How to Capture Macro Photography
Macro photography is photography magnified. It’s a beautiful way to show the fine details of smaller objects. A photograph is typically considered macro photography if the subject is at a scale five times its real-life size.
This kind of photography is all about showing a subject on a scale much larger than it appears in real life. The subject usually takes up most of the composition, with a small depth of field. While you can use a dedicated macro lens to capture these kinds of photos, they are usually expensive, which may prohibit photographers from exploring this kind of image capture. Instead, you can use an extension tube or achromatic close up lens to capture macro photography. Get closer to capture small scenes in vivid detail using these tools.
The Setup
You can easily modify your existing lens and camera for macro photography with an extension tube or achromatic lens. Both of these tools allow you to take close-up photos without switching out for a macro lens.
Extension tubes are a great solution to allow close focusing without sacrificing the optical properties of your lens. These are essentially hollow tubes that you attach to your existing lens in order to extend its focal length. When using an extension tube, remember to adjust camera settings like aperture and shutter speed to compensate. ProMaster Macro Automatic Extension Tubes are engineered for a precise fit and to maintain full electronic communication between your camera and lens.
Another option for achieving macro effects with your existing lens is a close-up filter that mimics macro photography by enabling close focusing distances. A close-up filter screws onto the front of your lens and acts as a magnifying glass. The ProMaster Achromatic Close-Up Lens magnifies the image so your lens can focus closer. This lens provides a bright, clear image in your viewfinder, since it doesn't restrict any light entering the camera. Its double achromatic glass elements reduce chromatic distortions, improve sharpness, and achieve excellent image quality.
A tripod is also recommended to keep your camera steady while you focus on the shot. Between the shallow depth of field, manual focusing, and careful camera positioning, a tripod becomes necessary to stabilize your camera. A tripod is ideal for stationary objects, like jewelry, but can also help with live subjects, like insects. We recommend adding a Macro Focusing Rail for even more dialed in control.
The Setting and Subject
These kinds of photos can be taken in a studio or outdoor environment as long as you set yourself up for success. Keep in mind that the depth of field shrinks when working with smaller subjects.
Macro photography is all about highlighting the subject in your composition. For nature, you can highlight the details of a flower’s pollen or capture a ladybug about to take flight. Get a close-up view of your smaller product, like engagement rings or memory cards. Food is a great opportunity for macro photography - capture the finer details of a blueberry or the crust of a baguette.
Background is an important aspect of your composition in a macro photograph. With the shallow depth of field, your subject will be in focus while the background is muted. Make sure your background sets off your subject and isn’t distracting from your main focus.
Lighting can play a big part in a macro shot, so make sure you’re highlighting the elements you want. A small light, like the ProMaster LED Macro Ring Light or ProMaster LED Macro Arm Light, can help you capture the image you have in mind. We also recommend experimenting with lighting and flash to fill in shadows, a common problem with macro photography.
Shoot Your Shot
Once you have your camera ready to go and your composition in place, it’s time to shoot your shot. Keep in mind that depth of field decreases the closer you get to the subject and the higher your magnification goes. As a general rule, increase your aperture settings to get all, or most, of the main subject in focus. This also increases the available depth of field, making focusing easier.
A few more tips to keep in mind:
Use manual focus - when photographing subjects at this close of range, autofocus struggles to automatically find the focal point.
Keep an eye on details - macro photography is all about capturing minute details you can’t easily see with the naked eye.
Take plenty of shots - the more photos you take the more opportunity to get the perfect shot you have in mind.
Using an extension tube or achromatic close up lens lets you get into macrophotography, without investing in an expensive lens. This video shows the comparison between a macro lens and a ProMaster Extension Tube for beautiful close-up photographs. Shop all of ProMaster’s extension tubes and achromatic close up lenses online or at your local camera store.
