Macro Photography Intro

There may come a time in your photographic career when you think you have taken every shot you possibly could take with your camera. Have you lost your creative edge or just can’t come up with one more idea? Well, the best cure for this is to experiment with a new piece of gear. There is nothing better to stir those creative juices than new gear and all sorts of possibilities. With the hundreds of accessories available that will improve your shots or challenge your photographic skill, the best gear to turn to is a new camera lens. And, one of the most useful and interesting focused-use lenses available is the macro lens.

35mm camera lenses have a ratio that can be used to describe the size of an object in an image in comparison to its real life size. A traditional camera lens shows objects much smaller than actual size, but a macro lens will reach a ratio much closer to reality. If you’ve ever seen a close-up picture of the head of a pin or the face of a bug, chances are those shots were taken with a macro lens.

Macro lenses are available in a few varieties. A ratio of roughly 1:2, meaning subjects in the image on film will be ½ their actual size, is the most common ratio found on consumer-level equipment. If you think this isn’t much, remember that when the image is printed it will be blown up to a 4x6 or 5x7 photograph. The final version ends up being larger than real life. Very high grade equipment can reach a ratio of 5:1. Imagine exploring the surface of a sponge at this ratio. Simple attachments are available for your normal lens; however, these have varied results. Also available are full lenses to attach to your camera body. Whatever macro lens you decide to own depends on what you want to pay.

Experimenting With Macro

Once you have become accustomed to a macro lens you can venture out into the world and start seeing life as you’ve never seen it before. Viewing subjects or environments from a different perspective with a macro lens adds a dramatic new and exciting touch to your familiar surroundings. Have fun with your new macro lens with these few suggestions:

• Get a bugs-eye view as you and your camera explore your house.
• Shoot common items around your neighborhood and see how the lens expands your creativity.
• Practice duplicating catalog type images of small products or gifts by setting up a small space in which to work.

The cost of a macro (separate lens) can run $200-$400, but the options it provides and the creative efforts it inspires are well worth the cost. Only in photography is making a mountain out of a molehill a very wonderful thing.

A Macro lens will change how you see the world. It is a fun, versatile alternative to shooting with a regular lens. You never know when the opportunity will present itself to make a tiny object the center of focus by making it very large. Have fun with your macro lens and let your imagination run wild.