.
However, it’s not always that easy to
capture particularly original images of
them. A fun, creative solution is to freeze
a flower in ice before photographing it.
This might sound like a bizarre concept at
first, but it can result in some incredible
images. The unpredictability of the freezing
process and how different flowers respond
to this is one of the most intriguing
elements of this technique. The degree of
transparency that’s present in the ice will
vary enormously and different patterns
will appear. Remember that this tutorial
merely represents a suggested starting
point and you’ll need to experiment in
order to produce results that appeal to
you. You can, of course, light your frozen
flower in any way that you wish to – again,
the lightbox and speedlight combination
demonstrated here is simply one option
that you could consider. A macro lens,
however, is highly recommended.
What you’ll need

DSLR
Macro lens
Tripod or flash stand
Speedlight
Left Light table
Snap the ice A flower
This shooting project is
relatively easy to do and you A freezer
never know what kind of A baking tray
results you’ll get

PROJECTS
SHOOTING 1 2
STEPS
Freeze a flower This is best done
1 in stages, as you can’t simply soak
a flower in a tray of water and expect
it to sit there in the perfect position
during the freezing process. Freeze
your first layer of water, then wet the
flower before placing it in the tray so
that it sticks to this layer of ice.
Light the flower Remember to

2 get your lighting fully set up and
ready to go prior to removing the
flower from the freezer, as the ice
will not stay frozen long at all. You
could try using a light table, which
are designed for looking at slides 3 4
with a loupe, but they are also ideal
for photographing backlit macro.
Balance the light Backlighting

3 is beautiful, but it can be a bit too
extreme if used without any other
form of lighting to balance it out.
Position a speedlight flash unit
off-camera and to one side in order
fill shadows on the surface of the
flower. Set this to its manual mode
and use it at about 1/8 power.
Get in close A true macro lens

4 enables you to focus at very
close distances to take remarkably
detailed shots of the texture of the
ice and the flower encased within it.
Remember that the depth of field is
extremely limited when the focusing
distance is so short.
5 6
Use manual Set your camera
5 into manual exposure mode. The
combination of backlighting and an
off-camera flash is an unusual one
that may be misinterpreted by your
camera’s meter. Start with a shutter
speed of 1/200sec and an aperture
of f22 to combat the shallow depth
of field at high magnifications.
Shoot for quality In order to

6 produce the best-quality images
with as little noise as possible, use
the lowest ISO sensitivity setting
that’s available on your camera.
In addition to this, shoot in your
camera’s RAW format so that you
have the maximum amount of
editing potential.

PROJECTS
THE SETUP AVOID SHADOW

Use a speedlight to provide a
spot of fill-in flash to light the
camera-side of the flower and
decrease shadows
GO MACRO
A macro lens enables you to
capture close-up details of the
flower frozen within the ice
BACKLIGHTING
A light table is an ideal tool for
providing backlighting, illuminating
textures within the ice and
penetrating the flower’s petals
TRIGGER THE FLASH

When it comes to firing the
speedlight, a wireless setup is best
Though it’s perfectly possible to use a flash-
sync cord to trigger the speedlight, this will be
potentially restrictive, limiting your movements
as you attempt to photograph the flower from
as many different angles as possible. It’s much
better to work wirelessly, and there are different
means of ditching the cords and freeing yourself
up to concentrate on the photography. Nikon’s
Creative Lighting System enables you to use the
built-in pop-up flash on your camera to fire the
flash and you can adjust all the settings for the
speedlight from within the camera menus. Canon
also offers a wireless flash system that works in a
similar fashion. Alternatively, you could try using
wireless radio triggers, of which the PocketWizard
range is arguably the most popular.

PROJECTS
EDITING 1 2
STEPS
1 Lighten up and add contrast
Open the RAW file in Camera Raw
or your preferred editing software.
Increase the Exposure and Contrast
sliders to improve the brightness
and drama in the image. Keep an
eye on the Histogram preview as you
do this.
Add clarity The Clarity slider

2 can be used to increase the local
contrast, or midtone contrast, that’s
present in the image. Try taking this
all the way to its maximum setting
and then gradually reducing it if the
effect appears too much.
BEFORE

PROJECTS
Control the colour Experiment
3 4
3 with the White Balance settings,
adjusting both Temperature and Tint
in order to create different colour
effects. You might also want to
adjust the Vibrancy and Saturation
sliders or the Split Toning options.
Make local adjustments Use

4 the Adjustment brush to make
localised edits to colour, contrast
and saturation. Use the Healing
Brush tool to remove any unwanted
reflections. If necessary, make a
crop to tighten the composition.
Below
Raw power
You can greatly improve
the impact of the results
by using the options
available to you in Adobe
Camera Raw
AFTER

PROJECTS

PROJECTS
CREATIVE
MACRO
PHOTOGRAPHY
Shoot and edit incredible
images of insects with this
advanced technique
n this tutorial, you’ll discover how to take
a tiny waterborne insect and photograph
it suspended inside a drop of water.
You’ll learn how precise camera control
and lighting can have a big impact when
photographing small subjects.
Macro photography can be a challenge:
very short working conditions, limited depth
of field and the need to get critical focus are
all obstacles between you and great images.
That’s all before you take into account the
challenges of working with a moving subject.
In the next few pages, you will learn how the
use of camera positioning alongside the use
of equipment like a macro-focusing rail can
greatly help you overcome these obstacles.
Then you’ll learn some lighting techniques
that can increase detail and improve the
definition of your subject, with the use of just
a couple of flashguns. Not only that, but you’ll
see how it’s possible to capture your subject
in a creative and engaging way while also
revealing something about its nature.
Finally, taking the images into Photoshop,
you’ll learn how to add that final layer of polish
and transform the final photograph.
Left
A drop of water
To create this photograph, we took a
freshwater invertebrate no more than 10mm
long and suspended it inside a drop of water.
Being so small, it’s unable to break the
surface tension.
What you’ll need

High-magnification
macro lens
Rigid camera stand
Lighting stand
Super clamp
Tripod head
Macro focusing rail
Two flashguns plus trigger
Diffusion material
Plane of glass
Petri dish and pipette

PROJECTS
SHOOTING 1 2
STEPS
The initial setup The first step is
1 to assemble the equipment. You
want everything locked down and
secured before you bring in your
fragile subject. A rigid setup will
reduce vibrations, making focusing
easier and reducing camera shake.
Make sure that all the controls are
easily accessible in anticipation of
the next steps.
Add the subject Now you want

2 to carefully bring in your subject.
Using a pipette you can transfer the
insect, without harm, onto a petri
dish positioned underneath the
camera. This way you also create 3 4
the water droplet that makes up the
rest of the image.
Focus the camera With Live

3 View engaged, focus your
image using the macro focusing
plate to raise or lower the camera.
With this top-down view of your
subject, you should be able to get
most of it in focus in a single shot.
The priority for focusing should
always be the eyes.
Set the backlight You want

4 the flash power set high enough
that light wraps around the black
card, and picks out the edge and fine
details in our subject. This outlines
not only your subject but also that
of the water droplet that it sits in.
Set the fill light At this stage

5 you should have the outline
of your subject defined by the
5 6
backlight. Now set the power of

the top light to just lightly fill the
shadow and reveal the broader
aspects of your insect. You don’t
want this light set so high that it
washes out your subject, though.
6 Take the necessary shots

You are now ready to start
taking your photographs. You are
not looking for the perfect shot here.
Instead your aim is to take enough
photographs so that collectively you
have captured the entire subject.
Stray limbs and dirt can all be
corrected later in the editing.

PROJECTS
THE SETUP
FILL LIGHT
Above the subject is a single
GENERAL SETUP flashgun mounted on a light stand.
In this setup, the camera, tripod Fired through a piece of white
head and macro focusing rail are acrylic, this will create a nice soft
mounted securely to a tabletop stand light that fills in any harsh shadows
with the use of a super clamp. This created by the backlight.
enables you to shoot parallel to your
subject, maximising the depth of field.
Mounting like this also helps to reduce
camera shake.
BACK LIGHT
The brown box shown here acts like
a light box, with the flash taking the
place of a light bulb. Inside is a piece of
white acrylic to diffuse the light, with a
pane of glass above on which to place
the subject. By adding an extra layer of
black card, you can create a beautiful
rim light around your subject.
Macro
focusing plate
The smart way to achieve
precise small-scale focus
An invaluable piece of equipment
in this setup is the macro focusing
plate, sometimes referred to as a
micro positioning plate. This simple
tool allows precise forward and back
movement of the camera.
By changing the camera’s position
instead of relying on the focus ring of
the lens, you can maintain the angle
of view and therefore the framing
of your subject. This makes it much
easier to blend together multiple
images. This also gives you the
option to change the focus between
shots and stack the resulting images
to increase the depth of field.

PROJECTS
1 2
EDITING
STEPS
1 Image selection and levels
In Lightroom, select the images
you want to use in your final
composition and apply basic
exposure adjustments. If necessary,
you can use pieces taken from
multiple images to create one
final photograph.
Remove dirt and dust Next,

2 open the images in Photoshop
and start removing the dust and
dirt. A Curves adjustment layer
with the white level brought 3 4
right down will allow you to see
the many marks that will need
removing from the shadow areas.
3 Separate out the layers

By separating the image out
into different layers, you can work
on each part independently, before
bringing them back together at
the end as one perfect shot.
Dodge and burn Using dodge

4 and burn allows you to perfect
the lighting on your subject.
Working on small areas, you can
improve local contrast, increasing
the apparent sharpness and
highlighting important details.
Add a highlight You can

5 improve the appearance of
the water droplet by creating a
5 6
simple highlight. This is achieved

by adding a white fill layer, shaped
and blended to fit the interior of
the water droplet.
Sharpen and finish To finish,

6 zoom out and check your final
image. This is the time to correct
colour and composition. Finally,
apply sharpening to your insect
layer before flattening the image
and exporting.
Opposite
Perfected in post
In the edit, you can transform this
photograph into something that would
be almost impossible to do in a single
shot, but still looks believable.

PROJECTS
BEFORE
AFTER

PROJECTS
Left
Daisy noir
In using an angled snoot on your flash to
highlight the background, the ambient
light feathers off and lights the back of the
flower, helping to give your image some
more shape and form

PROJECTS
Use a macro lens and a

different perspective to create
black and white fine art photos
ith fine art photography being
What you’ll need more of an expression of
Camera classical looking imagery in
Tripod tone, pose and occasionally
Grips content, adding in the parameter of a
Macro lens macro lens to force your shot; and eye
Photoshop into looking at your subject differently is
Flash gun the perfect way of honing in your skills.
Remote triggers. By focusing on your subject, or at the
very least, an interesting element of your
subject, you will see very quickly how
an everyday item can quickly transform
into something very different and
unique. By simply shifting your aperture
from wide to narrow, you can force the
viewers attention, however you can also
affect the surrounding background and
foreground, allowing you the chance to
turn a potentially stagnant background
into a soft texture and any foreground
interruptions into gentle vague anomalies.
In this tutorial we will be shooting
specifically for a black and white result
which will entail adjusting the Kelvin
temperature of your shot manually, as
well as using a macro lens. Editing in Raw
to create the black and white tonality, as
well as trying to keep things as simple
as possible. Utilising clips and grips to
keep our subject secure as well as using
minimal lighting other than that of a
snoot on a flash head to focus the light
and take advantage of the narrow depth
of field a macro lens will afford you.

PROJECTS
DEDICATED MACRO VS TELEPHOTO MACRO

With budget always being a concern to a photographer, is Another reason for using a dedicated lens is that the
it best to invest in a separate macro lens, or stick with a telephoto lenses require you being a fair distance away
telephoto that has macro abilities? Well, in short, it’s for the function to be active, and that can work out well
always best to stick with a dedicated lens, as there is less for butterflies or flighty creatures but for projects like
glass to distort the image, and telephotos have glass in this where you want to get in close, again, a dedicated
abundance, meaning the likelihood of the image being lens would work best as you can get very close,
super clear and crisp will be quite minimal in comparison. physically to your subject.

PROJECTS
SHOOTING 1
STEPS
1 Position your subject
Keep your work space as static as possible. Using a
grip or clip to hold your subject still and keep it stable
is great way of controlling the position and angle of
your subject. It also gives you the opportunity to work
around the subject creatively.
2 Select your lens

As you are looking to get super close to your
subject, as well as utilise a shallow depth of field, you
will need to select a macro lens. There are two main
types of macro lens, one that is a prime macro and
the other which is a telephoto with macro abilities.
3 Keep your camera stable

Using a tripod to keep your camera static on will
help you avoid any subtle body movements which
may affect your shots composition or depth of field.
When looking at which you should use, ideally go for
one that has a spirit level to help you keep things level
would be best.
2 3

PROJECTS
4 5
4 Depth of field
To make your background appear ambient and focus
the viewer’s eye on the subject, drop your aperture to a high
aperture, somewhere around f/2.8 or f/4. Not only will this
make the background into a smooth, milky blur, but it will
also drop the sharpness in the foreground too.
5 Flash positioning
Use a remote triggered flash with a snoot attachment
to focus your light source. This will keep lighting and light
drop off to a minimum as well as bringing an element of
contrast to your shot.
6 Set your timer

As your aperture/depth of field and your subject will be
susceptible to any movement you create, it would be best
for you to set your camera to a timer, allowing any camera
movement to dissipate before the shot is taken.

PROJECTS
1 2
EDITING
STEPS
1 Open in Raw
Open your image in Raw and use the
Basic tab to reduce your colour vibrancy and
saturation, these need to be -100 so there is
3 no colour information besides black and white.
2 Boost the highlights

Increase the highlight tones of your
image by raising the Highlight slider. This will
5 neutralise the overall tone of the image and
increase contrast between the black and white
elements of your image.
3 add your shadow detail back

By using the exposure and the Shadow
slider, you can lighten the shadows of your
4 image – Lightening your image, but the section
that will be lighter will be shaded elements,
allowing detail to remain after adjustments.
6
4 Change your Kelvin
Now that your image is in its black and
white form, you will be able to see how the
Kelvin shift from warm to cool will affect the
tonality of the photograph.
5 Dodge and Burn

Using the Adjustment Brush in RAW, you
can use it to work as a Dodge and Burn tool,
by simply reducing the exposure setting. Start
with a feathered brush and gently darkening the
edges of the flower.
6 Export your image for further editing

Now that your image is fully edited in Raw,
you can export your file as either a JPG, TIFF,
PSD or any other file type by hitting on the
Open button, or alternatively, you can finish
editing by choosing Save.
BEFORE AFTER

PROJECTS
What you’ll need

DSLR
Macro lens
Tripod
Shutter release cable
Still subject
Photoshop CC/CS
(or specialist photo
stacking software)
Uses focus stacking to maximise depth of field in close-up

ocus stacking is a handy technique which leave you with a very shallow plane in a fixed position for the sequence of
used to extend the depth of field of focus. This is why narrower apertures exposures, and a subject that will remain
in your images. This technique is are typically used in macro photography to perfectly still, too.
commonly used in extreme close-up ensure the subject is sharp, while blowing It’s actually quite a simple, automated
photography as depth of field is so limited. out the background into soft focus. process to combine your stacked shots
Depth of field is determined by three But often this isn’t enough to render the in Photoshop CC or CS. While this is
factors: focal length, distance to subject entire subject in sharp focus. The solution adequate for getting started, you may
and aperture. Macro lenses tend to have is to shoot several images, each with tiny want to consider using specialist stacking
long telephoto focal lengths – like the adjustments to focus, then merge the software such as, Zerene Stacker and
Sigma 105mm lens we’re using – and sharpest parts together into one seamless, Helicon Focus when you move on to more
you have to get in close to your subject pin-sharp image. All you need is a macro complex subjects that require a lot more
to achieve full-size magnification, both of lens, a sturdy tripod to keep your camera images to be stacked together

PROJECTS
SET UP YOUR DSLR FOR STACKING

How to increase the depth of field in your macro photography for pin-sharp shots
1
1 The most vital part of the
focus stacking technique
is to ensure that your camera
2
2 Move your subject into
position and enable Live
View; this is invaluable when
is locked solidly in place so working in such a controlled
that it doesn’t move between environment. Squinting through
exposures. Set your camera up the viewfinder to set focus is a
on a tripod. Even the smallest painful process, whereas Live
nudge can cause movement, so View will allow you to zoom in to
use a shutter release cable too. specific areas for more accuracy.
3 4
3 To ensure the
exposure remains
the same for each shot,
set Manual mode and
the optimum aperture
of your lens, usually
f/8-f/11. Don’t be
tempted to select a
really narrow aperture
4 Switch your lens to manual focus
(MF). Zoom in to 5x magnification
and twist the focus ring until the closest
to reduce the amount part of your subject is pin sharp. Fire a
of shots required as shot, twist the focus ring a fraction, take
diffraction will soften another shot. Repeat until you’ve shot the
your images furthest point of your flower.
ESSENTIAL CAMERA SKILLS

Focus stacking essentials
1 Your subject needs to

remain static. Some work
better than others due to
2 A north facing window,
offering plenty of
diffused light, is ideal. Pop
3 It’s important to compose
slightly wider than
what you want the final
4 To ensure you get a
sharp end result you’ll
need to overlap the plane of
the complexity of their a reflector on the opposite composition to be as, when focus for each shot.
structure. Smooth, simple side to bounce light back you blend your images in Make use of the 5x and 10x
objects won’t require as into the shadows. If the Photoshop, you will need to magnification function in
many shots. Subjects with light is flat, use a constant crop out the overlaid areas Live View to ensure you
overlapping layers will light source, such as towards the edges of the don’t miss a section when
prove much trickier. an anglepoise lamp. frame. shifting the focus.

PROJECTS
MAKE THOSE SHOTS 2

Cropping
STACK UP 1 We mentioned that you
should compose slightly
wider than you want the
final image to be. This is
1 Transfer your stack of images
(we took 30 shots) onto
your computer and save them
because the Auto-Align
Layers command may
in a new folder. Open them rotate some frames
into Photoshop; if they are marginally during the
Raw files, as ours are, they will alignment process and
automatically open into Adobe you will need to crop in
Camera Raw so you can make to remove the uneven
some Raw adjustments. edges. We suggest
cropping your image
after running this
2 With the topmost image
highlighted, scroll down to
the bottom image and shift-click
command, before using
the Auto-Blend Layers
it to select all the images. Now command.
any exposure tweaks you make
will be applied to all images
simultaneously – saving time, 3 4
as they’re slight variations of the
exact same shot.
3 Merging a large number of

files will take a long time,
so, to speed up the process,
click the Save Images button to
batch-convert them as JPEGs.
Set Destination to Save In
Same Location, Format to JPEG,
Quality to High and hit Save.
4 Click Done to exit Camera

Raw. Moving to the main
Photoshop editor, go to
File>Open and select all the
newly created JPEG files. Go
to File>Scripts>Load Files Into
Stack, and click OK to open all
the images as individual layers.
5 6
5 Once loaded in Photoshop,

select the topmost layer in
the Layers palette, hold shift
and click on bottommost layer to
select them all. Go to Edit>Auto-
Align Layers and ensure Auto
is selected and hit OK. This will
counter any slight movement
between shots.
6 With all the layers still

highlighted, go to Edit>Auto-
Blend Layers and ensure Stack
Images and Seamless Tone and
Colours are selected. Photoshop
will create a series of layer
masks that reveal the sharpest
bits of each layer, for a pin-sharp
shot, from front to back.

PROJECTS
Focus
stacking
software
Focus stacking
software
While
Photoshop
CS/CC has
the capability
to focus
7 Photoshop isn’t perfect and you may notice
some areas it’s missed due to misalignment.
Locate the layer that has the area of sharpness
8 Locate that layer in the Layers panel, drag it
to the top of the stack, and click its mask to
edit it. Paint with white to bring the area of focus
stack a series
of images
you want to recover. The quickest way to view back. Repeat to other layer masks, if required. together for you,
them is by flicking through your sequence. Reveal all layers and Hit Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E. it doesn’t give you
a huge amount of
control. For more
complex subjects
with intricate details
that require a greater
number of images,
you’ll need to use
specialist stacking
software for best
results. Zerene
Stacker ($89,
www.zerenestacker.
com) and Helicon
Focus ($115,
www.heliconsoft.com)
9 Zoom in and scroll around the image, using
the Spot Healing Brush tool to paint over
and remove any imperfections. Next, add a Levels
10 Next, add a Hue/Saturation adjustment
layer and increase the Saturation slider
to boost the colour. Create another merged layer
offer various methods,
with smoothing and
adjustment layer to boost contrast by dragging and go to Filter> Sharpen>Unsharp Mask. For our blending controls.
the Shadows and Highlights sliders in to the edge image, we set Amount to 66%, Radius to 2 pixels Both are compatible
of histogram and adjust the Midtones to balance and Threshold to 2 levels to sharpen the finished with Mac and PC.
the exposure. image.
The spray & pray technique

A few droplets of water can add interest
and depth to your focus-stacked shots
If you choose to photograph a flower that doesn’t have an
overly complex structure and a flat-looking bud, jazz it up
by spraying water on it for a different effect. We did this
with a bright pink Gerbera to add more interest and detail
to the final image. You can pick up spray bottles from DIY,
gardening shops or even your local supermarket for a few
quid, if you don’t have one.

PROJECTS
What you’ll need

Tripod
Close-up filter or
macro lens
Cereal box
Greaseproof paper
Tape
Fairy lights
It’s tool time! We bring you a quick-and-easy DIY backlit light table project that you won’t be
able to leaf alone
ight boxes are designed to illuminate need to spend a ton of time or money on setup is simply to find something intricate
a subject from behind and are used it. We’ll be showing you how to craft your to photograph, like this lime tree leaf. Set
for a variety of purposes in arts, own light box, using a cereal box as the your camera to Manual mode, as you’ll
crafts and design projects. They main housing. We’ll be cutting holes in the have plenty of time to get the settings
are also a great tool for photographers to cardboard box, then sticking a translucent right with a static subject. You’ll need to
have in their arsenal when shooting macro material over this hole. Greaseproof paper be using a narrow aperture and a low ISO,
close-ups. When used with translucent or baking parchment will suffice if you don’t which is then likely to be teamed with a
subjects such as leaves, backlighting have tracing paper. After you’ve raided slow shutter speed to achieve the correct
brings out textures and details that would your cupboards for these supplies, the last exposure. Once we had the settings dialled
normally go unnoticed. The results can be thing you’ll need is a light source. Battery- in and our leaf was on the table, it took
striking. In this project, we’ll show you how powered fairy lights work well here, as they a matter of seconds to get the photo we
to illuminate a leaf from behind using your don’t get hot and can be easily transported wanted. It is important to fill the frame with
very own homemade light box. You can around. It requires a bit of jiggling to get your subject, as this will make the exposure
buy light tables from most craft shops, but the lights fed in and spread evenly in the balanced. You might need to manoeuvre
it’s cheaper and more fun to make your box, but once they’re settled you can get the camera up and down on the tripod until
own. It doesn’t take a fancy setup to get your camera into position above the setup you can fill the frame and reach your lens’s
fancy backlit photographs, and you don’t on a flexible tripod. The final stage of the closest focusing distance.

PROJECTS
CREATE A DIY LIGHT TABLE

Start by making your light box out of a cereal box and set of fairy lights
1 Grab an empty cereal

box, the bigger the
better. Use a sharp craft
2 Next, you need to
cover one side with a
translucent material, such
3 When you tape the paper
to the box, try and get it
as taut as possible over the
4 The last step is to feed
your fairy lights in
through the hole in the back
knife or scissors to cut a as greaseproof baking frame so that it lies flat. This of the box and press them
rectangular hole out of the parchment or tracing paper. will give you an even spread around the edges. You might
front and back of the box. Cut out a sheet that’s of light later, and provide want to use some extra bits
Leave a frame round the slightly larger than the gap, a smooth surface for your of tape to keep them in place
edge to tidy light cables then attach it firmly in place subject to sit on. Position the for a uniform glow across
behind later. with tape. DIY box on a flat tabletop. the paper.

PROJECTS
CREATIVE COMPOSITIONS
1 Turn on the lights. Mount your
DSLR on a tripod and pop this
tripod onto your tabletop above
1
the lightbox. Level off the tripod

head until your Canon is parallel
with the table. You may need to
lower the camera later on, so
that you can get close enough to
your leaf.
2 Pop your leaf onto the

lightbox under your lens.
If you have one, use a macro
lens to fill the frame with your
subject. You can also attach a
close-up filter. They either screw
or clip onto the lens and enable
it to focus more closely. Here,
we used the Raynox DCR-250
3 Set Manual mode. When

photographing close up the
depth of field is shallow, so opt
for f11 to maximize this. Choose 2
ISO100 and adjust your shutter
speed to reach the correct
exposure. Because we were
shooting in a dark room, ours
was over a second long. .
4 The shutter speed reading

we achieved with a narrow
aperture and low ISO (on a
gloomy day) was very slow. So,
to avoid camera shake when
pressing the shutter button, we
engaged the 2-sec self-timer.
Alternatively, you could use a
remote release, if you have one.
5 Turn off autofocus and

engage Live View. Zoom in
with the + button and manually
adjust the focus ring on the
lens to ensure you have crisp
focus on the leaf. When you’re
happy, take your shot. You can
also experiment with white
balance while you have Live View
engaged.
6 There are a few simple

tweaks you can make in
Adobe Camera Raw to enhance
the intricate patterns of your
leaf. Take the Blacks down, but
bump up the Clarity levels, as
this will really bring out the veins
in the leaf. Give the Saturation a
boost for a punchier green tone

PROJECTS
3 4 Flip it over
A tripod that holds the
camera upside down is
best to get really close
in for a top-down view.
Some tripods also
have centre columns
that fold sideways,
which will do a good
job as well. The model
we used was the
Vanguard 204AB.

KIT ZONE
Find out what kit to buy

Choose the best camera Ring lights
Discover what you should look for when choosing a Take a look at six lights that encircle your lens to give
camera for macro photography silky-smooth macro illumination
Macro lenses Sensor cleaners

Taking magnification to the max – we search out the Cleaning your sensor can be a daunting process, but
very best macro lenses these products make it painless
Camera remotes
Stay out of sight and avoid unsightly camera shake
with these handy accessories

KIT ZONE

KIT ZONE
What should you look out for when choosing a

camera for close-up photography?
acro photography can be Generally speaking, a larger sensor with a
incredibly rewarding. There’s a higher resolution will be best placed to
world of opportunity for you to produce all that lovely fine detail to make
create frame-filling images, your macro images really stand out.
taking inspiration from all manner of Next, you should consider the screen.
different subjects. Since a lot of macro photography is carried
But before tackling this intriguing genre, out with the camera mounted on a tripod,
you might want to consider purchasing a having an excellent screen with which to
camera that is particularly well suited to frame your image – as well as ensure critical
the job in hand. This is especially the case focus – is extremely important.
if you intend to dedicate a large section Lastly, since a camera is only as
of your portfolio to the subject of close- good as the lens that is mounted to it,
up photography. you should also spend some time looking
The good news is that there’s a lot of into which systems have the best
choice currently available on the market, and dedicated macro lenses. Whatever you
there are a few things that you might want decide, you would be advised to read up
to consider before going ahead with making on what your best options are. Handily,
your purchase. First of all, sensor size and this is where we come in – read on to find
resolution is worthy of your consideration. out more…

KIT ZONE
Good all-rounder
The Nikon D850 is suited to
macro photography, but also
plenty of other subjects too
Nikon D850
Price £3,600
Web: www.europe-nikon.com
Megapixels
(effective): 45.7
Max resolution
(pixels): 8,256 x 5,504
Sensor
information: full-frame CMOS, 35.9 x
23.9mm
Shutter speed: 1/8000 – 30 seconds, Bulb
ISO sensitivity: ISO 64 – 25600
Lens data/Zoom: Nikon F Mount
A great macro choice, as well as an all-rounder Metering options: Matrix, Centre-weighted,
Spot
If macro photography is just one of the things you in extremely handy when photographing macro Flash modes: Front-curtain sync, slow
sync, rear-curtain sync, red-
like to shoot, the Nikon D850 is a camera that offers subjects from awkward angles – for example, getting
eye reduction, red-eye
the best of both worlds. This flexible DSLR option low to the ground when shooting plants. reduction with slow sync,
is also great for sport, weddings, reportage and As one of the oldest and most respected camera slow rear curtain sync, off
much more. brands in the market, it’s no surprise that the Connectivity: USB 3.0, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
With a 45 megapixel sensor and a full-frame macro lens options for Nikon full-frame cameras is Weight: 1,005g
sensor, it ticks all the right boxes when it comes to extensive. Not only are there fine proprietary Nikkor Dimensions: 146 x 124 x 78.5mm
packing in lots of detail. One of the only downsides of lenses, such as the AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm Batteries: One EN-EL15a rechargeable
high resolution (and it’s a common problem across f/2.8G IF-ED lens, there’s plenty of third-party choice Li-ion battery, 1840-shot
many of the cameras listed here) is large file sizes – from the likes of Sigma and Tamron too. rated life
especially if you shoot in the more flexible raw format. Other fantastic features include the ability to Storage: dual XQD or dual CF card
variants available
Still, with all that resolution to work with, you’ve got record 4K video, a superb 1840-shot battery life,
LCD: 3.2-inch tilting touch-
great options for cropping your image for the best and wireless connectivity (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) for sensitive LCD, 2359k-dots
composition – something you can also do in camera sharing your macro shots to your phone for social Viewfinder: Eye-level pentaprism single
by activating the DX crop mode. media uploading. lens reflex viewfinder,
The D850’s screen is also an ideal one for macro 100% coverage
use. The 3.2-inch device features 2,359k dots,
helping you to see your subject in super-fine detail.
It’s a big help when zooming in to ensure critical
“The D850’s screen is Summary
focus when a display is as crisp and clear as this, an ideal one for macro Nikon’s full-frame all-rounder DSLR is the ideal
choice for macro photography due to its
too – plus focus peaking is available to help with
manual focusing. Furthermore, the D850’s screen is use, the 3.2-inch device high-resolution sensor, and its other features
make it great for other subjects you might like to
not only touch-sensitive, but it also tilts, which comes featuring 2,359k dots” shoot, too.

Canon EOS 5DSR
Price
Web:
£3,450
www.canon.co.uk
Canon
Megapixels
(effective):
Max resolution
50.6 EOS
(pixels):
Sensor
information:
8,688 x 5,792
Full-frame CMOS (36 x

24mm)
5DSR
When ultra-high resolution is
Focus/macro 61-point / 41 f4 cross-type AF the most important thing, the
points and 5 dual cross-type
at f2.8
5DSR is king
Shutter speed: 1/8000 – 30 seconds / Bulb
ISO sensitivity: 100-6400 Offering a huge 50.6 megapixels with its full- With 1,040k dots, it’s
Exposure modes Scene Intelligent Auto, P, S, frame DSLR, the Canon EOS 5DSR is the one not the highest-resolution
A, M to go for if you’re looking for super-fine detail. screen, but still good for
Lens data/Zoom: Canon EF mount Files from the 5DSR are huge – a raw format composing macro shots with tripod.
Metering options: Evaluative, Partial, Spot file can easily come in at up to 70MB. Expect to There are plenty of specific macro lenses you
Flash modes: E-TTL II Auto Flash invest in some high-resolution memory cards, can use with this camera, including Canon’s own EF
Connectivity: USB 3.0 as well as an external hard drive. Still, you get 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens and its excellent
Weight: 845g class-leading resolution, giving you lots of scope range of Tilt Shift Macro lenses.
Dimensions: 152 x 116.4 x 76.4mm to crop in as necessary, as well as an incredible Other notable features of the 5DSR include dual
Batteries: One Li-ion Battery LP-E6N amount of detail. There’s 1.6x and 1.3x crop options memory card slots, a 700-shot battery life and full
Storage: CompactFlash and SD dual in camera, as well as the usual options to crop HD video recording.
card slots in post-production. To keep image blur to a
LCD: 3.2-inch Clear View II TFT minimum, the 5DSR boasts Canon’s Mirror Summary
Viewfinder: Pentaprism optical The 5DSR may not boast too many additional
Vibration Control System. features, such as inbuilt Wi-Fi, a touch-sensitive
viewfinder, 100% coverage Although the screen is fixed in place, the 3.2-inch screen or 4K, but it’s a superb choice for
device still offers a reasonably good angle of view. high-resolution macro work.
Fujifilm GFX 50S

A medium format camera in a DSLR-like body
Fujifilm GFX 50S
Price £5,999
Web: www.fujifilm.com
As with the other high-resolution cameras here, be option for awkward compositions. Touch-sensitivity Megapixels
(effective): 51.4
prepared to invest in a few high-capacity cards – in enables you to move the focus point around the
Max resolution
this case, there are dual SD card slots. The sensor frame quickly and easily, which is particularly handy (pixels): 8,256 x 6,192
can record in a number of aspect ratios, including when you are in the process of shooting from
4:3, but you can switch to the more traditional 3:2 if a tripod. Sensor
you prefer to do so. As a relatively new system – the GFX 50S was information: Medium format, 43.8 x
The rear 3.2-inch screen has one of the highest initially launched at Photokina in 2016 as the first 32.9mm
resolutions currently on the market at 2.36 million in Fujifilm’s new medium-format line – the lens Shutter speed: 1/16000 – 60 min / Bulb
dots. That translates into a crisp and clear display, range is relatively limited. Fujifilm is committed to ISO sensitivity: 100-12800
with a good amount of surface area from which producing more optics for the system, but for now Lens data/Zoom: Fujifilm G Mount
to compose your best macro shots. there are six proprietary prime lenses, including Focus/macro: TTL Contrast AF, 25x17 grid
The screen also tilts in three different the GF120mm f/4 R LM OIS WR Macro lens. Exposure modes P (Program AE), A
(Aperture Priority AE), S
directions, making it a flexible Third-party optics are sure to become
(Shutter Speed Priority AE),
more widely available as the M (Manual Exposure)
system becomes ever more Metering options: Multi / Spot / Average /
popular. Centre-Weighted
Further specifications
of interest include a high- Flash modes: Sync. Mode: 1st curtain /
resolution electronic 2nd curtain / Auto FP
(HSS), Flash Mode: TTL
viewfinder, full HD video (Flash Auto / Standard /
recording and dust and Slow Sync) / Manual / Off
weather resistance. Connectivity: USB 3.0
Weight: 825g
Summary Dimensions: 147.5 x 94.2 x 91.4mm
Medium format was once Batteries: One NP-T125 Li-ion, 400-
considered special shot life
interest, but the
Storage: Dual SD card slots
introduction the GFX 50S
represents a superb LCD: 3.2-inch, 2,360k-dot, tilting
option for macro Viewfinder: 3.69m-dot OLED electronic

KIT ZONE
“The rear 3.2-inch screen

has one of the highest
resolutions currently
on the market at 2.36
million dots”
Mirrorless choice
Sony has three different models in
its A7 line-up, including the A7R III
Sony A7R III

Price £3,456
Web: www.sony.co.uk
Megapixels
(effective): 42.4
Max resolution
(pixels): 7,952 x 4,472
Sensor
A high-resolution mirrorless marvel
information: Exmor R CMOS full-frame Sony has three different models in its A7 line up, with might opt to use the electronic viewfinder, which
Shutter speed: 1/8000 – 30 seconds / Bulb the ‘R’ variant boasting high megapixel counts (the R with 3,686k-dots and Zeiss T* coating, is also a
ISO sensitivity: 100 – 32000 stands for ‘resolution’. The latest iteration of the A7R pleasure to use.
Exposure modes: AUTO (iAuto), P, A, S, M variant is the A7R III, which uses a 42.2 million pixel The number of lenses available for Sony’s E mount
Lens data/Zoom: Sony FE Mount back-illuminated full-frame Exmor R CMOS sensor. doesn’t match up to those for Canon and Nikon, but
Focus/macro: Fast hybrid AF (399 phase There’s a new Bionz X processing engine, which new optics are being added all the time. Users are
detection points / 425
delivers better noise reduction and an improved well catered for in almost all scenarios, with a FE
contrast detect points)
dynamic range. The sensor design has also slightly 50mm f/2.8 Macro and an FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G
Metering options: MS, CW, S, Spot Standard /
Large, Entire Screen changed too, with a new anti-flare coating one of the OSS lens available directly from Sony. There’s also a
Average, Highlight added improvements. couple of third-party options that you can look into,
Flash modes: Foff, Auto, FF, SS, RS, RE On the rear of the A7R III is a touch-sensitive such as the newly available Sigma 70mm f/2.8 DG
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, USB screen, which has the added bonus of a tilting Macro Art Lens for Sony E.
Weight: 657g mechanism. This combination makes it great for Rounding out the spec sheet for macro
Dimensions: 126.9 x 95.6 x 73.7mm composing from slightly awkward angles, although enthusiasts is dust and moisture sealing, dual SD
Batteries: One NP-FZ100 Li-ion battery it’s not as flexible as a fully articulating device. You card slots and various connectivity options.
Storage: Dual SD card slots can use the touch settings to move the focus point
LCD: 3.0-inch, 1,440k-dots, tilting around the screen, which is generally quicker than
touch-sensitive TFT using buttons or the camera’s joystick.
Viewfinder: 3,686k-dot electronic Summary
Offering 1,440k dots, the screen isn’t the highest A great option for those who want to explore the
viewfinder, 100% coverage resolution on the market, but it’s still bright and clear world of mirrorless technology, the A7R III is the
enough to make using it enjoyable. Alternatively, you best choice of the A7 range for macro shooters.

KIT ZONE
Panasonic Lumix G9 Panasonic Lumix G9

Price
Web:
£1,500
www.panasonic.com
A flexible camera with a high-resolution mode for your macro shots Megapixels
(effective): 20.3
Max resolution
(pixels): 5,184 x 3,456
Sensor
information: Four Thirds, 17.3 x 13mm
Shutter speed: 1/8000 – 60 seconds / Bulb
ISO sensitivity: 200 – 25600
Exposure modes: Program AE, Aperture Priority AE,
Shutter Priority AE, Manual
Lens data/Zoom: Micro Four Thirds mount
Focus/macro: 225-area Contrast AF system
Metering options: Multiple, Centre-Weighted, Spot
Flash modes: Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction,
Forced On, Forced On/Red-eye
Reduction, Slow Sync., Slow
Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced
Off
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB 3.0
Weight: 658g
Dimensions: 136.9 x 97.3 x 91.6mm
Batteries: One Li-ion battery pack,
400-shot life
Storage: Dual SD card slots
LCD: TFT LCD touch-sensitive monitor,
1,040k-dots
Viewfinder: OLED Live View Finder,
Special and sensitive 3,680k-dots, 100% coverage
With a weatherproof body, the
G9 is a good option for those
shooting outdoor macros
While the Panasonic G9 may have the to magnify the centre of the image to check that Summary
smallest sensor in our round-up, it is still a great focusing is accurate. Perhaps not the first camera you think of
choice for macro photography for a number of There are a large range of lenses available for for macro work, but with a High Resolution
mode and a variety of other useful
different reasons. the Micro Four Thirds mount, especially given features, the G9 is a good option.
The 20.3 megapixel Four Thirds sensor is very that both Panasonic and Olympus cameras
capable of producing fine detail, particularly when share the system. That means you’ve got a
shooting in good light – something that you will choice between the Panasonic Lumix G Macro Tilting touchscreen
Having a fully flexible screen is extremely useful
most likely be doing when photographing macro- 30mm f/2.8 ASPH lens, as well as the superb when shooting macros from awkward angles
type subjects. More intriguing, however, is the Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro DIGITAL ED
80-megapixel high-resolution mode, which is the lens (Olympus also has a 30mm macro lens you
perfect mode to deploy for macro shots. can choose).
It works by shifting the sensor ever so slightly Further specifications of note
in between a series of exposures, and then for macro photographers
combining the results for an ultra-high-resolution include weatherproofing
final image. (useful for shooting
For those awkwardly placed macro shots, the outdoors), Wi-Fi/Bluetooth
G9’s fully articulating screen is great for nailing the connectivity for quick
composition. It’s also touch-sensitive, which is useful sharing of your shots,
for moving the focus point around quickly, while and dual SD card slots.
there’s also focus peaking and manual focus assist,
which comes in handy for fine-tuning critical focus
when working manually.
It’s not usually that
common to use a viewfinder
when shooting macro images,
but with the G9 you get an
electronic version, which
offers both a high-resolution
(3,680k-dots) and the option

KIT ZONE
Taking magnification to the max,

we’ve searched out the very best
macro lenses
or the little things in life, Many manufacturers make

you can’t beat a good APS-C format as well as full-
macro lens. Unlike frame compatible macro lenses.
zoom lenses that carry However, they often have a
a ‘macro’ badge, most macro relatively short focal length,
prime lenses deliver full 1.0x or which also results in a short
1:1 magnification at their closest minimum focus distance. In
focus distance. This enables you some cases the ‘working
to fill the camera’s whole image distance’ between the end of
sensor with something the size the lens and the subject you’re
of a postage stamp, gaining shooting can be as little as 3cm.
enormous magnification when This can be quite impractical,
you view the resulting shots on especially when you’re shooting
screen or in print. Indeed, with under ambient light, as the lens
APS-C or Micro Four Thirds is likely to cast a shadow over
crop-sensor cameras, you’ll the subject.
get an even greater ‘effective’ For this group test, we’ve
magnification ratio between 1.5x selected lenses that give a more
and 2.0x, compared with a full- comfortable working distance
frame body. for macro shooting.
THE CONTENDERS
1 Canon EF 100mm f2.8L Macro IS USM £800/$800
2 Nikon AF-S 105mm f2.8G IF ED VR Micro £780/$900
3 Olympus 60mm f2.8 Macro M.Zuiko Digital ED £360/$500
4 Pentax D-FA 100mm f2.8 Macro WR £530/$450
5 Samyang 100mm f2.8 ED UMC Macro £390/$550
6 Sigma Macro 105mm f2.8 EX DG OS HSM £360/$570
7 Sony FE 90mm f2.8 Macro G OSS £950/$1,000
8 Tamron SP 90mm f2.8 Di VC USD Macro £580/$650

KIT ZONE
Getty Images

KIT ZONE
Mount option: Canon EF Mount option: Nikon FX
Canon EF 100mm Nikon AF-S 105mm

f2.8L Macro IS USM f2.8G IF ED VR Micro
Canon’s 100mm macro goes hybrid Nikon’s most sophisticated Micro
Canon’s latest 100mm lens is from SHARPNESS HIGHER IS BETTER Current Nikon Micro lenses that SHARPNESS HIGHER IS BETTER
the upmarket L-series stable and 2500
give 1.0x magnification include 2500
features an optical stabiliser that 40mm and 85mm lenses for DX
was developed specially for this (APS-C) cameras, and 60mm and
2000 2000
lens. It’s a ‘hybrid’ system, able to 105mm lenses in the FX (full-
correct X-Y shift as well as the more frame) camp. This 105mm lens is
usual vibration. This makes 1500 the pick of the crop, with the best 1500
stabilisation much more effective handling and build quality, plus the
in close-up photography, although 1000
most comfortable working 1000
you’re still likely to need a tripod for distance.
full macro shooting. Tamron has Upmarket features include an ED
500 500
since developed a competing (Extra-low Dispersion) element,
hybrid stabiliser for its latest Nano Crystal coating, fast ring-
90mm macro lens, also on test. 0 type ultrasonic autofocus and a 0
f2.8 f4 f5.6 f8 f11 f16 f22 f2.8 f4 f5.6 f8 f11 f16 f22
Well-built and feature-rich, weather-sealed mounting plate.
the Canon has ring-type ultrasonic Centre Middle Edge There’s an autofocus range limiter Centre Middle Edge
Sharpness is impressive across the whole At most apertures, impressive sharpness
autofocus and a three-position frame and almost the entire aperture range. switch but it’s useless for close-up only drops off a bit in the extreme corners.
autofocus limiter switch that can shooting, as it can only lock out the
FRINGING LOWER IS BETTER FRINGING LOWER IS BETTER
lock out the short or long end short end of the range.
f2.8 1.35 f8 0.74 f16 0.72 f2.8 1.92 f8 2.26 f16 2.31
of the range. The lens also has Fringing is a bit below average at f2.8, but The Nikon comes joint-bottom of our lenses
weather seals and a UD controlled at medium and narrow apertures. Performance for colour fringing, along with the Pentax.
(Ultra-low Dispersion) element. DISTORTION NEARER 0 IS BETTER Nikon’s standard VR system is DISTORTION NEARER 0 IS BETTER
effective for general shooting,
Performance -0.74 similar to that of the Sigma and -0.49
Sharpness and contrast are good, -2 -1 0 1 2

Sony lenses, but lags behind the -2 -1 0 1 2
even when shooting wide-open

There’s marginally more barrel distortion close-up performance of the hybrid Barrel distortion is slight, but it’s not quite
than with most competing lenses. as negligible as in most competing lenses.
at f2.8. More importantly, image stabilisers in the Canon and
VERDICT Tamron. Image quality is good VERDICT
quality remains impressive right
down to f22. Autofocus is fast, FEATURES overall, with impressive sharpness FEATURES
accurate and quiet but, again, for across the whole frame, but colour
BUILD & HANDLING BUILD & HANDLING
macro shooting manual focusing is fringing is a little disappointing
usually preferred, so the smoothly
PERFORMANCE towards the corners. Overall, it’s a PERFORMANCE
VALUE
nice lens, although not particularly VALUE
good value.
OVERALL OVERALL

KIT ZONE
Mount option: Micro Four Thirds Mount option: Pentax K
Olympus 60mm f2.8 Pentax D-FA 100mm

Macro M.Zuiko Digital ED f2.8 Macro WR
Double up your magnification A lens that grows on you
The 2.0x focal length multiplier, or SHARPNESS HIGHER IS BETTER Unlike other lenses in this group, SHARPNESS HIGHER IS BETTER
crop factor, of the Micro Four 2500
the Pentax lacks an internal focus 2500
Thirds system is good news for system. It therefore extends in
close-up photography. Compared physical length as you decrease
2000 2000
with a full-frame camera, you’ll get the focus distance towards its
double the effective magnification minimum setting. On the plus side,
from this lens, in a remarkably 1500 it’s only two thirds of the length of 1500
compact and light build. Even most 100mm macro lenses at its
so, the excellent quality of 1000
infinity focus setting, and only a 1000
the weather-sealed construction millimetre longer than the Olympus
is a credit to Olympus’s line-up 60mm MFT lens.
500 500
of Premium lenses. As is typical of high-end Pentax
Stepping motor autofocus lenses, this model is well-built. It
systems are renowned for their 0 features an aluminium outer barrel, 0
f2.8 f4 f5.6 f8 f11 f16 f22
virtually silent operation, but rarely a comprehensive set of weather f2.8 f4 f5.6 f8 f11 f16 f22
Centre Middle Edge

feature a focus distance scale. This seals and a protective coating on Centre Middle Edge
Scores from test charts look average, but Edge-sharpness is uninspiring on a full-
lens’s smart focus distance/ there’s superb detail in extreme close-ups. its front element to repel muck and frame body but better with APS-C cameras.
magnification indicator is a bonus. moisture. However, the finery
FRINGING LOWER IS BETTER FRINGING LOWER IS BETTER
Due to its relatively short focal doesn’t stretch to an internal
f2.8 0.12 f8 0.7 f16 0.8 f2.8 1.51 f8 2.6 f16 2.46
length, the minimum focus There’s little fringing at medium to narrow
autofocus motor. Instead, the lens There’s little fringing at f2.8 but it’s below
distance is just 20cm, compared apertures, and practically none at f2.8. relies on a screw-drive from the average at medium and narrow apertures.
with around 30cm for other lenses DISTORTION NEARER 0 IS BETTER host camera body. DISTORTION NEARER 0 IS BETTER
on test. At maximum
magnification, the working 0.07 Performance -0.42
distance between lens and subject -2 -1 0 1 2 Although quite small, the manual -2 -1 0 1 2
is entirely usable, at about 10cm. Shooting with this lens on an MFT camera, focus ring operates with precision, There’s just the merest hint of barrel
there’s essentially no distortion to see. distortion – nothing of any real concern.
enabling very fine adjustments in
Performance VERDICT close-up shooting. Autofocus is VERDICT
Image quality is very good, and the FEATURES pretty quick but very noisy FEATURES
electronically coupled ‘fly-by-wire’ compared with all of the other
BUILD & HANDLING BUILD & HANDLING
focus ring operates smoothly for lenses on test. Image quality is
macro focusing. This is the best PERFORMANCE good, but corner sharpness is a bit PERFORMANCE
MFT macro lens on the market. VALUE
lacking using Pentax’s full-frame VALUE
rather than APS-C bodies.
OVERALL OVERALL

KIT ZONE
Mount options: Canon EF Fujifilm X Nikon FX Pentax K Samsung NX

Sony A Sony E Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds Mount options: Canon EF Nikon FX Sony A Sigma SA
Samyang 100mm f2.8 Sigma Macro 105mm

ED UMC Macro f2.8 EX DG OS HSM
It’s a strictly manual affair Premium performance, budget price
People often say that manual SHARPNESS HIGHER IS BETTER This Sigma macro lens sports a SHARPNESS HIGHER IS BETTER
focusing is best for macro 2500 wealth of high-end features. 2500
shooting, but this Samyang lens Headline attractions include

takes things to extremes. As well as 2000
ring-type ultrasonic autofocus with 2000
having no autofocus facility, it also a three-position range limiter
has a purely manual aperture switch, optical stabilisation with
1500 1500
adjustment in most of its mount dual static and panning modes,
options; only the Nikon fit enables and two SLD (Special Low
aperture adjustment from the 1000 Dispersion) optical elements. 1000
camera body. The lens comes complete with a

The upshot is that you have to 500 soft case, a hood, and even a hood 500
reduce the aperture manually, and converter to optimise efficiency
at the narrow apertures generally with APS-C format rather than
0 0
preferred for macro photography, f2.8 f4 f5.6 f8 f11 f16 f22
full-frame cameras. f2.8 f4 f5.6 f8 f11 f16 f22
the viewfinder image is quite dark. Centre Middle Edge
The construction feels solid and Centre Middle Edge
Accurate focusing tends to be Sharpness is pretty consistent across the robust, and the manual focus ring Corner-sharpness drops off a bit at wide
easier in Live View mode. frame, throughout the aperture range. operates with smooth precision. apertures, but that’s not a concern.
The focus ring has a particularly FRINGING LOWER IS BETTER The Sigma works well as a fast, FRINGING LOWER IS BETTER
smooth operation, and a long f2.8 0.51 f8 1.74 f16 1.56 short telephoto for general f2.8 0.56 f8 0.79 f16 0.76
travel that enables very precise There’s practically no fringing at f2.8, and shooting as well as for close-ups, Colour fringing is essentially a non-issue
it’s well-controlled at narrower apertures. throughout the aperture range.
adjustments. The high-spec optical but unlike some lenses on test,
path includes both ED (Extra-low DISTORTION NEARER 0 IS BETTER it lacks any weather-seals. DISTORTION NEARER 0 IS BETTER
Dispersion) and HR (High
0.36 -0.12
Refractive) elements. Performance
-2 -1 0 1 2 Real-world performance proved -2 -1 0 1 2
The minor amount of pincushion distortion Distortion is basically impossible to spot
Performance will be difficult to spot in most images.
better than the lab results suggest. in images captured with this lens.
The Samyang isn’t the outright Sharpness is impressive, from
VERDICT VERDICT
sharpest tool on test but image long-distance focus settings to
quality is very good overall. It beats FEATURES full-magnification close-ups. FEATURES
some of the more expensive glass BUILD & HANDLING Autofocus is fast and accurate. BUILD & HANDLING
in the group in control over colour The effectiveness of stabilisation
PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE
fringing and distortion, making it is similar to the Nikon and Sony
a good-value buy if manual focus VALUE lenses, losing out to the Canon VALUE
is your thing. OVERALL and Tamron lenses for close-ups. OVERALL

KIT ZONE
Mount options: Sony E Mount options: Canon EF Nikon FX
Sony FE 90mm f2.8 Macro G Tamron SP 90mm f2.8

OSS Di VC USD Macro
Technology and quality – at a price The latest and greatest Tamron macro
Sony has ramped up the quality in SHARPNESS HIGHER IS BETTER Tamron has launched some SHARPNESS HIGHER IS BETTER
its G-series and G Master lenses, 2500 fabulous prime lenses and G2 2500
but they don’t come cheap. (Generation 2) zooms recently.

Indeed, this 90mm macro lens is 2000
This one doesn’t bear the G2 2000
the most expensive in the group. badge, but is still a new generation
Compatible with full-frame and of the 90mm VC USD lens,
1500 1500
APS-C format E-mount cameras, distinguishable by its silver band
it’s certainly not short on high-tech around the rear, instead of a gold
features. A Dual DDSSM (Direct 1000 ring around the middle. 1000
Drive Super Sonic wave Motor) The new version has upgraded
autofocus system delivers rapid, 500 optics, doubling up on XLD (eXtra 500
accurate and near-silent Low Dispersion) elements, while
performance. It’s also the first also retaining a single LD element,
0 0
Alpha macro lens to incorporate f2.8 f4 f5.6 f8 f11 f16 f22
and adding dual nano-structure f2.8 f4 f5.6 f8 f11 f16 f22
image stabilisation. Centre Middle Edge
and conventional coatings. The Centre Middle Edge
The optical path includes It’s very good across most of the frame but
weather-sealed build feels robust Lab scores are pretty good, and the Tamron
aspherical, ED and Super ED can be a little lacking in the corners. and includes a keep-clean fluorine really impresses at close range.
elements in a well-engineered, FRINGING LOWER IS BETTER coating on the front element. Like FRINGING LOWER IS BETTER
weather-sealed metal casing. Build f2.8 0.29 f8 0.74 f16 0.76 the Canon stabilised lenses on f2.8 0.9 f8 1.36 f16 2.06
quality is excellent. Handling Both longitudinal and lateral chromatic test, this Tamron features a ‘hybrid’ Fringing is slightly below average at very
aberrations are well suppressed. narrow apertures, but still barely visible.
benefits from a super-smooth image stabiliser, which counteracts
and precise focus ring, with an DISTORTION NEARER 0 IS BETTER the effects of X-Y shift as well as DISTORTION NEARER 0 IS BETTER
electronic fly-by-wire coupling. vibration. 0.09
-0.47
Performance -2 -1 0 1 2 Performance -2 -1 0 1 2
It’s not the most distortion-free macro lens Matching the Olympus on test, the Tamron
Sony says that FE 90mm macro on test, with a hint of barrel distortion. The results of our lab test are is essentially a distortion-free lens.
lenses are individually calibrated to impressive and, in real-world
VERDICT VERDICT
minimise spherical aberration, shooting at very short focus
therefore maximising the quality of FEATURES distances, the Tamron proved FEATURES
bokeh. Defocused areas in images BUILD & HANDLING spectacular at resolving ultra-fine BUILD & HANDLING
are certainly smooth, but there’s detail. The stabiliser works well for
PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE
impressive sharpness on tap. It’s a close-ups but, as with the Canon
lovely lens, but pricey. VALUE lens, you’re still better off with VALUE
OVERALL a tripod for full macro shooting. OVERALL

KIT ZONE
THE VERDICT
Up close and personal

The Tamron SP 90mm F2.8 Di VC USD Macro reveals astonishing detail
Tamron’s new-generation 90mm macro it’s very expensive. The value of its
lens is beautifully built, packed full of optical stabiliser is
top-end features, and delivers sublime questionable too, with recent
results. It matches or beats the overall Sony E-mount bodies
quality and performance of ‘own brand’ adding five-axis sensor-
lenses that are far more expensive, shift stabilisation.
making it a bargain to boot. The Pentax lens has
We prefer the Tamron for shooting on a distinctly retro feel
both full-frame and APS-C format Canon to it but is well-
and Nikon DSLRs, compared with the engineered and
camera manufacturers’ own lenses. And delivers good image
if you’re on a tight budget, the Sigma quality. For Micro Four
105mm is an excellent lens that’s Thirds, the Olympus
unbeatable value, especially in the UK 60mm lens is
and Europe. Sony’s 90mm macro is definitely a
another massively impressive lens, but standout winner.
HOW THE Canon EF 100mm Nikon AF-S Olympus 60mm Pentax D-FA Samyang 100mm Sigma Macro Sony FE 90mm Tamron SP
f2.8L Macro IS 105mm f2.8 G IF f2.8 Macro 100mm f2.8 f2.8 ED UMC 105mm f2.8 EX f2.8 Macro 90mm F2.8 Di VC
LENSES USM ED VR Micro M.Zuiko Macro WR Macro DG OS HSM G OSS USD Macro
COMPARE Digital ED
Contact www.canon.co.uk www.nikon.co.uk www.olympus. www.pentax.co.uk www.samyang www.sigma- www.sony.co.uk www.tamron.

co.uk lensglobal.com imaging-uk.com co.uk
Street price £800/$800 £780/$900 £360/$500 £530/$450 £390/$550 £360/$570 £950/$1,000 £580/$650
Mount options EF FX MFT K EF X FX K NX EF FX A SA E EF FX

A E FT MFT
Full-frame Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

compatible
Elements/Groups 15/12 14/12 13/10 9/8 15/12 16/11 15/11 14/11
Diaphragm blades 9 blades 9 blades 7 blades 8 blades 9 blades 9 blades 9 blades 9 blades
Autofocus type Ultrasonic Ultrasonic Stepping motor Driven from Manual focus only Ultrasonic Ultrasonic (motor) Ultrasonic
(ring-type) (ring-type) camera (ring-type) (ring-type)
Manual AF override Full-time Full-time Via camera menu Quick shift N/A Full-time Push-pull Full-time
Min focus distance 0.3m 0.31m 0.19m 0.3m 0.31m 0.31m 0.28m 0.3m
Internal focusing Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Minimum aperture f32 f32 f22 f32 f32 f22 f22 f32
Optical stabilizer Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes
Filter size 67mm 62mm 46mm 49mm 67mm 62mm 62mm 62mm
Included Hood, pouch Hood, pouch None Hood, soft case Hood Hood, hood Hood Hood
accessories adaptor, soft case
Dimensions (D x L) 78 x 123mm 83 x 116mm 56 x 82mm 65 x 81mm 73 x 121mm 78 x 126mm 79 x 131mm 79 x 117mm
Weight 625g 750g 185g 340g 705g 725g 602g 610g
FEATURES
BUILD & HANDLING
PERFORMANCE
VALUE
OVERALL
OVERALL

Follow the in-depth step-by-step tutorials and discover techniques that will help
you to improve your photographic abilities. Shoot stunning portraits, serene
seascapes and add some colour to your imagery
Ordering is easy. Go online at:

www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk
Or get it from selected supermarkets & newsagents
KIT ZONE
Stay out of sight, avoid camera shake, or program a time-lapse sequence
w w w.c a m r a n g e r.c o m
Once connected, you can wirelessly
CamRanger stream your camera’s Live View
£200/$300 preview, then tap to focus and capture
a still image with almost no perceptible
lag. There’s a one- or two-second
CamRanger is a compact box of second delay before the image is
1 tricks that’s little larger than

a credit card and 16mm thick.
It feels solid and well-made, but
viewable on your smart device, but it’s
no longer than Canon or Nikon’s own
wireless systems. Typical camera
there’s little on the exterior to give settings can be adjusted remotely,
away the power that lies within. It and images can be shared from the
connects via USB to almost all Canon CamRanger app.
and Nikon DSLRs from the 450D or Extra shooting features really add
D5000 upwards; then its Wi-Fi signal value. Use the intervalometer to
lets you wirelessly connect an Android program time-lapses that can last up to
or Apple smart device – or a laptop – 12 hours. Bracketed HDR sequences
to use as a remote camera control. can be shot independently or within a
Set-up is as easy as downloading the time-lapse. There’s an automatic focus
CamRanger app and connecting your stacking mode and a fully featured
smart device to the CamRanger’s Wi-Fi video recording section.
hotspot. You then get a remote range of Some features are model-
up to 150 feet, and a typical battery life dependent and require you to
of five to six hours from the user- pre-configure your camera, but these
accessible rechargeable battery. are minor nitpicks.
VERDICT
w w w.man f ro t t o.co.uk response. The remote Live View feed

Manfrotto Digital Director immediately reacts to any camera
movement, and shutter response is
£199/$230 just as fast.
This slick user experience continues
with a superbly designed app interface,
The Digital Director doesn’t which displays manual camera controls
resemble a typical remote: it’s with excellent clarity. Extra features
2 designed as a form-fitting case that
holds an iPad, which you use as the
like auto exposure bracketing,
intervalometer, time-lapse and video
remote control. Powerful modes are just as simple to use. Switch
processing hardware is built into the to gallery mode and there is a small
base of the Digital Director, where you’ll delay before thumbnail and full screen
also find space for four AA batteries. previews display, but it’s nothing
A mains adaptor is also included. frustrating. You can even use the
This isn’t a wireless remote: your Digital Director to remotely control up
iPad docks with the Digital Director’s to 13 select Manfrotto light panels.
Lightning connector, and this in turn Digital Director is a pleasure to use,
connects to your camera via a USB but it’s not without caveats. It’s best
lead. Download the Digital Director mounted to a tripod accessory arm,
iOS app and you’re good to go. adding extra expense, and it’s only
Although you’re physically tethered compatible with an iPad. But it’s great
to your camera, the benefit is a rapid for longer stationary shoots.
VERDICT

KIT ZONE
FOUR THINGS TO LOOK FOR...

Radio frequency remote will give Wi-Fi triggers use Many remotes Wireless remotes
1 wireless remotes
are very affordable,
an uninterruptible
connection and you
2 your smartphone
for remote camera
3 include an
intervalometer so you
4 have a receiver
that plugs into your
but if you don’t need needn’t sacrifice control. Connecting can program time- camera. Check your
wireless range, a wired any features. can be a faff, though. lapse sequences. camera’s compatible.
w w w.hahnel.ie w w w.pho t t i x .com w w w. xsor ies.com

Hähnel Captur Timer Kit Phottix Taimi XSories Weye Feye
£79/$92 £49/$35 £57/$69
This remote is all about time- The cheapest option in this round- Here’s another Wi-Fi device
lapse shooting. You can shoot up achieves that status because that enables your smartphone,
3 a sequence up to 100 hours
long, split down to one-second 4 it’s also the only wired remote. This
isn’t a deal-breaker by any means,
5 tablet, Mac or PC to control your
camera. It’s slightly smaller than
increments, and there’s a though: like the Hähnel Captur, the CamRanger, but feels less
secondary timer that’ll repeat the the Taimi is a pre-programmable premium. This impression continues
first sequence, also with controllable time-lapse remote; so once you’ve with a temperamental and frustrating
frequency. Alternatively, the Captur initiated a sequence, you can leave Wi-Fi connection procedure. But
can be used as a straightforward the device to do its thing. The use of once everything is linked, you get
remote release, with the 2.4GHz a wired link helps to keep the device’s an 80-metre range and impressive
wireless connection giving a range up power consumption down, resulting in 0.2-second minimum signal latency
to 100m, while Digital Channel Matching a huge 300-hour battery life from two that eliminates any noticeable lag.
guards against interference. AAAs. Five cables are included, so you As well as controlling basic camera
The remote communicates with can connect to most Canon, Nikon and functions, Weye Feye also transmits
your camera via a separate hotshoe Sony cameras. Live View with touch focusing. There
mounted receiver unit, which in Phottix’s button and screen design are also time-lapse and video modes to
turn connects via a sync cable. It’s is very similar to Hähnel’s, so don’t explore, but no HDR or focus-stacking
a slightly bulky combo compared discard the manual in over-exuberance options. You can at least view images
with the svelte CamRanger, but no after unpacking the device, as the stored on your memory card and
other device is required, and the simple instructions will be required to decipher upload them to the web. A rubberised
radio frequency connection works the various time-lapse and shutter case adds protection and houses straps
instantly with no prior set-up. release options. As with the Captur, to attach the device to a tripod leg.
You’ll need to study the instructions, you can program sequences up to Inside, the rechargeable battery is good
however, as the pared-down controls 100 hours long and repeat them, plus for seven to eight hours of shooting, but
and basic screen info result in a cryptic there’s a bulb mode and conventional it isn’t replaceable.
interface that takes practice to master. remote release function with burst There’s no denying you get a lot for
It’s also a pity there aren’t exposure- shooting capability. A display backlight the money here. However, dwindling
ramping features for day-into-night and optional button beep feedback support and limited compatibility with
time-lapse transitions. round things off. newer cameras dents its appeal.
VERDICT VERDICT VERDICT

KIT ZONE
Six lights that encircle your lens to give silky-smooth macro illumination
w w w.canon .com w w w. k a i s e r- f o t o t e c h n i k . d e w w w.nikon .com

Canon MR-14EX II Kaiser LED Ring Nikon R1
1 Macro Ring Lite 2 Light R48 3 Close-Up
£549/$549 £76 Speedlight Remote Kit
£429/$459
Where Nikon’s close-up macro light is This is the only continuous light here,
rather unwieldy, Canon users get this making it suitable for video or macro Rather than using a one-piece ring flash,
compact ring flash. Despite its size, stills. Illumination comes from 48 LEDs in this kit has a pair of SB-R200 flashguns
the unit packs E-TTL II metering, LED two banks, which can be activated that clip onto a mount, which in turn
focussing lamps, and twin flash tubes individually. That’s the only fun feature attaches to your lens via included
with independent power adjustment that on offer, though: the R48 is otherwise adaptors (52mm to 77mm).
can offset their output by up to six stops. stripped of adjustment or customisation. The modular design lets you precisely
A guide number of 14 and a 5.5-second Using LEDs rather than power-hungry position each flash, and there’s the
full-power recycle time are acceptable flash tubes means the light’s hot-shoe option to add extra units. The creative
for close-range work. control unit is even smaller than Canon’s, customisation continues with included
Build quality is second to none, while and is powered by just two AA batteries. coloured gels, plus clip-on diffusers that
a large, clear display makes for effortless These should last around 2.5 hours; an improve light softness close-up. Set-up
usability. We can’t fault the MR-14EX II’s optional AC power supply is available. can be slow with all these elements.
performance, either: its light softness is There’s enough juice to generate a Other annoyances include the pricey
superb, backed up by flawless colour respectable 1,550 lux at 30cm, although CR123 batteries that power each flash.
rendition and accurate TTL metering. this drops off to just 165 lux at 1 metre, We found light quality a tad harsh
The only fly in the making the R48 weaker without diffusers, but
ointment is lens than the ring flashes colour rendering is
compatibility: it’s on test. The 6,000K good. If your Nikon’s
made for Canon daylight-balanced pop-up flash lacks
macro lenses with LEDs produce a a commander mode,
58mm threads, or magenta colour cast, Nikon’s R1C1 kit
larger L editions with but the light is soft has an SU-800
optional adaptors.

KIT ZONE
FIVE THINGS TO LOOK FOR...

1 RING OR PAIR?
Some ring flashes
use small, diametrically
2 POWER BALANCE
Sometimes even
lighting can be bland.
3 SIZE MATTERS
Most ring flashes
have attachment rings
4 TRIGGER HAPPY
The four ring
flashes we’ve featured
5 LESS IS MORE
Don’t be put off by
the relatively low guide
opposed flash tubes. Some ring flashes let you to connect to different- are TTL-compatible, but number ratings of ring
A design with larger, adjust the power of each sized lenses. Make sure it’s possible to use your flashes: you won’t need
semi-circular tubes is flash tube independently your model is big enough camera’s pop-up flash big firepower to shoot
better for portraiture. to emphasise detail. to encircle your lens. for triggering. close-up to subjects.
w w w.nis sindi g i t al.com w w w.pho t t i x .com w w w.si g ma-ima g in g-uk .com

Nissin MF18 Phottix Aether Sigma
4 Macro Flash 5 Collapsible Ring 6 EM-140 DG
£279/$439 Flash Adapter £329/$379
£70
Nissin’s contender stands out with a trick Why fork out for a ring flash when you Rather than using two semi-circular flash
head design. It can expand by 14mm to could just convert your flashgun? Well, tubes that encircle a lens, Sigma’s
accommodate lens diameters up to that’s the theory with this pop-up fabric offering contains two fairly small straight
82mm without vignetting, although the contraption. A cat’s cradle of elastic cords flash tubes on opposite sides of the flash
six included mounting plates top out at in the centre secures the ring to your lens head. This shouldn’t make for the softest
77mm. The features continue with a Fine surprisingly effectively, while your results, but in practice its light is only
Macro mode, where the left and right flashgun fires through a portal at the top marginally harsher than the Nissin’s
flash tubes can be individually adjusted of the ring and is held in place with a strap. output, while TTL exposure metering and
from 1/128 to 1/1,024 power in precise While it’s hardly elegant, the set-up colour rendering are consistently
1/6 Ev steps. A guide number of 16 gives works. The quality of its illumination is accurate.Build quality is good, but
plenty of poke for portraiture or macro sublime, with a noticeably softer light than the plastic hotshoe mount is a
photography. any other product here, and shadows disappointment. The fiddly controls and
Changing modes is easy with the completely eliminated. unintuitive display also take some getting
colour LCD display on the control unit, This softness comes as a direct result used to. There’s no shortage of features,
and the simple interface makes light of the Aether’s huge 45cm diameter, though. You get a modelling/AF-assist
work of configuring wireless TTL master which makes it cumbersome for macro lamp, wireless TTL flash control, high-
and slave flash options. shots. The complex design also restricts speed sync capabilities,
The unit delivers 3-4 stops of light, although this isn’t a plus independent
good light softness deal-breaker for close-up shots. output adjustment
and speedy recycle When you’re finished shooting, the for each flash
times. Colour Aether folds flat like a reflector and is tube from the max
temperature is a neatly stowed in a more manageable GN14 down to
whisker warmer than 21cm pouch. 1/64 power.
the other flashes here.

KIT ZONE
Sensor cleaning can be daunting, but these products make it a painless process
w w w. d e l k i n d e v i c e s . c o m w w w. c a m e r a c l e a n . c o . u k w w w. c a m e r a c l e a n . c o . u k
Delkin SensorScope Dust-Aid Platinum & Kinetronics
1 Travel Kit 2 Dust-Wand Combo 3 SpeckGrabber Pro
£80/$90 £48/$70 £8/$7
Delkin’s kit is equipped to remove loose The Dust-Aid Platinum is a simple device Often the most dirt that ever reaches
particles and more stubborn consisting of a wand with a silicone pad your sensor is a few specks of dust,
contaminants. The SensorBulb blower on the end measuring roughly 10 x making a full-on wet clean overkill.
puffs dust away, albeit in the same 15mm, plus six adhesive cleaning strips. For quick touch-ups, the SpeckGrabber
uncontrolled manner as any blower, Simply press the pad onto one of the is ideal. This is simply a plastic stick with
meaning dust can just be blown around cleaning strips to remove any a small 2mm-square soft pad on the
the sensor, not necessarily off it. contaminants, then dab your sensor to end: you dab the pad precisely on each
Should this happen, you can switch to pick up loose dirt. No residue is left, but particle to remove it. Two cleaning wipes
the included cleaning swabs and solution. you can get a sticky outline if you rock or are included so you can ensure the
You get 15 double-ended wands and a twist the pad while it’s in contact with the grabber is spotless before use, although
decent supply of streak-free fluid, but sensor.For stickier stains, the Dust-Wand Kinetronics maintains it can also be
the results are mixed. The wands have a kit is a liquid and swab combo: you make cleaned with regular soap and water.
tendency to move some particles across swabs by wrapping a small cloth around We weren’t expecting much for a
the sensor, rather than picking them up. a plastic handle. device so basic and cheap, but the
An LED loupe included in the kit shines The bundled cleaning liquid doesn’t SpeckGrabber actually works well.
brightly into the chamber, but we found leave streaks, but with no loupe and Particles stick effectively to the cleaning
the sensor surface to be slightly out of relatively bulky swabs, it’s not the easiest tip, and this doesn’t leave any residue
focus compared with the LensPen loupe. cleaning experience. on the sensor.
w w w. l e n s p e n . c o m w w w. v i s i b l e d u s t . c o m w w w.v i s i b l e d u s t .c o m
LensPen SensorKlear VisibleDust Arctic VisibleDust
4 Loupe Kit 5 Butterfly 724 6 SwabLight Kit
£50/$60 Super Bright £38/$40
£100/$100
LENSPEN says its cleaning equipment THERE isn’t much to this kit: four
is used by Nasa on the International HERE’S an electric brush designed to swabs, a 1.15ml phial of cleaning liquid,
Space Station. The kit has a range of attract dust away from your sensor and the SwabLight. This tiny torch slots
gadgets for dry-sensor cleans. Identifying via the wonders of static charge. onto a swab and shines downward, so
any dust is easy thanks to the loupe with Ultra-fine bristles are attached to a wherever you clean, the light follows. The
LED illumination. Its focus is adjustable to rotating shaft. 10 seconds of spinning SwabLight’s grippy casing is much easier
cover different sensor sizes. causes a centrifugal force that both ejects to hold than a spindly swab handle.
The included Hurricane Blower will dust from the brush, and recharges the A proper loupe would give a better view,
dislodge loose particles, but blasting air bristles’ static attraction. With the brush and though VisibleDust has its Quasar
like this can result in dust from the stationary again, lightly drag it across Plus Sensor Loupe, this isn’t cheap.
surrounding chamber being blown onto your sensor to pick up loose particles. You can spec the kit with one of
the sensor. A better tactic is to use the A pair of effective LEDs lights your way. three cleaning solutions, to shift water or
SensorKlear II cleaning pen. Its hinged tip Loose dust is picked up pretty well, but oil-based stains, or a combination of both.
ensures a good contact with the sensor, the brush doesn’t hold on to particles as We tried the multi-purpose fluid on super-
though it doesn’t attract debris quite as reliably as the SpeckGrabber, making soft Orange Vswabs. The result: a flawless
effectively as the SpeckGrabber tool. the high price hard to justify. clean with no streaks and no dust left.

FIVE THINGS TO LOOK FOR...
1 WET OR DRY?
Carefully using
specially designed swabs
2 THE PERFECT
VIEW
A kit with a loupe and
3 PLAN AHEAD
A basic blower will
never run out of puff, but
4 FIT FOR
PURPOSE
Camera sensors are
5 LESS IS MORE
Squeezy blowers
may be safe for a sensor,
and cleaning solutions light will really help if you get a wet cleaning delicate devices, so only but don’t be tempted
will remove most gunk you see where needs kit, the included swabs use swabs and solution to up the ante with a
from your sensor, while cleaning. Some designs and solution will run out. specifically designed compressed air canister.
a simple air blower also allow you to clean Make sure replacements for cleaning cameras’ Their high pressure and
puffs dust away for while the loupe rests are readily available and imaging sensors, not freezing propellant can
a quick clean. on the lens mount. don’t cost a fortune. just optical glass. cause serious damage.
3
1
6
5

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Future plc is a public Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne

Discover magical macro ..............................................................16

Hidden world ................................................................................. 74

Frozen flowers .............................................................................144

Kit Zone 170

Choose the best camera ......................................................... 172

6 Teach yourself macro photography

Teach yourself macro photography 7

Take a look at a collection of highly rated

8 Teach yourself macro photography

Nikon D810, Nikon 60mm lens with bellow,

Canon EOS 7D, Canon 100mm macro lens,

Teach yourself macro photography 9

Canon EOS 7D, Canon 100mm macro lens, 1/4sec

10 Teach yourself macro photography

Nikon D800E, Nikkor 40mm lens, 3sec at f22, ISO

Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon 100mm macro lens, 1/8sec

Teach yourself macro photography 11

Nikon D5100, Tamron 90mm macro lens, 1/50sec at

Nikon D600, Nikkor 105mm lens, 1/100sec at f14,

12 Teach yourself macro photography

Nikon D70, Tamron SP 90mm. f2.8 AF

Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Canon 180mm macro

Teach yourself macro photography 13

Discover essential skills

Macro on a budget Edit your macro shots like a pro

Teach yourself macro photography 15

Learn these essential techniques and start shooting

16 Teach yourself macro photography

Close and colourful

Teach yourself macro photography 17

SELECT THE PERFECT LENS

subject at life-size Life-size

ﬁlter thread and increases the magniﬁcation

18 Teach yourself macro photography

Teach yourself macro photography 19

PICK THE RIGHT SUBJECT

Shoot incredible insect studies

20 Teach yourself macro photography

Teach yourself macro photography 21

22 Teach yourself macro photography

Shoot studio-based macro

POST-PROCESSING – image stacking

24 Teach yourself macro photography

Teach yourself macro photography 25

Create dynamic compositions

26 Teach yourself macro photography

LOOK BEYOND THE OBVIOUS

Teach yourself macro photography 27

28 Teach yourself macro photography

Delve into this fascinating genre and get great results

30 Teach yourself macro photography

Teach yourself macro photography 31

MAKE THE RIGHT KIT CHOICES

32 Teach yourself macro photography

Teach yourself macro photography 33

REVERSE YOUR LENS

34 Teach yourself macro photography

1 SET THE APERTURE