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Macro Photography in Nature – the Basics

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Macro Photography in Nature – the Basics Macro Photography in Nature – The Basics By Brian Russell EFIAP FAPS Macrophotography like all genres of natural history photography and photography in general for that matter can be likened to a house with 8 doors because there can be 15 ways to get to the kitchen. There is never just one single approach nor technique nor equipment selection that will arrive at your desired outcome. However, being dedicated natural history photographers we must always abide by the APS Nature Code of Conduct clearly displayed on the APS website within the Nature Group Section. The strict definition of macro is when a lens is able to record a subject on the cameras’ sensor at the same size as the actual subject (this is called 1:1). However, the term ‘macro’ often loosely describes all close-up photography from 1:10 (1/10) through 1:1 to 5:1 (5x). After that you need a microscope to record greater magnifications. Throughout this article, I will use the loose definition of macro – from 1:10 to 5:1 With the move to digital capture, never has it been so easy make macro images. Let me say right from the outset, you don’t necessarily need to own the latest offerings from Canon, Nikon, Olympus or Sony etc with their latest macro lenses attached to make quality macro images. I remember a previous chairman, Graeme Watson, writing on this very topic back in 2010 in the Image Magazine. I performed a similar exercise to Graeme when I revisited the images that I had recently judged for a local camera club macro competition. I reviewed the EXIF data and seven years later I confirmed Graeme’s findings that some authors are still producing wonderful images with entry level equipment. So, the first place to start is by understanding your current equipment – its strengths and its limitations. Camera, Lenses and Attachments 1. Point and Shoot Cameras: If you own a point and shoot style camera it may have a ‘macro’ setting and while it may not be able to produce a 1:1 (or life size) image on the sensor, this setting will allow you to focus close on a small subject and you will be introduced to the world of close-up photography. 2. “Macro’ settings on regular zoom lens: A number of zoom and even some kit lenses have a “macro” setting on them, but in reality, are best described as ‘close focus’ lenses and so are not true macro lenses. However, they will allow you to reveal structures on your subject that are not readily enjoyed by the naked eye. 3. Close-Up Lens /Filters: A number of filter manufacturers and camera manufacturers offer close up filters that screw onto the front of your lens, just like a UV filter. They come in various strengths (diopters), usually 1, 2 and 3 and allow closer focusing than your lens will allow by itself. I have no personal experience with these and so can’t comment on their quality. 1 4. Reversing Ring: Another alternative is to use a reversing ring that attaches to the filter thread of your lens and the other side of this ring has a bayonet mount that fits to your camera body. This set up suffers a loss of lens functionality with electronic connection and so there is no control by your camera. Again, I have no hands-on experience with this method nor know of anybody who currently uses this method. 5. Extension Tubes: Alternatively, you may only have a standard 50mm lens on your DSLR and if so, a relatively inexpensive way of making macro images is to add an extension tube between your camera body and lens. These extension tubes contain no glass elements to degrade your image but simply move the glass elements in your lens further away from the sensor and in doing so allow for closer focusing and producing a larger image on the sensor, larger than with the lens by itself. (Note: extension tubes are different from lens extenders or multipliers which contain glass and increase the focal length of your lens). Extension tubes can also be sourced second hand and in good condition. Second hand tubes are fine as long as the mechanisms are working correctly to link to your camera to ensure correct exposure metering. Given there are no glass elements in these tubes, there is no fungi or scratches to worry about. Third party extension tubes often come in sets of three, typically 12mm, 20mm and 36mm. My camera manufacturer only provides two at 12mm and 25mm. Extension Tubes have the advantage of no glass elements to degrade your image and may be used as a single unit between camera and lens or together, again between camera and lens. The greater the extension, the greater the magnification. A 25mm extension tube on a standard 50mm standard prime lens will provide around 1:2 size (or half-life size) image on a full frame size sensor. This setup can be useful for larger insects or beetles and fungi. However, the laws of physics and light will work against you with the addition of these tubes in between the lens and the 2 camera body. There will be a reduction in the amount of light arriving at your sensor and so shutters will need to open for longer times to correctly expose your image or increase your ISO. Extension tubes are handy to have in your pocket when out and about with longer focus lenses and you don’t want to be burdened down with the additional weight of another lens. In the past I have used a 12mm extension tube on 70-200mm lens and a 25mm extension tube on either a 300mm or a 500mm lens to reduce the minimum focus distance and obtain quite good quality images of dragonflies. 6. Macro Lens: The final common setup is a true macro lens attached to camera body – a setup you will no doubt end up with if you become serious about macrophotography. The leading manufacturers still offer 50mm and 60mm macro lenses. The 50mm macro lens was a favoured document copy lens before the digital age of scanners. The more versatile macro lenses offered these days tend to be in the 90mm – 105mm range with 100mm macro quite common. Most, if not all should provide 1:1 magnification. The added benefit of a 100 mm macro is it allows you to be further away from your subject, very useful when attempting to photograph small insects. If you want to get still further way from your subject there are macro lenses available with focal lengths of 150mm, 180mm and 200mm yet still achieve a magnification of 1:1 In a true ‘macro’ lens, the shifting of the glass elements away from the sensor plane happens inside the lens barrel and so saves the adding or removing of tubes to achieve the desired magnification. The extension tubes discussed previously can also be placed between your dedicated macro lens and camera body to achieve even greater magnification than with the macro lens alone. My favourite macro lens for insects – 180mm f3.5 3 Some Concepts It is now an opportune time to introduce you to the concept of ‘Depth of Field’ or DOF. Again, the laws of physics will challenge you as you enter the world of macro photography. In short, DOF is that part of an image that appears acceptably sharp in front of and behind your focus point. To increase your DOF, i.e. have more of your subject in front of and more behind your focus point appearing sharp in your final image, you will need to choose an f Stop of at least f11 and even up to f32. Beware that as you close down the diaphragm in your lens from f16 to f32 your images may lose fine definition due to the phenomena of diffraction. It is always a trade-off - to achieve enough DOF to have as much of your subject in focus or produce an image that is not as crisp as it could be. With respect to macro lenses and for those of you interested in the science behind magnification, the effects on f-stops at particular magnifications, the issue of diffraction etc, the Cambridge in Colour website provides some very useful information. https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/macro-lenses.htm Many advanced macro photographers now use a technique called ‘photo or image stacking’. This allows the photographer to choose an f stop for the ‘sharpness sweet spot’ of the lens (often between f5.6 -f11). Then, by taking a series of shots, firstly focusing on the front edge of the subject nearest the lens, taking a shot, then refocusing a little further into the subject, repeating this exercise until your last shot in the series has the focus point on the rear edge of your subject. Clever software from Adobe (imbedded in Photoshop), Helicon Focus or Zerene Stacker and the like combine the sharp areas of the individual images to produce a final sharp image with a DOF not attainable with a single image capture. The technique is particularly useful for stationary subjects such as fungi and flowers, but less achievable with subjects that move. This technique is allowable under the FIAP/PSA Nature Definition Rules. However, the technique requires a separate article to adequately cover the complexities of it and is outside the scope of a basic introduction to macro photography. Keeping it steady While it is tempting to hand hold your setup, and many of you will do so even for static subjects, you will consistently produce higher quality images by attaching your camera onto a sturdy tripod.
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