How to take creative macro photography?

Here are five creative tips that will come in handy if you decide to take up macro photography.

1. When taking macro shots, please use flash to get finer details

The 1:1 macro lens is just like an external flash and is an excellent tool for close-up photography. . Contrary to what some photographers say, it is completely unnecessary for a successful shot. A tip for macro photography is to lower the flash intensity to around -1.75 in TTL mode. This will highlight the smallest details in macro photos, such as a butterfly's antennae. If you need less light, you can lower the intensity with an additional -2 or -3 steps.

Sometimes you want to increase the depth of field and keep the entire subject in focus. This can be problematic because it would be distracting if most of the frame remained in focus. It is better to use flash rather than change the depth of field. You can light up your subject and make the background truly dark or even black while enjoying depth of field. To do this, keep your subject at least 6-12 inches away from the background. Flashing at minimum power will effectively illuminate the background.

2. Shooting through petals

Go beyond ordinary photography by adding visual interest to macro photography. By shooting through petals or leaves, you can soften the blur of colors while keeping your main subject in focus. The technique is simple, but the result looks complex, reminiscent of impressionist paintings. For this method, you may prefer the freedom to shoot without a tripod. When holding the camera in your hand, it is best to place it directly in front of the flower fragment.

Start with the widest aperture, preferably f/

2.8. Place the flower in front of your main subject and camera, about an inch away from the flower. Don't worry if it visibly obscures your main subject, a shallow depth of field will make it nearly transparent. The closer the lens is to the flower, the less it will be in focus. Frame your shot carefully so that your main subject can still be seen in the background. Finally, set a focus point on the flower you want to focus on.

3. Switch to manual focus mode

Autofocus is effective for most types of photography. However, in close-ups, it can be difficult to find focus. This is especially true for capturing very fine details, such as spider webs. In this case, it's best to use manual focus mode via Live View or focus peaking. These options allow you to see the scene even at very high magnifications, even at 5x or 10x magnification. There is no doubt that one area will be sharp. On some camera models with Focus peaking, it's even possible to zoom in several times, which it does by highlighting the focus part of the subject. Although it's possible to shoot handheld, using a tripod improves accuracy.

4. Background selection

When taking macro photos, it is impossible to overestimate the importance of the background. If the background is cluttered, it will distract the viewer from your main subject and will make you spend time exploring your subject from all possible angles.

Filling the frame with the subject is an effective way to eliminate unnecessary distracting background, and since macro lenses are able to focus at close range, the frame can be carefully composed so that only the flowers are in it. This allows the use of a small aperture, such as f

/16, for maximum depth of field, with no soft focus areas to distract from the subject. For more dynamic shots, shoot using the rule of thirds.

5. Shooting Practice

An interesting idea is slow shutter speed and camera movement, not even a macro lens, just a basic zoom. Start by placing the flower in the frame and making sure it's in focus. Now, you need to maintain the maximum focus distance, fully press the shutter button to start shooting, and then immediately zoom out. You can also reverse the process by starting at a wide angle and then gradually narrowing it down. Here are some basic settings to get you started:

- Exposure 1/6 sec

- Aperture f/22

- Very low ISO - approx. Around 100

According to the current amount of light, it needs to be adjusted to obtain the best aperture effect.