Want to learn how to take macro shots but just have no idea where to begin? Have a new macro lens but you are struggling to get a clear photo? Hopefully, this group will help. I have found an online book at www.macro-photography.org. It is fairly short and easy to understand. If you have any articles or websites to expand our knowledge please add them!
I propose we set this up as a challenge. Each week we read several chapters and then post a photo based on what we read. I will coordinate for now but perhaps in the future the we can expand this to a contest with voting! With the "winner" setting up the next challenge...we can cross that bridge when we get to it!
This first challenge will run from Tuesday, February 23 through Monday, February 29. Read chapters 1-7. They cover the basics of what macro photography is, technical information, theory and focusing. Then experiment taking photos with variations of depth of field. Use the same subject and set up but manipulate your aperture. What works and what doesn't work. Post a picture, explain your settings including depth of field, shutter speed and ISO. Tell us your frustrations and triumphs.
Tag your photos macros-2016 and feel free to also post them here to inspire others to join us! To see all of the entries use this link
I hope this will be an interactive and helpful forum with people offering tips, advice or suggestions. I am tagging only a few that I think are interested but if you would like to be included in the list please reply to this post and I'll include you. If anyone out there feels they have more knowledge than me (which I have none!!) please feel free to offer your expertise!
I didn't get a new macro lens. I do have a lens that is marked, "Macro" but it isn't a true 1:1 macro. I do have extension tubes that I'd want to practice with so I can get a better grasp of them. Does that count?
@dianen Diane you are an absolute star for organising this! Thank you so much. With my first year of 365 I was just posting pics but with this you are giving me some direction to actually learn something ( which was the reason I joined this site in the first place.) Thanks so much! I will start reading those chapters asap. Some of the people that I follow that take amazing macro photos are @motherjane, @kategoring, @888rachel - maybe they would be willing to share some of their expertise :-)
Great idea please count me in. Like @skipt07 and @annied I only have extension tubes but would love to spend more time learning to use them and this challenge will motivate me. Thank you for organising it.
I too just got a macro lens 3wks ago (a surprise from my hubby) and so I would love to know how to use it better. So plz tag me in and I will read, therefore combining my two hobbies. By the way, fantastic idea!
Love macro so please tag me here too. I got a 60mm macro for my Olympus OMD last summer and was very grateful for the support and encouragement I found on this site which helped me get to grips with it :)
Would love to join but this a really bad timing for me, I do not have the mental space to do this challenge justice, though love macro work. I have extension tubes and would love to use them more. Will peruse the online book, thank you for sharing Diane :)
@skipt07@annied@dibzgreasley@thistle would love to have you join us and will try to help you along with the equipment you have! Thanks for participating!
Please add me to the list. Macros were my first favourite type of shots and have been taking them for years but always room for improvement and experiment!
@moya thanks for thinking of me! I would love to take part in this, what a fabulous idea. You rock Diane, thank you for organizing this. Please tag me in.
@dianen I'm not sure how to apply much of the concepts discussed in the chapters while using extension tubes, I have to use focus stacking to get any sort of depth of field using them.
@zosimasy Charles, I have absolutely no experience with extension tubes! Maybe @skipt07@annied@dibsgreaseley@thistle could help with that? I am just learning myself about my macro lens!
Heres my first attempt. I shot inside so i could control wind, etc but light was a little of a challenge. My problem is seeing when its totally in focus...old age, you know! I'm finishing up flash of red february so this week will be in B&W!
Definitely going to have a go at this, I like having a challenge with 365, something to give me fresh ideas. @janemartin I think you ought to be in on this, especially with your potential new lens!!
@dianen Diane, I have some trouble with focusing, too, due to my eyesight. I use my magnifying feature on my camera to help me focus. It usually works.
I've been shooting macro photos for a long time and share them in a few macro groups on Flickr. And this may sound odd but my favorite macro subject is sand. I have collected sand from many locations and love to analyze it under a microscope and through macro photography.
Here is a photo of sand from "Sand Beach" in Acadia National Park that I took through my field microscope, called a Magiscope, Most of the "sand" is really tiny bits of broken seashells, barnacles and sea urchin spines! So fascinating to see up close!
It's a real low tech shot.... I use my small point & shoot Canon SD870IS 2.8, ISO 200 - handheld over the eyepiece of my Magicscope microscope.
And coincidentally, TODAY, I received a Raynox Macro Conversion Lens. It has a holder that snaps onto the end of the lens on the camera. I have been wanting to try one for a long time because I intend to use it for photographing snowflakes, so I finally ordered one to test. My first practice shots tonight were simple shots of the details on a penny and a nickel. Tomorrow, when I have better light, I will test it on more subjects. Here is one of the nickel shots... :-)
@parkerriverkid very cool!I wanted to get a magiscope for my classroom before I retired and never did.Now I'll have to ask Santa for one for my personal use for Christmas.😉
Hope, I am ParkerRiverKid on Flickr. Here is a link to some of my sand macro photos taken through my Magiscope. And yes, everyone should have one for personal use!
@dianen I'd like to give this a try too, please tag me in. I've got a macro lens but haven't had much opportunity to use it yet so this would be a good challenge!
Tag me in. I have a bit of experience with it and may be able to help some. I have not done that much of it though and this will give me the spur I need, I'm in a pretty bad rut.
I have practiced inside this week, but then went outside to see what I could get handheld. It was windy, luckily snow and ice doesn't sway in the breeze. This was one of the few remaining snow piles. It's been melting, rained on and refrozen. I liked the bokeh I achieved and that it is so soft and delicate looking.
For the above photo: Flowers for our wedding anniversary gave me the opportunity to take some shots for the macro challenge. Still battling. This was the only shot that I could actually use - I stood a bit further away taking it so seems that my really close up shots are the ones not working. This one was taken at f7.1 1/320s ISO 1600
@dianen Hi Diane - with your snow/ice photo you mentioned that you went outside to see what you could get "handheld" - do you normally use a tripod otherwise?
@moya I felt I didn't have a good feel for how this lens was focusing. So I used it inside with my tripod and just played around with distance from front of lens and focusing and dof. It really gave me a better understanding of how my lens works and focuses and how to achieve the best results. Then I moved outside and dealt with other variables, i.e. better light but wind, camera shake etc.
I acquired a focusing rail after reading the chapters. That makes fine adjustments so easy. More practice should bring improvement. For now, here is my capture.
@dianen Diane, I'm new to this, I posted my image on my 365 default but how do I tag it to this site. I tried putting http://365project... but must be missing a step. I have an image from Saturday -thanks
@dridsdale go to your picture and edit the description. In the box for tags put macros-2016 and it will show up with all the other macro shots in the http://365.... to put it here go to your picture under the description there is a line with the date comments likes etc. and three dots (like this ...) click on the dots. You ill see the words embed code and a box under it. Copy the contents of the box and the paste it into a reply here. Code will show but once you click post reply your photo will appear!
Tweets ahoy!
Join the Group
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can you tag us in :)
@annied @skipt07
Add me to future posts. Thank you!
Here is a photo of sand from "Sand Beach" in Acadia National Park that I took through my field microscope, called a Magiscope, Most of the "sand" is really tiny bits of broken seashells, barnacles and sea urchin spines! So fascinating to see up close!
It's a real low tech shot.... I use my small point & shoot Canon SD870IS 2.8, ISO 200 - handheld over the eyepiece of my Magicscope microscope.
My left hand is the camera adapter... :-)
Sand Macros
f 7 .1 tv 1/60 iso 200 I struggled to get enough light on the match head. I used an off camera flash.
Posted this hellebore today. Thanks Skip for inviting me!
Closer - f5.6 1/50s ISO400
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009SJ7UWU/ref=nav_timeline_asin?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Exposure 0.002 sec
Aperture f5.6
ISO 100
Focal Length 90mm
j