Archive 2016 · Macro tips and pointers ?

Bsmooth
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Macro tips and pointers ?

In the spring I find myself trying to do lots of flower and bug images, using my Canon100mm 2.8. I have always shot with just natural light in the past. This weekend I heard Sunday would be mostly overcast, so figured I wouldn't get the harsh lightingI sometime get with full sun, but I would say most of the images wound up being taken with maybe the highest shutter speed being 1/40 to maybe 1/250, which when I looked at the images was wayyy too slow.
So what equipment lighting especially would you suggest? Now granted I usually shoot handheld, but I would imagine the best images would be with a tripod.
Let the tips and pointers begins !

May 02, 2016 at 01:58 PM

KCollett
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Macro tips and pointers ?

Hello BSmooth. I mostly use natural light for my work, but what and when you shoot really must be considered. Experts with flash will often try balancing artificial and natural light. When I do shoot with flash, that is often what I attempt to do. Flash can give really ugly results, so you need to control it or you will have horrible results and likely very dark backgrounds. When using flash, I mostly mount off camera and diffuse with a small softbox (8 * 6 or so). A small diffuser will be huge compared to most macro subjects, so it can be quite an effective light source, and yield some pleasing results. Throw in reflectors, and it is like working in a studio outdoors (making the assumption you are working primarily outdoors). On top of all that, you still need to look after aesthetics and technicals. Good luck!

May 02, 2016 at 07:19 PM

surfnron
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Macro tips and pointers ?

Hey Bruce. If you head over to the macro forum you will see a post where lots have posted their gear - very informative. Using flash as your main light source will allow you to handhold because the duration of the flash is short enough to freeze everything. Another option is to grasp a long stick in your left hand so that will help steady the lens also gripped in that hand ~ Ron

May 02, 2016 at 07:46 PM

Bsmooth
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Macro tips and pointers ?

Thanks I never even noticed there was a Macro forum, I'll check it out.

May 03, 2016 at 07:01 AM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Macro tips and pointers ?

Bsmooth wrote:
Thanks I never even noticed there was a Macro forum, I'll check it out.

I think it has been around since 2002.

Edited on May 03, 2016 at 01:36 PM · View previous versions

May 03, 2016 at 10:28 AM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Macro tips and pointers ?

You can use a higher ISO and wider aperture, of course you get less dof that way, which can sometimes be good. I haven’t had much trouble with noise up to ISO 800, even on an aps sensor.

Another thing you can do is use a tripod. But if you are going to buy one, make sure it will get down to ground level. Many won't. And if it has a center column, it can't get any lower than that to the ground, unless you can mount the head on the bottom of the column or something, which is a handy feature, but a pitb, imo.

Never used one, but ring lights are popular, and give soft lighting. The Canons with High, like my ancient 380EX+cord, can be handy for fill at high ss, but you lose a lot of power. Which isn't terribly bad, since you are so close. I've used the pop up flash a lot, believe it or not. You can also get brackets for 2 flashes, I think, but never used those.

May 03, 2016 at 10:54 AM

tshore
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Macro tips and pointers ?

After years of screwing up macro shots, here is what I have settled on:

1. Use a flash. A popup flash is better than nothing, but an add-on flash like a 430 ex will be better. Then, use a diffuser. It's fun and instructive to create your own, but in my experience a mini softbox works decently and is cheap.

2. Set the flash on auto.

3. To have a workable DOF, you need a narrow aperture (f/11 to f/16). It also helps to have a reasonably fast shutter speed, to avoid ghosting, so set your camera on M mode, the aperture to say f/14, and the SS to 1/200 for a 100mm macro lens.

4. If your subject is in the sun, set the ISO to 100. If your subject is in shade, 400 or so. Combined with the above, this should result in your subject being correctly exposed, with about 50% of the exposure coming from the flash, and 50% from ambient light. The background will typically be about 1 stop underexposed (depending on the distance from the flash) , so your subject will stand out, but the BG will not be dark or black.

5. If you find the BG too dark, increase the ISO, if too light, decrease it.

6. Don't bother trying to auto focus if your subject is very close (i.e. near the minimum focusing distance for the lens). For hand-holding, best idea for getting very-near subjects in focus is usually to set the focal distance manually, then move the camera back our up until the focal plane is where you want it to be. What you see in your viewfinder will be the focus at f/2.8, so you will have more DOF than what appears in your viewfinder, but focus is still a challenge. Be prepared to take multiple shots to get one that is in focus, particularly for bugs, where you want to get the eye sharp.

7. Practice!

Hope this helps.

May 03, 2016 at 11:30 AM

Bsmooth
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Macro tips and pointers ?

I think I have radio poppers for my flash somewhere I never even used. I received them as a gift, and I'm wondering If a remote flash would be a good idea. I was thinking I could shoot handheld and mount the flash on my tripod somehow. I think I have a flash I'll have to check and see what model it is. I'll post as soon as I know.
This looks like a good cheap diffuser Fotodiox 6 x 9:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Y30334/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=37WCLDRUUT2IW&coliid=IUS4Y5UHCN9ME

What type of shutter speeds are we talking about with a flash? I don't use a flash much at all, so I'm not really sure.

May 03, 2016 at 01:41 PM

tshore
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Macro tips and pointers ?

Shutter speed with flash? It depends. If you are planning to expose the subject almost exclusively with the flash, then your shutter speed will matter very little. Your backgrounds will then be quite dark (unless they are close to the subject), and your subject will likely have strong shadows unless your diffuser is very large. If you want a more balanced mix of exposing the subject with flash and ambient light, or want a background that is not very dark, then you will want to fall back on the old 1/focal length rule (or faster). Hence my 1/200 suggestion. I haven't tried remotely triggered flash for macro, but I would think it would take some time to set up, allowing insect subjects potentially to fly or crawl away.

May 03, 2016 at 02:40 PM


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