Macro Photos Tips

Tip #1: Remove Camera Shake

Macro photography can have a small depth of field. Because of this, camera shake can easily mess up your photos. Tripods help tremendously. However, if you are chasing live subjects for your macro photos like I am, a tripod isn’t an option. Purchasing a macro lens with an "image stabilizer" will help counteract camera shake. Good lighting is always helpful too; consider purchasing a "ring flash" to evenly illuminate your subject.

Tip #2: What To Do With Your Eyes

I’ve found that when I'm looking through the view finder of my camera with my left eye, and squinting / closing my right eye, it’s not long until my right eye loses its own focusing ability. That becomes a hassle later on throughout your day. If you are going to spend hours taking macro photos, instead of squinting, keep both eyes open. Then you won’t have trouble seeing your subject when you switch from the view finder to normal view.

Tip #3: Backgrounds

The object in focus is your primary goal, but pay attention to your background that's out of focus. You may be able to bring in different background colors by moving your camera slightly over. Your macro photo can change instantly with a simple shift of your focus and camera angle.

Tip #4: Take More Macro Photos Than You Need

Sometimes you never know when a photo is really in focus until you see it on a computer. Even the camera preview can lie to you. Take more photos than you think you need. It’s never a bad thing to have too many photos, but it is disappointing to pull up photos on your computer that turned out blurry. The more macro photos you have, the better the chance you will find a keeper from your series of macro photos.

Tip #5: Get On The Ground

Don’t stand over your subject and take pictures. Get on its level. If the subject is on the ground then you should be also.

Tip #6: Increase Macro Magnification

If you want more magnification power, one cheap way is to purchase a close-up lens or "close-up filter".

Tip #7: Rent Lenses

Most people don't want to spend big bucks on lenses. You can rent that $1,200 lens for around $45 a week depending on the place you get it from. I like renting lenses at www.thelensdepot.com. I've never had an issue with them. Renting lenses is a good way to test out the lens you want to buy.

Tip #8: "L" Grade Glass

Consider buying the "L" grade glass for lenses. It's a higher quality glass. Lenses tend to hold their value much better than the camera body, which can help you justify the expense to your wife. Spending the extra money for a good lens will increase your photo quality.

Tip #9: Read Lens Reviews

www.the-digital-picture.com does a good job on reviews for lenses.
- Here is a reveiw on the macro photo lens I use for the photos on my site.
- Here is a review list of other macro lenses.
- Here are different lens categories to pick from. Portrait, Wedding, etc...

Tip #10: Build a Macro Photo Studio Box

If you want to have better control over your backgrounds then try building a macro photo studio box. This studio box can provide your photos with a plain white or black background. You can even use different fabrics to create a more colorful background.