What is macro photography in a camera. How to take macro photos with macro rings. Focal length, focusing distance, perspective

I am a professor (experimental psychology, not entomology). As early as 1989, I began scanning images for use in my lectures, showing them to the classroom. In 2000, I purchased a digital camera to take family photos and document the dog's behavior. The camera wasn't as good as it should have been, with slow autofocus and other specific limitations. I liked digital shooting for the ability to take photos and immediately see the result. Flash memory is like an endless reel of film. Given my past experience, I think of a digital camera, as you can see, more like a "scanner".

When I first got a camera, my five-year-old son came to my office one day and offered to take a picture of a beetle that caught his eye. That's exactly what I did. The photography, by my current standards, was simply awful, but then it allowed my son and I to see the beetle in more detail than we ourselves could not. This is what got me into macro photography and what I love most about it.

Macro photography allows us to see the inaccessible. As a scientist, I am very curious by nature. I happily continued to photograph beetles, fortunately, my camera was well suited for such shooting. I also liked that the more I developed my skills in shooting bugs, the better the rest (dog, family, etc.) of my photos became.

The Internet and photo forums have become my sources of knowledge about the art of photography. In this regard, I am especially grateful to those who wrote honest and constructive criticism. I think my dream is to have my photographs one day adorn children's books or some other educational material.

I wrote this article because it's not uncommon when I post photos of myself on the forums that people ask how they were taken. And I decided to tell you. But keep in mind, I'm just a self-taught hobbyist who likes to experiment and has an insatiable curiosity. Therefore, you can have your own opinion. However, I hope you find this information helpful and help you enjoy your photography more.

Philosophy

Most of my beetles are photographed in their natural environment. I don't freeze, pollinate, glue or pin them. Sometimes I just move some blades of grass or sprouts to get more good review. Even less often, I move the beetle to a new place. In any case, they are always alive when I shoot them. Occasionally I photograph them on buildings (especially white ones) or other man-made structures.

The purpose of my shoot is to show the beetles in a positive light, at their best. I especially like large "portraits", photographs that show the features of the behavior and shots of the insect in its entirety against a clean and smooth background.

photographic equipment

1. Canon Powershot G1 digital camera 35-103mm zoom lens, 3 megapixels (recently upgraded to Canon Powershot G3, 35-140mm zoom lens, 4 megapixels.
2. Lensmate Lens Adapter
3. Various macro lenses: Tiffen +10 and +7; Hanimex +6; Royal & Quantary Packs (+3, +2, +1 in each pack)
4. Tiffen Megaplus 2x Zoom Converter / 2x Teleconverter
5. Pentax 50mm lens. F1.4 lens (normal, fast lens)
6. Macro ring (for mounting an ordinary lens with the other side)
7. Flash Canon 420ex
8. Various Stofen Omni-Bounce diffusers (translucent plastic cube)
9. Flash holder Kirk , model "butterfly"
10. Remote connection cable (sync cable allows you to mount my flash on a holder)
11. Tripods
12. Macro tripod rail head

Using Macro Lenses

Macro lenses allow the camera to focus on a closer area. As a result, due to the opportunity to get closer, the object in the photo is larger. Simply put, macro lenses allow you to magnify an image, such lenses actually work like a magnifying glass.

Several of these lenses can be used at the same time, but remember, lenses with a greater degree of zoom should be closer to the camera. I managed to achieve an increase of +27. The only drawback that occurs with this technique is that the quality deteriorates as more lenses are used. Another point, the larger the approximation, the smaller the depth of field will be. When you get really close, the depth of field becomes very thin.

As already mentioned, macro lenses force us to get closer to the subject. The distance from the lens to the insect is called the "working distance". There is one technique that I use to increase the distance, for this I use a 2x teleconverter with a macro lens. Increasing the distance not only increases the chance of getting good shot(because the insect will not be disturbed), but also makes it easier to obtain the required quality of lighting. The disadvantage of a 2x teleconverter is that it loses some of the magnification power when using it.

I've learned to use all sorts of optical mating options because some lens combinations work well and others don't. For example, I tried to use a 2x teleconverter (2xTC) with the lens, but the result left much to be desired, so this combination of elements can be considered an unsuccessful "docking".

Lens inversion

Thanks to the combined use of several macro lenses, I got some great shots with good magnification. But this technique only partly satisfied me. I have found that bonding 2-3 lenses does not always give the desired effect, but only sometimes allows you to get the desired quality.

I once read about a technique where the lens is inverted to get good magnification. This was written in articles by Chris Breeze and Guy Parson, as well as in the book "Nature and Macro Lenses" by John Shaw. This technique is also called "poor man's macro".

First I tried the invert technique on Canon lens 35-80 mm., F4.5. The magnification was great, but there was a strong vignetting effect (a black circle, like a frame on an image). So I took my camera and went to a photo store to try out a 50mm lens. (regular). I bought a Pentax 50mm lens, F1.4. "F1.4" means it's a fast lens (it lets in a lot of light). In the end, I got a minimal vignetting effect (only a slight darkening at the edges). I think the zoom effect on the Canon G3 will completely eliminate the vignetting that is present on the G1 when using this lens.

I take a regular 50 mm lens, a Canon digital camera, turn the lens over (turn it on the other side - vice versa) thanks to the adapter (Lensmate), which makes it possible to also use additional lenses or filters, and only then I screw on the macro ring, which has a protruding thread on both sides. Links to resources where you can find such equipment are presented above in the previous sections.

Focus on the subject and lock it in, now you can slightly move the camera back and forth in order to find the best focus point (where the image will look sharp on the monitor) It takes some experience to learn how to do this.

Maximum zoom

Use maximum zoom. This is especially useful when vignetting appears (for example, when using a 2xTC lens screwed after several macro lenses).

Closed diaphragm

Use a smaller aperture (larger "F" value) to get the maximum depth of field. The higher the magnification, the shallower the depth of field.

fill flash

Using fill flash will usually give good results. Most of my shots are taken at "F8" (the smallest possible value my camera can give) at 1/250 with fill flash.

Getting a fill light

I usually use one trick, set the aperture to F8, select the Tv (shutter priority) mode, and set the shutter speed to 1/640. Since the flash is on, it will show top speed 1/250 with F8. Although this trick does not work with the G3 camera, it already allows you to receive high speed sync (higher than 1/250 with external flash), which is very useful for getting fill light.

aperture priority

Another very useful mode I use is Aperture Priority (Av), with F8 of course (the smallest aperture that can be set on my camera). I like this mode because I can tolerate a shutter speed of about 1/100 on a good day (when I had coffee in the morning), but shots taken at 1/160 or 1/200 are more likely to be successful, while still allowing get a lighter background than at 1/250.

Manual mode

I also sometimes use the manual mode, but in my case this creates problems, since with the Canon G1 the flash works at full power at these settings (in this case, you can wrap it with a cloth or use a diffuser). Since the G3 camera gives you much more control over the flash, I think I will use manual mode more often.

Lighting and flash

1. Shoot on sunny days to use faster shutter speeds.
2. If you can afford an external flash, then you will really make a noticeable difference.
3. When using a flash, its light should be diffused (for example, due to fabric) or reflected (for example, from a white card or a special reflector). Focusing light also opens up certain possibilities.
4. Using the 2xTC with multiple macro lenses also results in good lighting, as the longer distance spreads the light more evenly.
5. The butterfly holder (with sync cable) gives you even more control over your lighting.
6. Changing the exposure and flash power, as well as controlling the direction of dispersion, allow you to quite flexibly adjust the lighting.

Should I use a tripod or not?

About 90% of my insect shots are handheld, so I don't often use a tripod. I think this is one of the main advantages of a digital camera with a flip-out monitor. When I use a tripod, I like to use the rail macro head, which allows me to move the camera back and forth a minimum distance without changing the position of the tripod itself. Given how shallow the depth of field is, I prefer to focus first and then move the camera, which is very convenient with a rail head.

As I said, most of my shots are handheld. Therefore, as you can see, I learned how to stabilize the camera very well. I use a variety of methods to achieve this: leaning back against a tree or fence, tucking my elbows in, crouching, or fixing the camera on my knees/legs. If possible, I rest the edge of the camera against magazines or other objects that come to hand, and often, hanging the camera on a belt (or even holding it in my teeth), I press on the camera (pulling the belt) at the moment of shooting. Next season I plan to try shooting with a monopod (a tripod with one single support).

How to get closer?

The philosophy that I described earlier is fully relevant to this section. For me, shooting insects is like hunting big game. You will have to work hard to earn your trophies. In this game, you have to be able to track and chase, as you can see, these are the same skills that a real hunter needs to develop.

Dragonfly photography gives me special pleasure. I don't go shooting at any special time, and besides, I'm not a "lark". I have 3 hectares, from which it is about 15 minutes to the river through the swamps. This, I was told, is why dragonflies are abundant there at certain times of the year. It seems that the presence of water is a key condition when it comes to dragonflies.

Here are some tips for getting closer to the subject:

1. Go slowly and be patient. Observe the insect for a while to understand how it behaves.
2. Some insects are calmer than others (both within a species and across species).
3. Do not make sudden movements, try to stand so that your shadow does not fall on the insect. If the bug has flown away, freeze and wait a few minutes - in most cases they will return to their original place.
4. When you finally get close enough to the insect, immediately start filming like a man possessed. You need to be prepared beforehand by setting up your camera, because you may only get one chance.
5. Once you master the art of focusing and exposure, you can move on to working on the content of the shot.

Digital photo lab

The higher the magnification, the shallower the depth of field you get. This rule cannot be bypassed. I try to make the best use of what little I have. In addition, I try to take pictures in such a way that later there is no need to process and improve them for a long time. In fact, I realized that truly perfect photographs are rare, they do not follow one after another.

When digitally processing photos, I set myself the goal of only improving the image that the camera gives me, and not changing it. However, sometimes I still resort to changes: I add clouds to the sky, remove unnecessary elements and in rare cases change the background.

Lately I've been experimenting with using photos taken within a few seconds. These images have different focus points, which, thanks to the composition, allows you to increase the depth of field (I often do this when using extremely high magnification, in which the depth is too limited). The following photo is just an example of the use of this technique.

Take as many shots as possible while trying to change the plane of focus, so you get a few photos in which the focus will be in the "golden mean".

Get in the habit of deleting most of the photos you take. With experience, the chances of success gradually increase (sometimes).

Use basic tools such as rotation (rotating), cropping (cropping), levels (levels), curves (curves), saturation (saturation) and contrast (contrast), as well as sharpening (sharpening) of the subject and blurring the background.

Masking (masking) hides certain areas of the image, which allows you to work with other areas without affecting the hidden ones. It is useful to apply masking to the foreground in order to process the background. I usually do this to blur the background a bit and remove digital noise (I have to do this since I don't have a modern digital camera that allows me to take photos with little to no noise).

Creating a mask is a rather tedious process, but it can be done different ways. I like the magic wand tool, which highlights similar areas based on their color. As a rule, I start my work with this tool, and only then use others in order to make the mask more accurately.

A tool that, in my opinion, is very useful for performing digital processing, is a graphics tablet that allows you to use a pen instead of a mouse to control the cursor. I have a Wacom tablet.

Artem Kashkanov, 2019

Shooting small objects close-up is almost an integral part of the creativity of any photographer. It can be anything - flowers and butterflies, wedding rings at a wedding, manicure and pedicure samples, product photography for an online store, and so on. How best to do this - and will be the topic of this article. There is a misconception that macro photography- a very simple genre of photography or, even, is not a genre at all. All that is required for this from the camera is the ability to focus from a few centimeters on the subject. This formed the basis of the myth that soap dishes have significantly better macro capabilities than devices with interchangeable optics.

Indeed, manufacturers of photographic equipment have made a clear progress in this - most compact cameras can focus from a distance of 1 centimeter or even less. But it turns out that this is not all that is needed in order to shoot macro with high quality. Especially soap dishes...

Scale

First of all, let's first understand what is macro photography and how it differs from close-up shots. It is believed that the border between macro and close-up passes at a scale of 1: 2. In general, what is the scale in macro photography? After all, this value is almost always indicated in the characteristics of the lens. Its meaning is simple. At a scale of 1:2, two "linear" millimeters of the object are projected onto one "linear" millimeter of the matrix. That is, if the device has a 22 * ​​17 mm matrix (typical value for cropped snipers) and a lens that allows you to shoot at a scale of 1: 2, then a coin with a diameter of 17 mm will be projected into a circle with a diameter of 17/2 = 8.5 millimeters, that is, according to height will be half a frame. If the lens can give a scale of 1: 1, then the coin will turn out to be the height of the entire frame (if the matrix is ​​APS-C).

Based on this, we come to the conclusion that the main indicator of the macro capabilities of the lens is not the minimum focusing distance, but the macro scale. With the same shooting scale, different lenses can have completely different focusing distances - from 20 centimeters to 1.5 meters or more. Why is that?

Focal length, focusing distance, perspective

We know that one of the main characteristics of a lens is its focal length. The larger it is, the smaller the angle of view of the lens and the more it "brings" the object. Accordingly, the stronger the lens "zooms in", the greater the distance it can provide shooting at the required scale. The most typical focal lengths for macro lenses range from 50mm to 180mm. What is the difference between these lenses if they give the same macro scale? It's all about transmission perspectives. It is known that the closer the photograph is taken, the more the image of the object is subject to perspective distortions. Below is an example in which the same object is photographed at approximately the same scale, but with different focal lengths. For simplicity, a rectangular object is used:

The difference is obvious! If when shooting from a long distance with a long-focus lens, a rectangular object retained its shape, then when shooting with a wide-angle lens at the same scale, we got significant perspective distortions, uneven lighting (due to the fact that the flash was too far from the lens), a high probability of hitting the frame of extra objects in the background. There is a rule in photography - in order to prevent the appearance of noticeable perspective distortions, you need to photograph an object from a distance of at least 10 times greater than the "depth" of the object. That is, if we photograph an object 10 cm in size, then we need to do this at least from a meter distance. The focal length of the lens must be such as to provide the desired zoom without approaching the object closer than this critical distance.

How is a macro lens different from a normal lens?

A lens that has the word Macro in its marking usually has the following features:

• Increased focal length. Most macro lenses are moderate telephoto lenses. A telephoto lens hardly distorts the proportions of objects. The more critical the issue of transferring the shape of an object, the greater the focal length (and, accordingly, the focusing distance) should be.
• Larger Macro Zoom than Conventional Lenses. If for a standard "fifty kopeck" Canon 50mm 1:1.4 the scale is 1:4, then for CANON EF 50 mm f/2.5 Compact Macro it is 1:2, that is, it allows you to photograph an object 2 times larger. Macro zoom can be determined by either the minimum focusing distance or the focal length. Macro lenses with a long focal length (150-180 mm) allow you to shoot an object from a greater distance (important for shooting, for example, shy butterflies) and more "stretch" and blur the background.
• Aperture range shifted towards small apertures. If for most conventional lenses the aperture can be clamped to 22, then the macro lens allows you to do this up to 36 and even 45. This is done to provide a larger depth of field zone, since when shooting at close range, even at f / 22, the depth of field is a few millimeters.
• The optical design is optimized for shooting close objects. Any optics has distortions (aberrations) - chromatic, spherical, coma, astigmatism, which adversely affect the quality of the picture. When zooming and focusing, the lenses move inside the lens, and the optics manufacturer needs to compensate for aberrations over the entire zoom / focus range. In macro lenses, focusing in the foreground is preferred. That is why such macro lenses give "razor" sharpness in the portrait and draw the skin in all details, often emphasizing its defects. For this reason, many photographers do not recommend using a macro lens for a portrait - softness is valued in a portrait, especially a woman's.

Common macro photography problems

Loss of an object from the depth of field zone

The essence of the problem is that the photographed object is not completely sharp, but only partially:

The above example is just a strong crop of a photograph taken with a "regular" lens. When using a macro lens, the problem can be much more pronounced.

Suppose we have a 100 mm macro lens, aperture 1: 2.8, minimum focusing distance - 30 cm. If we try to shoot from the smallest possible distance with an open aperture, the depth of field will be less than 1 millimeter (calculated in the depth of field calculator, for full frame). Naturally, under such conditions, in most cases it is difficult to count on a successful photograph - the leading edge of the object will be sharp, the rest will rapidly go into the blur region. Of course, this can be part of a creative plan, but, for example, this approach is not acceptable for subject photography. The depth of field should correspond to the "depth" of the object. To increase the depth of field, cover the aperture. If you close the aperture to 45 (!!!), then the depth of field in this case will grow to 1.3 centimeters - this is quite acceptable for shooting a medium-sized object. But we know that when the aperture is clamped, shutter speed also increases proportionally. When clamping the aperture from f / 2.8 to f / 45, in order to maintain the exposure level, you need to increase the shutter speed by 256 (!!!) times. That is, instead of 1/250 of a second, it will take 1 second! Nothing to do without a tripod.

To check the depth of field, many cameras have an aperture repeater button. At Canon cameras it is located on the left under the lens.

When this button is pressed, the aperture closes to the selected value. In this case, the picture in the viewfinder darkens, but at the same time you can see the real depth of field, which will turn out in the photo. In LiveView, this function is more convenient to use, since the picture on the screen is displayed with the same brightness.

Shevelenka

If during normal shooting with a shutter speed of 1 / 20-1 / 50 seconds, the shake is expressed in image blur (“transverse” shake, it is partially compensated by the stabilizer), then with macro photography with a small depth of field, “longitudinal” shake is still possible - when the shutter button is stepped the unit accidentally moves closer to or further away from the subject. As a result, the subject either falls out of the depth of field (if the camera moves back), or the focus area is not where the photographer intended, for example, on the back of the subject. The most reliable remedy for macro photography is a tripod. It is practically a panacea for shooting stationary objects, the main thing is that its height allows you to properly position the camera. If you have to shoot moving objects, such as flowers swaying in the wind, here the easiest way out is to reduce the shutter speed to at least 1/250 second and burst shooting. According to the theory of probability, at least one out of 10 frames will turn out sharp.

Autofocus misses

Even if the lens does not have front / back focus, you should not rely 100% on the help of autofocus when shooting macro. It is best to use manual focus in LiveView mode by turning on the focus area zoom. This alone guarantees that the entire object will be sharp, or that part of the object that we want to focus on will be sharp.

Normal flash does not illuminate the subject properly

When shooting from a short distance, flash parallax begins to make itself felt. The farther the flash is from the lens, the more uneven the lighting will be, as part of the subject may not be in the flash's range. Let's go back to the example above:

Although this is not macro photography, it is nevertheless easy to see that the flash illuminates the subject predominantly from the left. The right side of the photo is in shadow. To obtain uniform illumination during macro photography, special ring macro flashes are used:

Such flashes allow high-quality illumination of objects even at a minimum focusing distance, for example, like this:

Source - macroflash.ru

lack of scale

Even a powerful macro lens is not always able to provide the desired zoom when shooting very small objects. In this case, you need to seek help auxiliary equipment- macroconverter, extension rings and more complex devices. A macro converter is a lens that is screwed in front of the lens and plays the role magnifying glass. Macro rings are placed between the lens and the body - while the focus area shifts towards shorter distances, that is, we can get closer to the object. You have to pay for this with a decrease in aperture ratio, the loss of the ability to focus on "infinity", a decrease in image quality due to aberrations is possible. However, it is possible to take very close-up shots even with a regular (non-macro) lens. An interesting article about the use of macro rings can be found on the website radojuva.com.ua

Is it possible to shoot a normal macro on a soap dish?

Let's digress for a while from devices with interchangeable lenses and turn our attention to soap dishes. The characteristics of most compact devices indicate the possibility of macro photography from 1-2 centimeters or even less. Yes, it looks tempting! In fact, it turns out that focusing at such a close distance is possible only in the wide-angle position of the lens. If you "add zoom", the macrozone is sharply moved into the distance and the scale decreases at the same time - I happened to hold many soap dishes in my hands, but they all had such a feature. What will come of it can be estimated from this "portrait" of a beetle, made on a Sony soap dish from a distance of about 1 cm (in wide angle):

It is noticeable that the proportions of the body of the insect are significantly distorted. And now let's see another photo of a beetle similar in size, but made using a device with a "large" matrix and a long-focus macro lens:

If in the first example the head of the beetle and its mustache seem huge compared to the body, then in the second the insect looks quite proportional. Also, due to the fact that the lens is wide-angle, extra semi-blurred objects in the background will often get into the frame. Here is the "masterpiece" own production I keep as an example how not to photograph macro.

This photo was taken in the early 2000s with an Olympus soap dish with a fixed wide angle lens. The minimum focusing distance was 10 cm. It seems that when shooting flowers 1 cm in size, there is no perspective distortion, but the background is just killer :) Thus, we can conclude that a good macro on a soap dish can theoretically be photographed if you can focus on a very close object is maintained over the entire range of focal lengths. Unfortunately, I have not seen such devices yet. And now let's digress from macro photography and touch on the topic a little. subject shooting, since many are concerned about the question - how to make it qualitatively at home.

How to get by with improvised means in order to perform high-quality subject shooting?

I regularly need to photograph something for this site, but I don't have a macro lens, no ring flash, and no ambient light. The same situation regularly occurs with the owners of websites and online stores - you need to take a picture of some small object (for example, a product) so that this photo then fits into the design of the website. It is logical that for this the object must be on a uniform background, for example, in this way:

Or on a completely white background:

How do you think this car was photographed? Was a special box used for product photography? Or macro flash? Or some other "device" with an unpronounceable name? The following photo will probably make you smile:

Yes Yes! The white background is a sheet of an old calendar. A smooth bend makes the transition of the "floor" into the "wall" imperceptible. Another thing is that an external flash was installed on the camera, and its head was turned back. The back wall and part of the ceiling were used as a reflector. In this case, the softest and most uniform lighting is obtained, even better than from the ceiling.

Below is a table of the results of the experiment. Since my Canon 5D doesn't have a built in flash, I used an Olympus E-PM2. Then I took a DSLR and took a photo with a flash from the ceiling and from the back wall. See the results yourself.

Shooting with the built-in flash (Olympus E-PM2) It turned out badly - glare, reflections from shiny parts on the background, the image is "flat". Moreover, the aperture is not clamped, the depth of field is not enough (I shot it in auto mode).	Flash from the ceiling (Canon 5D + Canon Speedlite 430 EX II). Aperture 18. Already better, but the background is not evenly lit
Back wall flash (Canon 5D + Canon Speedlite 430 EX II) The background issue has been resolved. You can stop there!	Back wall flash (Canon 5D + Canon Speedlite 430 EX II), leveling adjustments in Photoshop And a completely white background is easy to make in Photoshop - either with levels, or with "color replacement".

What if there is no external flash? For lighting, you can use a regular table lamp. Only, it is desirable that a powerful energy-saving lamp with cold light (4000K) be screwed into it. Using "warm" light (2700K) for lighting can cause white balance problems. By moving the lamp relative to the object, you can achieve the optimal result so that the object is well lit and the shadows from it do not interfere.

"5 simple tips how to photograph…” is our regular series of articles in which we tell you how to shoot certain objects correctly. Our materials are dedicated to the five most popular storylines. We will tell you how to properly set up your camera and what equipment you will need to get good results.

We have devoted the fifth and final part of our series to the "small" world. The task of the photographer in this case is to show the small big. And it doesn't make much of a difference whether you're shooting insects, flowers, or abstract objects. Our five simple tips will help you work with any macro motif. We'll show and tell you what equipment you need, what you should pay attention to when shooting, and why cameras with a smaller sensor are even better in some cases.

1. Use the right technique

To take macro shots, you need a macro lens. good lenses, such as Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 or Sigma AF 105mm f/2.8 cost from 16,500 to 30,000 rubles. But high-quality zoom lenses with shorter minimum focusing distances are also suitable for macro photography. If you don't want to spend so much money right away, you can start by purchasing the so-called reversing or wrapping rings, which allow you to attach inverted lenses to the camera, which allows you to get a macro effect.

It is important that the scale of the image is as large as possible: best of all, one to one. Typically, this information is included in technical specifications corresponding lenses. It means that one centimeter of the imaged object is projected onto one centimeter of the matrix. Such a lens will be much more convenient to photograph small details. Also, use a tripod to avoid the "wobble" effect.

2. Set up your camera

To create a good macro shot, you need a little preparation. Our top tips: use a tripod, turn on the Image Stabilizer, and activate mirror pre-up. This will allow you to take macro shots with excellent sharpness.

As you work, you will notice that the closer you bring the lens to your subject, the shallower the depth of field becomes. Therefore, we advise you to shoot in full manual mode (M) or in aperture priority mode (A or Av) by setting the aperture value from F11 to F16.

Even if your lens allows you to close the aperture more, you should not do this. Because due to the refraction of light, starting from the aperture value of F22, the photos will be less clear. By the way, the smaller the matrix, the easier it is to shoot sharp macro photographs. The depth of field depends on the matrix: the larger it is, the smaller the depth of field.

3. Proper preparation

Pay attention to sufficient lighting. Especially when you get too close to the subject, it can happen that you create a shadow with your lens or body. Approach from the other side or use artificial lighting.

When shooting macro, do not forget about the contrasting background so that your macro objects do not visually “dissolve” in the uniform colors of the background. A green frog on a green background does not look very impressive. It is better to use combinations of contrasting colors, such as green and red or blue and orange.

A little trick: if nature has not created a contrasting background, then you can prepare it yourself. For example, take a pack of colored cardstock with you and use a piece of paper in a suitable contrasting color when shooting.

How to shoot macro: The closer you bring the camera, the shallower the depth of field will be.

4. Compose your shot correctly

One of the main challenges when shooting macro is getting an image with good sharpness. When shooting very small objects, even at the smallest aperture, it is difficult to achieve a large depth of field. Therefore, the most important technical point in macro photography is the combined focus, that is, the “layering” of focus levels.

Set the focus to manual and take several shots of the subject with a slight shift in the focus point. Then upload 10 to 15 photos to a photo editor that can create panoramic shots. For example, in Photoshop (File | Automation | Photomerge). The program will connect different points of sharpness, and you will get one common sharp image.

Macro photography is a relatively simple way to create impressive photos. But don't underestimate the apparent ease of this technology. First of all, when shooting animals, where you will need not only good knowledge in the field of photography, but also a good portion of luck.

We strongly recommend that you do not use macro lenses with too short focal lengths for such shooting. For example, with a 40mm lens, you have to get too close to an animal and you can easily spook it.

Another tip: when shooting, concentrate on one detail, do not overload the frame with a large number of elements. You can improve the photo in post-processing with the help of proper cropping. Experiment with different formats, macro shots look good when cropped squarely.

Do you want to try yourself in this genre of photography? Then go for it, supported by our advice. It is for you, for lovers and enthusiasts, that this article was prepared. We will tell you about what you need to get cool macro and close-up photos, we will reveal the most secret secrets of professional macro shooters and those who position themselves as such. They are reluctant to share them, but we are not sorry to do it.

Classics of the genre: what is macro and what is close-up

You need to know the enemy in person, and the subject - in theory. Therefore, before starting practice, it is worth understanding the terminology, no matter how dry and uninteresting our proposal may sound. To understand the basic principles of the genre, you have to go for it.

It is worth understanding for yourself that the boundaries of the definition of macro photography are blurred. Today, in professional circles, it is generally accepted that macro begins when shooting at a scale of 1: 1. In other words, the size of the object depicted on the matrix is ​​equal to its real size. When the object on the matrix is ​​ten times smaller than the real one, that is, from a scale of 1:10, this is already a close-up. When it is ten times larger than the real one, after 10:1 it is already a micrograph.

Simply put, a macro frame is one in which an object is depicted in sizes from the same as in reality, up to a tenfold increase in an equal size of the area frame.

The main technical secret of pro macro shooters is the formula "short shutter speed + manual focus + closed aperture = success." And the lack of light can be compensated with a flash.

In amateur photography (namely amateur photography), a broader concept of macro photography is used, meaning by macro everything that on the print has dimensions larger than in life (for a full-frame matrix, starting with a scale of 1: 3).

Another definition of macro photography as a genre is related to the resolution of the frame, commensurate with the resolution of the human eye (with one hundred percent vision). So, if in the photo the object or the details next to it are visible or enlarged, but in life they cannot be properly examined with the naked eye, this is a macro. Of course, one can argue about the possibilities of this most naked eye, but the exact line still does not exist.

Thus, according to this definition, a flower with an insect shot in real size is not macro yet. And it does not matter from what distance they were photographed - centimeter or meter. But if you zoom in on the picture and the detail, for example, of an insect increases, it will be such that you can see what is invisible to the ordinary eye, then this is already a macro. Moreover, macro, even if the earthly creature occupies an insignificant part of the frame and does not have a 1:1 size on the matrix.

Compact or SLR? Makrushnik equipment

Ideally, hobbyists who aspire to become pros at macro photography should get themselves a DSLR with a quality macro lens. It is clear that such a cost can not be cheap.

Typically having a flat plane of focus capable of capturing sharp images from corner to corner, macro lenses are designed specifically for close-up photography. By the way, they can also be used as portraits. In other words, they are functional. Fans of the macro genre often acquire not one lens, but a couple or three. It is important that high-quality optics make excellent shots even at a strong zoom.

Modern macro lenses, depending on the focal length, are conventionally divided into 60/90/100/150/180 mm. Each of them has its own characteristics:

60mm. Used for macro more often than others. This focal length is needed when shooting "non-shy" objects - those whose bodies have access, which are easy to get close to. 60 mm gives a natural background to the image. Such models are also taken for copying: shooting pages, stamps, coins. But it is better not to use them for shooting from a distance. For this purpose, there are telephoto lenses. And short-focus models give them a head start in price.

90/100 mm. At this focal length, it is great to photograph objects from a normal distance. And at the same time, the increase is what you need without approaching them. These lenses look longer than 60mm ones. They are both heavier and more expensive.

150/180 mm. Bulky and heavy, they blur the background and are great for shooting from a distance.

Please note that the prefix "macro", appearing in the name of the optics, does not always indicate its purpose for close-up shooting. Some manufacturing companies (for example, Sigma) call macro almost every second lens. In order not to get into trouble, you need to pay attention to what is written in the technical documentation or specifications. If the marking is 1:2, and even better 1:1, put the model on your wishlist of a “marushnik”.

But what if you do not have a SLR camera equipped with a macro lens, and buying one is not included in your plans? Of course, do not give up the charms of close-up photography. Do you already have a compact? Here, arm yourself with it, because its capabilities are enough for macro photography. Moreover, compact cameras in the macro genre have many advantages over mirrors. For example, due to their size, they are more convenient, and framing on the LCD screen, especially the rotary one, is much easier. But the main thing is that the inability to make a beautifully blurred background with a soap dish, traditionally equipped with a small matrix, turns out to be a plus for the “macro”. Due to the small matrix, compacts achieve a large depth of field (DOF). And it is precisely this that is so lacking in macro photography for DSLRs. True, sometimes blurring the background to focus on the subject is still necessary.

And to be objective, the SLR camera is more versatile. To improve your skills in the macro genre, you can additionally purchase not only macro lenses. They are an expensive treat. Therefore, our advice to you is to try cheaper accessories for macro photography first. The most simple and accessible of them:

– reversible rings attached directly to the chamber;

- couplings (coupler), switching lenses;

- mechanical or electronic extension rings (extension tubes) that are installed between the camera and the lens and allow you to reduce the minimum focusing distance, due to which the zoom increases;

- macro nozzles that are screwed onto the lens instead of filters.

Also, those who want to try everything that is possible in business can recommend such a thing as a macromech. Working on the principle of extension rings, macrofur also precisely and quickly adjusts the height. But it also costs a lot.

For owners of a SLR camera with a long telemacro lens, a special flash for macro photography will not be superfluous. She dresses directly on the optics. It is convenient to install it on a special holder in order to bring it closer to the object if necessary.

Flash substitutes are ring LED illuminators. They are similar in design to macro flashes, but they are more economical in terms of battery life. In addition, they win in price. Although it cannot be said that such illuminators are inferior to flashes in power.

What if you cheat? Close-up without a macro lens

To take a macro shot without special optics, you can resort to one trick. Unfasten your lens from the camera, turn it around and attach it to it with the back side. Then select M mode and take a test shot. Yes, by the way, it is important at the same time that the diaphragm remains open, hold its “flag” with your hand.

Such a trick, depending on the type of optics, allows you to shoot up to 1 cm. Below you can see an example of such an experiment.

General concepts, the struggle for sharpness Lighting, tips, accessories

Traditionally, macro photography is considered to be shooting in which the size of the image on the frame plane is comparable to the physical dimensions of the object taken. With exact equality, they speak of a scale of 1: 1. The era of digital technology somewhat confused the previously unambiguous picture. First, digital camera sensors have different sizes. Secondly, the resolution of matrices varies much more widely than the graininess of films, which means that with the same declared scale, you can get a much larger frame from a picture of a 7-megapixel camera by simple cropping than from a picture of a 3-megapixel camera. The most correct macro-capabilities of digital cameras could be estimated in terms of the number of dots per square centimeter of an object, but manufacturers prefer not to advertise this parameter. Instead, there are proud statements like "The minimum shooting distance is only 2 centimeters!" Let's try to figure out what this information says and whether it is good or bad.

Iris. Camera Pentax *ist DS, macro lens with F=100mm, ISO 800, F/18.

The image scale depends on two values: the focal length of the lens and the minimum focusing distance (MFD). The scale is the larger, the larger the focal length and the smaller the MDF. Therefore, it may turn out that a camera with an MDF of 2 centimeters will lose in terms of image scale to a camera with an MDF of 10 cm - this difference will be more than compensated by the difference in the focal lengths of the lenses. It is quite difficult to calculate the real scale based on the data from the advertising booklet: you need to take into account that modern cameras are usually equipped with a zoom, the macro mode is not available over the entire range of focal lengths, and the MDF at different focal lengths may be different. Therefore, we can advise a much simpler and more pleasant way: go to the nearest store selling photographic equipment and try the devices you like in action. For greater clarity, as a test object, you should take a ruler with you. And if you want to save money, you can buy later, for example, via the Internet.

Now let's talk about convenience. As long as you're shooting at home and your models are still (or disciplined), a 2cm MDF won't cause much inconvenience. Although in this case, an attempt to capture the nose of a beloved cat can end in failure for the front lens of the lens. But as soon as you get out into the street, threats begin to lie in wait from all sides: sharp dry blades of grass stick out everywhere, the wind raises dust, and a harmless-looking insect strives to release a trickle of a frightening secret. When you manage to get close to such a distance to the butterfly, you will no longer think about the composition and exposure of forces.

Grains of cane sugar. Minolta Dynax 5, standard zoom F=100mm, additional inverted lens Jupiter with F=85mm

The best thing is to decide in advance which scenes you will mainly photograph. Of course, this is difficult for an amateur to do, so we can advise you to stop at equipment that provides macro photography from a distance of more than 10 centimeters - this will solve most of the problems. If you cannot deny yourself the pleasure of hunting for shy and mobile insects (and, unfortunately, butterflies also belong to them), you will have to shoot at a distance of more than half a meter.

But finally, the agony of choice is over, you go outside, see a bright butterfly on a dandelion, hold your breath, aim the device, press the button and ... almost impossible to distinguish. Dont be upset. Shallow depth of field is a major problem in macro photography.

The fight for sharpness

The physical properties of optical systems are such that with increasing scale, the depth of field (DOF) tends to zero.

a) Aperture 32 b) Aperture 16 c) Aperture 2.8

The only one technical parameter, which allows you to influence the depth of field - the selected aperture value. Decreasing the aperture (corresponding to increasing the numerical value) leads to an increase in the depth of field. The downside of this process is increasing shutter speeds, which can lead to "shake" - blurring of the image due to camera vibration or subject movement. The camera's automatics, even in macro mode, make sure that the shutter speed is fast enough for handheld shooting. It is believed that the average person can shoot with a shutter speed inversely proportional to the focal length of the lens (for a 35mm camera). Those. for a lens with a focal length of 50 mm, the shutter speed should be faster than 1/50 of a second. Many cameras reduce this by another half stop. But if you are a master of sports in shooting, use a tripod, monopod or natural elbow or camera support, this rule ceases to apply. Therefore, macro photography (especially field photography, when there may not be time for experiments) is best done in aperture priority mode, setting aperture to 16 as the initial value.

A very important role is played by the accuracy of focusing. Autofocus systems, especially multi-zone autofocus systems, have a hard time identifying what you're shooting, and the slightest mistake is guaranteed to ruin a shot. Use manual focus if your camera has such a mode, or turn on the focus mode only on the center point. In the latter case, you need the object (or part of the object) on which you want to get maximum sharpness, to the center of the frame, lock the focus (on most cameras, this is done by half-pressing the shutter button), crop and take the picture.

Plantain flower. Canon Digital IXUS i, f/5.6

You also need to take care of the angle. Even at a medium-sized aperture of 32, the flower will not fully fit into the depth of field if shot at an oblique angle. This is not necessarily a bad thing - such a frame may suit your creative task. Keep in mind, however, that blurry objects in the foreground make an unpleasant impression on most viewers.

It is worth deciding whether such a large increase in shooting is necessary in this case. If you are not going to print a photo larger than 10x15, you can get the same result with a simple crop with a significant gain in depth of field.
And the last method, suitable only for stationary objects and requiring computer skills. You can take a series of shots, gradually shifting the sharp area, place them in graphics editor on different layers of one image and, by carefully working with an eraser, on the resulting layer achieve a depth of field that is unattainable in any other way. Just keep in mind that lenses with a rotating front lens zoom a little when focusing, and when using them, you will have to tinker with the editor a lot more.

Lighting

The need to "clamp" the aperture leads to a chronic lack of light and an overwhelming desire to turn on the flash. Indeed, it will allow you to use fast shutter speeds, but the hard frontal light of the built-in (or mounted on the camera) flash makes the picture flat and often leads to overexposure of the bright areas of the frame. You may also encounter the fact that the shadow from the lens will fall into the frame. A good result can only be obtained by working with an off-camera flash, reflectors and diffusers, or using a special ring flash for macro photography. However, this equipment is expensive and requires special skills, so if it's cloudy outside, it's better to stay at home and devote time to shooting still life.

Canon Digital IXUS i, f/2.8

Another danger associated with a lack of light is the automatic correction of the sensor sensitivity, which is performed by all modern cameras at default settings. But with increasing sensitivity, noise also increases, and if SLR Cameras give a picture of decent quality up to 1600 ISO, then compacts with their microscopic matrices rarely work well at values ​​​​greater than 100 units. However, quality assessment is a rather subjective thing, so it doesn’t hurt to take a series of identical shots, setting the sensitivity manually, examine the area with a minimum of detail in the editor at 100% scale, and decide what maximum sensitivity value you and your camera can afford.

Many cameras support the useful feature of limiting the auto-correction of the sensor sensitivity. If not, you will have to use forced installation.

Ordinary faceted glasses can turn into an abstract painting

Five practical tips.

1. A good artistic effect is the use of an artificial background. The small size of the models makes it quite easy. A children's set of colored paper (not glossy) is quite suitable. A warm-toned object usually looks good against a cold background, and vice versa.

2. Interesting shots are obtained when shooting flowers and leaves in backlight (through the light).

3. Do doubles. Even professional photographers are not shy to admit that when shooting macro, 9 out of 10 frames immediately go to waste.

4. Try ambush shooting: choose a flower, think about the angle, set the exposure (you can take a few test shots) and wait for a bee or butterfly to land on it. It is not so difficult: millions of anglers do not get bored, looking at the swaying float for hours.

5. It is often inconvenient to use a tripod: there may simply not be enough time to choose a platform and unfold the legs. In many cases, a small monopod helps. If you lean on the ground or even hold the rod under your arm, you can increase shutter speed by 1-2 steps. Similarly, you can use the tripod when folded.

Canon Digital IXUS i, f/2.8

Accessories

And if the possibilities of the camera have already been exhausted, but you want more? In stores, you can find many devices that allow you to zoom in on shooting: from the simplest extension rings to specialized macro lenses. Let's look at the main types.

macro lenses. They provide excellent image quality when shooting at a 1:1 scale, and are fully compatible with autofocus systems and automatic exposure controls. Their only drawback is their high price.

Telephoto lenses with macro mode. A typical representative is a 100-300 zoom lens with a macro mode available only at the maximum focal length. The scale is no larger than 1:2, but it is achieved at a distance of 90 centimeters, which makes it possible to hunt large mobile insects. Price - from $150. The autofocus system in macro mode often performs poorly.

Kodak DX6490 camera with macro converter

Extension rings. Installed between the lens and the SLR camera. In the center of the frame, the image quality remains high, at the edges it deteriorates greatly. Rings reduce the overall aperture of the system, resulting in a dark viewfinder image and difficulty focusing. However, it is the cheapest macro attachment and can be used in many cases.

Attached lenses and macroconverters. The only way out for owners of systems with a fixed lens. Options are available from simple and cheap magnifying lenses (diopter attachments), the main function of which is to reduce the minimum focusing distance, to complex multi-lens systems, the price of which approaches the price of an interchangeable lens. The maximum magnification depends on the characteristics of the main lens and the magnification of the attachment, and the image quality, alas, on the price: attachment lenses increase chromatic aberration and lead to a noticeable deterioration in image quality.

Most fixtures in this class require a filter thread on the lens.
Homemade fixtures. The easiest and most common way is shooting through an inverted lens. In this case, the “shifter” essentially plays the role of a high-quality attachment lens with a huge magnification. The dual lens system works well when the primary lens is long and the secondary lens is wide angle. Otherwise, darkening may occur at the edges of the frame. When connecting lenses, one should strive to ensure that their front lenses are as close as possible to each other, but in no case do they touch. With a successful combination of lenses in this way, you can achieve a scale several times larger than 1: 1, while the image quality is very good. The adapter can be made independently from the frames of two light filters. Disadvantages - difficult to use, unreliable design, very small depth of field and focusing distance.