Close Up tips
OK, you
see a beautiful plant with beautiful flowers and you want to take a
picture of it. The neatest thing is that Puerto Rico has a lot of
beautiful specimens especially in the cooler and fresher towns where
the temperature is a key factor for some specimens.
Here we will
try to give some info and tricks on how to do it along with the
necessary equipment. The most important factor when shooting
close-ups is light and background. We do prefer shooting flowers on
overcast days better yet, after showers when natural light is even.
If the weather is not cooperating, move your subject (if possible) to
open shade i.e. under a tree or indoors close to a window. In our
personal opinion, we do not recommend the use of flash, if your
camera's flash pop-ups automatically, check your settings and turn it
of. Most of the images published in magazines are studio set-ups but
we do prefer to do it as much as possible on location and bouncing
light insetead of flash (see equipment below).
The beauty of
the close-up or macro photography starts as soon as you look thru the
viewfinder. Suddenly everything looks so detailed, but that's just
the beginning, once you take a picture and have it back from your lab
on a 8'' x 10'' enlargement, then you will see details that weren't
evident with the naked eye. The pictures displayed here which have a
black background, have been taken with a simple set-up. So how we do
achieve the black background? Little some people know that this
effect could be achieved simply by placing a black cloth on the
background (aprox:1-2 feet away). We do place a black t-shirt on a
clothes hanger. Simple isn't it? We don't want to forget to mention,
if you are shooting outdoors, have an umbrella handy. The slightiest
air breeze will look as a storm in your viewfinder. In most cases we
use an umbrella to block subttle breezes, but bewary how you position
it, don't let it interfere with your light.
Guacamayo
Glad
Patterns
Equipment:
That's the
best part, if you thought that taking great close-up pictures means
spending big buck$, you thought wrong. we do use a 22 inches Lite
Disc™ (shown on your right) to bounce light and fill-in shadows.
This practical multi use tool just cost $24.95 in Adorama (click on
the picture for more details), the
stand is sold
separately but if you can find a helping hand while taking your
pictures you wont need it. Still want to get nice pictures without
spending this amount? There still even a cheaper choice, the same
effect can be achieved with a car's silver sun shade available at
your local auto parts for less than $10.00. Still want something
cheaper? How 'bout your picnic's styrofoam plate or a piece of
cardboard covered with aluminum foil?
What else?
The next thing
you'll need is a tripod. Attempting to take a close-up picture
without a tripod it is NOT an easy task. You might get one right but
it could be by luck. When you are taking a close-up picture you are
magnifying your subject thus vibration is magnified as well. If you
happen to have a Handycam, zoom handheld to the widest angle
possible, you'll see that your image looks very steady. However if
you point to a distant object and zoom in all the way to the max, you
will see how hard is to keep that subject steady on your viewfinder.
The same happens with still pictures. A remote cable is a must
(approx: $35.00+ depending on your camera model).
If you don't
have a remote cable neither are willing to spend money on a
ocassional use accessory, there is a feature already built-in the
vast majority of cameras including digitals. It is called the SELF-TIMER.
When taking pictures at such magnifications (1:1, 1:2, 1:4 ratio)
you could get them blurry, just because when pressing the shutter
button creates vibration. The SELF-TIMER will help you deal with
this, after having your subject ready, frame and shoot with the
SELF-TIMER ON, this will prevent the
vibration caused by your finger on the shutter button.
Macro shot
from Miniature Orchid
White/Yellow Orchid
Miniature Orchid
Bee
El Coquí
Ferns on bricks
Tamron
90mm F/2.8
Do I need a
special lens?
Last and most
important in your toolbox is the lens. Those using mid-priced point
and shoot digital cameras have the ''Macro'' feature with the touch
of a button, yes the one with the flower icon!. It is amazing the
magnification ratio on these little ones, check your camera's manual
a see how to use it if you haven't yet. 35mm SLRs purchased as
''kits'' usually comes with a lens with ''Macro'' printed on them,
even some low priced (we said low priced without rejecting their
quality which is considerably good
within the
price parameter) 70-300mm lenses from Sigma, Tamron and others are
good for close-ups like these shown here but not all of them, like small
world,
the
fly
or the
bee,
these requires a magnification of 1:1. OK, and what is a
magnification 1:1? The lens shown on your left is capable of such
maginification, Tamron or Tokina have the ''macro'' feature.... But
make no mistake, given the magnification factor (between 1:4 to 1:6
depending on the model) on these low priced lenses, you'll get GREAT
results. To give you an idea, lenses capable of this magnification,
are capable of sharply focusing a USA quater of a dollar coin filling
the entire frame of a 35mm
negative (24 x 36mm).
Fly
Yello/Mauve Orchid
White/Puerple Orchid
Small World
Purple Orchid
Burning Red
These are more
expensive because they are dedicated or specialty lenses. They are
better constructed and most of them features a ''flat'' front lens
element unlike the traditional ''concave'' glass from non-dedicated
lenses. This assures a corner to corner sharp image among other great
features. All these comes along with a hefty price tag. The best way?
Consider and compare from brand to brand, search for articles on
magazines and reviews on the web. Also consider aftermarket brands
like the ones mentioned above. They can be half of the price or less
than the original name brands.
Don't let this
final paragraph scare you off the beautiful world of close-up
photography. We know that you can start doing a great job with the
macro capabilities of your existing lens, either 35mm or your point
and shoot digital camera. Start looking for subjects, they are
everywhere, best of all, most of them are in your backyard!
