Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Macro

A friend asked me for some advice about macro lenses, and I took these pictures this afternoon to show her what a 50mm macro photo looks like.



You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

These were both shot with a Canon 50mm macro lens at f/2.5, and the focus was set to be as close as possible to the subject, so this is as tight as one could possibly make the frame and keep focus.

With a 50mm macro lens, you have to be a lot closer to your subject than you do with an longer (higher number) lens.  I tried to photograph a fly, but it flew away before I got the shot, because I got too close.  Sometimes I like shooting these kinds of pictures with a zoom lens at around 100mm because I can stand a little farther away, and the shot still looks just as close.  But, a 50mm lens is very versatile, and wider shots (like portraits) that are not macro look really good with this lens.

It is fun to shoot with the lens at the widest aperture setting, because the part of the picture that is in sharp focus is so narrow.  You have to be very precise with your focus, and this makes the part in focus really pop out.  It also makes it harder to get the exact shot you want if you or your subject are moving.

I know some of you will find this post incredibly boring, but if you made it this far... sorry, you're a photo nerd -or- congratulations, you're a photo nerd in training!

2 comments:

  1. oof. i'm such a geek! i made it to the very end & thought "more! more!" :)

    hope you've had a lovely day, miss m.

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  2. thanks so much for the macro lesson and pictures
    I am definitely a geek, no doubt about it.
    I never use a tripod so with the new camera I am realizing I drink too much coffee or perhaps am in the early stages of parkinsonism ( I shouldn't joke about this since my eldest brother is so afflicted).
    How does one get really close to a subject, take macro shots and use a tripod?
    I am having trouble just getting the larger camera and len close when I am down on the ground crawling on the forest floor.

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