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Summer's coming - hopefully, and our thoughts turn to macro. Okay, my thoughts turn to macro then!
So I thought I'd post some hints and tips to encourage you to get out there and think SMALL!
Equipment.
This will depend on you, and your willingness to invest into this area of photography. Close-up lenses will allow you to use an existing lens, at less than £20. Quality is lacking that of a dedicated macro lens, but ideal for testing the water. At the other extreme is a dedicated macro lens. Personally, I'd recommend nothing shorter than the Tamron 90mm or Sigma 105mm for wildlife as the 1:1 reproduction is reached at 30cm from the film/sensor plane. This close and most creatures flee for their lives. If budget allows, 150-200mm macro lenses would be the best solution, but are heavy, making hand holding almost impossible.
As a compromise, Sigma and Tamron offer 1:2 (half life size) macro on their popular 70-300mm lenses. Priced at around £150, with minimum focussing at the 1 metre mark, I find my own Tamron the best general use macro lens. Large subjects such as butterflies and dragonflies can fill the frame, from a distance.
If you wish to get 1:1 with a close focussing macro lens, then be prepared to be up with the dawn - which is about 4.30am in June/July! Two good reasons for this are 1) insects being cold-blooded need to warm up before becoming active and 2) dew condenses on their bodies, giving the dewdrop appearance so beloved of macro shooters. Light levels are lower, meaning a tripod becomes a necessity. Personally, as I've in-body anti-shake, I always shoot handheld, but will try and point out what to look for in a macro tripod.
If the thought of an early start leaves you cold, then you need to look at working a bit further away - hence the 70-300mm comes into its element. By midday, the light levels are high enough for handholding at f11-16, but the insects are so active that stalking techniques come into play. Don't be surprised however, when a dragonfly decides that you look like a suitable perch and lands on you. Between my partner and I, we've had dragons and damsels on fingers, glasses, hats and backpacks!
Tripods. Flexibility is key here. I'm sorry, but in the wild, most subjects don't feel the need to pose at the right height for many tripods. Something like a Benbo Trekker, or any tripod with removeable/rotateable centre column will be best suited. A beanbag is also useful, especially for creatures at ground level. The new generation of dslrs with liveview sound ideal for low level, however, only Sony and Olympus/Panasonic have articulated screens - you'll be lying down on the ground if you've a Canon or Nikon. Take a carrier bag/bin bag to lie on, as grass is notoriously wet even on the dryest of days.
Techniques. The closer you focus, the smaller the area of acceptable focus becomes. At 1:1 and above, even at f16 you could be looking at a depth of field of millimetres. This can work in your favour, giving say an insects eye in sharp focus, but everything else blurring into the distance. Other times it can be a pain, especially if your focussing is even slightly out. Try to get the subject side on - that way the depth of field can render all the body of the subject in focus from f8 to f16.
Lighting can be harsh, as many insects have highly reflective chitin bodies. Highlights can blow easily so be careful with the exposures. Metering isn't generally a problem, more dynamic range. Working at either end of the day is better, just keep the tripod close at hand.
Locations.
Pretty much anywhere. A garden can be host to spiders, ground beetles and shield bugs. Plant the right pollen bearing flowers and watch for butterflies and bees. A mature (at least 3 years old) can host dragonflies and damselfies.
Meadows/parks. Great for butterflies - earliest flyers are the Brimstones and Whites. Occasionally small Tortoiseshells and Commas can be spotted from February onwards if the weather is warm enough. Bees will be bouncing between any flowers that are out, or trees in blossom. Braver photographers may want to explore the soil on flower beds for violet ground beetles and tiger beetles.
Water. From rivers to ponds, even permanent puddles can host vast swathes of insect life. Dragonflies and Damselflies have a 2-3 year span as aquatic nymphs, predating on everything from tadpoles to small fish. Then when conditions are right, they'll find a suitable reed to climb and begin the metamorphis to adulthood. Again, an early start will allow you a privileged view of this. If you do get the chance, watch it - it is an amazing transformation. Do not touch the adult as they are at their most vulnerable, with soft bodies and a lot of predators out there. Different water types attract different species, so take in as many different environments as possible. Rarities such as the white-faced darter can only be found on schwingenmoor (excuse the spelling!), extremely rare bogs with high acid contents. Common species are pretty much everywhere, Emperors, chasers and hawkers will criss cross ponds, while rivers can be home to hundreds of Banded Demoiselles. All of which are excellent subjects, all of which can be a pain to catch in one place!
Woodlands. Lighting is the biggest problem here, but you can find Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood butterflies in abundance. Many insects here tend to be bark burrowers.
Will add more, including examples, later. Feel free to add bits and pieces to build up a user guide for the site to use!
Carl
hil26
Carl - nice intro and tutorial which I am sure will be of benefit to lots of folk
cheers
Dave
carlj
No problem Dave - glad you suggested it. Will post examples with how to text from home!
creators
Thanks Carl, invaluable insights from someone who turns out superlative shots.
carlj
Right, back at home, so let's see some examples!
Using the workhorse 70-300mm. This was actually a grab shot, as the black-tailed skimmer alighted momentarily on the perch.
Depth of field - or lack thereof - using a cheap Vivitar 100mm macro. 1:1 required it's matched multiplier, and focus manually the only option. The eye is about all that's in focus, at almost touching distance.
Frame filling, with the larger hawkers (this is a Southern) is easy at 1:2 with the Tamron 70-300mm. Retains a lot of detail too at f8.
Using a side-on angle to retain as much of the subject in focus - even so, reduced levels make it difficult.
Sometimes, the subject uses a perch that creates an artistic impression itself - this I deem my "glamour" shot!
Hoping to explore ringflash, when I can get a suitable adaptor!
hil26
Some pretty fine examples there
Gilly
Wow, some amazing examples there Carl - especially the last one.
Can you tell me what you mean by 1:2 or 1:1 etc. Also I have heard of 'stacking' when taking macro shots - does this literally mean taking a stream of pictures each one with a slightly different focal length in order to give a wider depth of focus, once they are manipulated on PS (or something similar?)
Love your work by the way. I find it really inspirational, and am looking forward to being able to try some of this kind of work for myself.
carlj
Thanks for that Gilly.
Focus stacking is exactly that - hdr for focus so to speak.
Macro (actually Nikon got it right, it's really Micro!) is defined by the ratio. Lifesize:Reproduction rate on the film/sensor plate. And the sensor size does have an effect too.
1:1 means that 1 inch in life is 1 inch on the image.
1:2 is half life size.
2:1 is twice life size (using extension tubes or bellows).
One important thing to note with macro is lighting. Important in all photography, essential in macro. Because you're shooting so close, you become a possible lighting factor, with your shadow. In addition, built in flash can be difficult as the lens will prevent some of the light hitting the subject.
Above all else, get out there and play!
downwards
Fantastic photography.
I would like to ask a question though.
How big, physically are macro lens's?
You mention the 70-300 lens & you've got some stunning shots from it. This is probably because i'm new to photography, it just seems odd that you'd have this rather large lens right up against your subject....
Do they not move at all? Its just like you've almost frozen time to take the picture
carlj
The 70-300mm is a boon. Physically large, but with a metre between me and the subject, little is disturbed.
Macro lenses however, are a different matter. My Sigma 105mm is about 4inches long, almost doubling when focussed to 1:1. And at that length, yes, you are among the subjects.
Chance, timing, 100s of almost-shots are all factors! Curiously, some of the critters you'd expect to be the most flighty tend to be the most resilient when you're shoving a lens in their face. The fly being the most obvious, as I've another shot from a face on perspective - and she hung around after I'd taken those shots too.
To get an idea of how close, and all the depth of field factors in play here, I'd recommend getting a flower - gerberas seem popular - near a sunny window, and using one of the lenses above, or the close up lenses, take loads of shots. Shoot in AP, vary the aperture constantly and see what you get. Post them here with settings, and we can build up an information database for others to use!
Carl+
carlj
Indoors with Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro, f8, 1/6 second, 2 sec mlu. ISO 100.
Processed to jpg, duplicate layer added, cooling filter. Erased over chilli to bring back warm colour for contrast. Used waterdrop action from adobe exchange for drops. Sharpened using high pass filter, overlay, 70% opacity.
