Look closely at the world around you through the lens of your camera and you will begin to develop a photographer's eye. It's about noticing the small details and seeing what will work in the frame of your photo.
Open your eyes Close-up and macro photography is all about looking for detail, texture and pattern in your
Radishes, By ABC Open North Coast NSW
subject. What may just look like an old tree is really a canvas full of lines and patterns. Your pet dog looks very different when you zoom in on his teeth. Photograph your friends up close - it's a great portrait technique. There's a whole world of closeup and macro waiting for you to exlore.
Monster in my Backyard, by ABC Open Wide Bay
Composition An easy option is to just fill your frame. Get the camera in as close as possible to the subject and Dog, By ABC Open Wide Bay
you will start to see some great results. Try different angles, get up high, place your camera down low to experiment with what looks best. Give your closeup photos a point of difference.
Take a few shots It doesn't cost you anything to take a range of photos and that will give you more to choose from when you see them all on a bigger screen. Fungi, By Steve Axford
WHAT'S YOUR STORY?
1
UP CLOSE
It's worth taking photos using different exposures
If you are using a SLR camera, use a zoom lens to
to experiment with color accuracy and vibrancy,
get in as tight as you can. Another good trick is to
shadow, highlight detail and depth of field.
take the camera off auto-focus, twist the focus to
Where to focus
be as close as it can be, and move your camera in until everything is clear. You are changing the focus distance with your body, not the lens.
Your focal point is really important. This is the spot
TIP:
The camera's flash can often overexpose
that will be clear and sharp, and it's where you want
your macro shots. If you're using a digital
the viewer's eye to be drawn. Don't worry if the
compact camera, try turning off this setting.
whole photo isn't in focus, but make sure your focal point is. If you have an automatic focus camera, you may need to try a few times to get the focus right. If you can manually focus your camera, give it a go. You can control and choose what you want to be clear. TIP: Focus on the eyes of animals, insects and people.
Getting the image in focus The most important thing to remember with closeup photography is to avoid shake. The easiest way to avoid it is to use some sort of camera support like a tripod or a bean bag. If you are working with a point and shoot camera, look for a small tulip icon in the me or settings. This is the camera's macro option and will allow you to get in as close as possible to your subject.