Introduction to Macro Photography

Macro photography is a great hobby that can grow into something more. It is one of the most popular types of photography because much in the micro-world is fascinating and unknowable to ordinary people.

Just thirty years ago, the technologies did not allow enthusiasts to fully engage in macro photography, but that does not mean that they did not try. Nowadays, all technical limitations have been removed and every user has an opportunity to try himself as a macro photographer.

In our article, however, we will talk about the basics of macro photography and tell you about the applications that can help with this. Post-editing a macro photo is a very important step.

It allows you to improve the pictures so that all the details can be seen in them. Luminar Neo is a great App that can be applied to macro photography. It is a stunning AI photo upscaler that will help you achieve the best possible results.

With its user-friendly interface and advanced AI technology, even the most complex tasks can be performed easily by a beginner with this app. You can make a life for yourself with an extension by following the link https://skylum.com/luminar/upscale-ai

Introduction to Macro Photography

Table of Contents

Macro Photo Basis 

Macro photography has gained popularity because it is a great way to capture the fine details of various elements. Moreover, it is not only a way to give the viewer a better look at the subject, but also a chance to look at it from a different angle, and from a different perspective.

There are such pictures that you can look at them for hours, and it doesn’t get boring. Macro photography should be intriguing and exciting, but not everyone can make it so. Also, in order to highlight some details you can use image upscaling software.

A huge factor in the quality of a photo is the subject you are using, and more specifically, the distance you need to focus. A standard lens focuses at a distance of about 50 cm, a macro lens focuses at a distance of 10 to 20 cm. This makes the picture come out on a 1:1 scale. 

Macro lenses generally have a fixed focal length, most commonly 50, 100, or 180. The idea is that the object will be the same size as in real life. Also, modern macros are designed to avoid aberrations. 

A very important thing is that you can photograph almost anything. And keep in mind that not only natural elements can be the object of your attention, photograph anything you want. Imagine, and don’t be afraid to experiment, because, really, there is no limit to what you can do.

Introduction to Macro Photography

Needed Equipment

Of course, it’s best to take photos with a DSLR camera, and even better if it has interchangeable optics. That way you can choose different lenses, swap one macro lens for another, and it’s also important to take pictures not only of macros.

There are special optics for macro, lenses with focal lengths of 200mm and 180mm, and that’s the most recommended choice. Such lenses are quite expensive and not everyone can afford them.

But if you’re planning to get serious about this type of photography, you really need a lens like this. It will be a good investment for your career. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, there are Alternatives such as extension rings which are put between the camera body and the lens.

They help increase the distance between the sensor and lens and make the zoom higher. They also have reversible rings to connect two lenses. The first lens is attached in the usual way and the second one – with a ring attached to the other side.

This option gives a very good approximation, but the quality can be an option in a close-up diopter, which gives the possibility of closer focus, but the quality of photos may not be high enough.

Introduction to Macro Photography

Tips for Macro Photography

In this section, we describe general tips for macro photography that were not included in the previous sections.

  • Don’t shake the camera. It’s important to hold it steady without moving it while you’re shooting, or at least keep unnecessary movement to a minimum. This is important in any type of photography, but in a macro, it is key because the camera needs to focus on detailing even the tiniest details in a short amount of time, that is, if you were shooting a landscape, it would be much easier;
  • Use effects. You can show a cheap track of splashing droplets on flower petals, imitating dew drops. But such effects are often very useful. Some of them can be better demonstrated with the AI image upscaler;
  • Background. It would be nice if your background wasn’t monochromatic and boring. A blurry background looks much better, but at the same time, bright lights and motley glare can be distracting to the viewer. It’s best if the background is in the same color scheme and doesn’t have any bright, colorful spots;
  • Shutter speed and aperture. If you are photographing in a dark room, or at night, you can compensate for the lack of sufficient light by increasing the shutter speed, leaving the aperture value unchanged. This may not produce the result you wanted, but it is still worth considering as an option.

We hope that our tips will help you!