Macro Photography Tips

Macro Photography can be pretty daunting when you take into account all of the different technical aspects to crafting your image. In this guide you will learn about useful terms and tips so you can spend more time having fun and less time worrying.

Magnification

Arguably the most important thing to learn is magnification. The magnification of a lens is expressed as a ratio. A simple way to look at it is the ratio of a subject’s actual size to the size that it is projected onto your camera’s sensor. For example, a ratio of 1:1 would mean it is depicted at the same size as in real life and a ratio of 2:1 would mean your subject is double the size of what it is in real life.

Minimum Focusing Distance

The minimum focusing distance is the minimum distance required for your lens to focus properly. It is not referring to a subject and the end of your lens, but rather the distance between a subject and your camera’s focal plane. You can find out where your focal plane is located by looking for a mark featuring a circle with a line going through it on top of your camera.

Depth of Field

Depth of field is the distance between the nearest and furthest points of an image where objects are in focus. Your depth of field is determined by the aperture of your lens, it all matters how much light you are allowing in. The higher your aperture, the larger your depth of field. The smaller your aperture, the smaller your depth of field. For example, if your aperture is set to f/22, you will have a small depth of field.

One of the biggest challenges when capturing macro photos is not having a large enough depth of field. Long focal lengths have a more shallow depth of field while wide focal lengths have a large depth of field. Depth of field becomes larger when focusing at a considerable distance from your focal plane and becomes smaller when focusing at or near the minimum focusing distance of your lens.

A macro lens with a long focal length moves the minimum focusing distance further from the end of the lens while maintaining the magnification ratio which is very beneficial in instances where you need to photograph something from farther away. Perhaps you want to capture an animal that is easily startled, a lens with a long focal length will be more beneficial. Not being as close also reduces your chance of casting your shadow onto the subject area or obscuring any ambient light.

Light

If you are using your camera hand-held, you are going to need to use a faster shutter speed. With that, you will need to add more light and use a higher ISO. A proper macro ring light or a dedicated lens mounted solution will give you the best results. It is important to diffuse your light as you never know when you will encounter a glossy subject with reflective features. Such as a rain droplet or an insect. Solve this by using a nice soft box.

Focusing

Because your depth of field is so small at close focusing distances, manual focus is going to be your best option to ensure your shot is perfect. Practice by setting your focus to where you think it should be and then physically move yourself to get closer or farther away so that your subject is perfectly in focus. Shoot multiple images to ensure at least one has the focus where you want it.

Using A Tripod

If you are shooting a still subject, consider using a tripod. This will enable you to shoot at a slower shutter speed and requires less light. Another advantage to using a tripod is that you are able to use focusing rails which allows you to maintain your magnification ratio.

Recommended Gear

Any lens that has greater than a 1:1 ratio is considered Marco. View a few lens selections here.
Use a camera that has a full frame sensor so that you can push your ISO fairly high while using a smaller aperture. View a few camera selections here.
Soft box for diffusing light.
Tripod to allow you to shoot with a slower shutter speed.