Some macro angles...testing...testing...for C&C

[IzzieK]

I agree with your preference too...I think it is more artistic in the rendition...but I like to experience getting as much close up at your #1 here too if only for the experience so I will learn...

From that perspective then yes. You are trying to maximize magnification by closest focus at which point your control of DOF is limited to aperture.

I think a lot of the real challenge in field Macro/closeup work is developing an instinctive feel for the working distance of your lenses so that you can pretty quickly get into the position that you need to get the image you want.

But, to me, Macro/Close-up all about the picture. I can quite often get very close to a subject with patience. But, sometimes I see a picture I want.

I am quite capable of this


But prefer things like this


or this

[IzzieK]

I have done this technique in my studio with my teddy bears and there's no reason why I cannot do it again especially on a cloudy day...thanks.

Lighting is always an issue. There are a lot of specialized lights for macro some of which work best in pretty restricted ways. I've found that putting my flash on a cord so that I can maneuver the flash indpendent of the camera is really good for shooting in the field.



That's from a discussion of using flash for closeups.

[IzzieK]

Thank you for the follow up Dan...light will come next, then composition, then something else. At the moment, I am just starting here so I took up Grahame's offer of taking a shot of my curler ruler first to show cm on it sharply,then he'll talk to me, but I ruined that with the succession of two other shots when I murdered my subject first... Now he'll never talk to me again...The post is located here.

Brian,

I agree that diffused flash moved away from the hot shoe is the way to go, but for Izzie's initial purposes, I think it is an unnecessary complication. What she needs to do is practice focusing at macro distances. For that, even harsh light from a shoe mounted flash is just fine. I'll post below one I just took with direct flash and no diffuser, 1/125, f/13, using Grahame's suggestion of focusing the lens at its minimum distance and then moving the camera to achieve focus (which is how I do most of my handheld macro). I'm just suggesting that she keep it simple for now. If she finds that she really wants to do macro once she has the basics, then it would be time to get rid of direct flash.

Dan