Intro To Macro Photography
All 35mm camera lenses have some sort of ratio that can be used to describe the size of an object in the image compared to its size in real life. A typical lens presents objects much smaller than their actual size, while macro lenses will get a ratio much closer to reality. Have you ever looked at a close up of a flower or a head of an ant? Chances are those photographs were shot with a macro lens.There are several different types of macro lenses available. The most common ratio found on consumer-level equipment is roughly 1:2, meaning that subjects in the image on film will be ҽ their actual size. This may not seem like much, but remember that youre going to blow the image up when its printed onto an 8x10 or 5x7 photograph, making the final version much larger than real life. Super-high grade equipment can hit a ratio of 5:1, which would be perfect for mapping out a snowflake or exploring a rough surface like a sponge. Depending upon your budget and the type of results you want, you can get a simple attachment for your normal lens or a full lens that attaches directly to your camera.
Macro Lens Experiments
Once you have a macro lens and have got a bearing on how it works, go out into the world and start seeing things like youve never seen them before. Even the most familiar of subjects or environments can become dramatically new and exciting when viewed from a different perspective, and a macro lens will certainly provide that to you.Ҡ Heres some fun things to do with your new macro lens:
* Explore your house and get a bugs-eye view of your furniture, carpet, and surfaces.
* See how the lens expands your creativity by shooting common items in your neighborhood
* Set up a small space and see if you can duplicate catalog type images of small products
Macro lenses can have a great impact on how you see the world and provide you with a versatile alternative to shooting with a regular lens. You never know when it may come in handy to get a picture of something really small. Its also fun to take pictures of common objects at super-close range and see if your friends and family can figure out what the item is. Macro lenses can turn grass into green bladed mountains or ants into scary creatures that make your imagination run wild.
While the cost of a dedicated (separate lens) macro can run you $200-400, youll find that the options it gives you and the inspiration it can provide are well worth the cost. Making "mountains out of molehills" may not work in life, but in photography it can bring a whole new meaning to your pictures. Besides, they always say its the little things that matter.