1. A “Close-Up” look at how
to shoot Macro
The Nuts & Bolts of it!
• Equipment
• Factors to Consider
• Macro Subjects
• Post Processing
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2. Equipment
• Macro Lenses
• Extension Tubes
• Close-Up Filters
• Teleconverters
• Bellows
• Ring Flash
Macro Lenses
• Elements further away from the Sensor
allowing closer Focus
• Manual or Auto Focus
• Usually have smaller F-Stop
• 50 / 105 / 180mm
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3. Extension Tubes
• Adds extension between the lens and the Sensor –
thus allowing closer focusing
• Magnification = Total Extension / Focal Length
• Extension tubes come in different lengths and can
be stacked
• Reduced light falling on Sensor
Extension Tubes
• Exposure Compensation for Extension Tubes
The Hard Way
EC = Exposure Compensation in stops
E = Extension (mm)
FL = Focal Length
Log2 = 0.301030
The Easy Way
Use TTL/Auto Metering!!
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4. Extension Tubes
As Shot EF 12mm Ext EF 25mm Ext
28-105 Zoom
(Macro Setting)
Close-Up Filters
• They screw onto the front of your lens
• They reduce the closest focus distance
• They usually come in +1, +2, +3 Diopters
• Longer focal length lenses produce higher
magnification than shorter focal length lenses
– However they do reduce your focus distance, a +3
diopter on a 100mm lens will only allow you to focus
between 14” and 17”
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5. And for those who really want to know……….
M = FL(p)
1000/P
where..... M = Magnification
FL(p) = Focal Length of Lens
P = Power of the Diopter
Teleconverters
• These multiply the focal length of the lenses without
reducing the minimum focusing distance – thus
multiplying the achievable magnification by the
same factor
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6. Bellows
• Bellows allows you to vary this extension
rather than one fixed length
Ring Flash
• Ring Flash gives a nice even light with soft
or no shadows
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7. Quiz Time?
28-105 28-105 + EF12mm
Zoom Lens Extension Tube
28-105 + EF25mm 70-200 + 2x
Extension Tube Converter
Factors to Consider
• Depth of Field
• Plane of Focus
• Working Distance
• Light Loss / Camera Stability
• Lighting
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8. Depth of Field
• Depth of Field is extremely shallow at
Macro magnifications
Aperture Focus Distance DOF
f/8 15cm less than 1mm
f/16 15cm 1mm
f/22 15cm 2mm
• Depth of Field is only a function of your
Aperture – not the focal length of the lens
– Shooting a subject @ 1:1 magnification with a 50mm lens at f16
or a 200mm lens at f16 will both give you the same DOF, but the
working distance will be 4 times greater with the 200mm
Plane of Focus
• Since the Depth of Field is so shallow we need to
consider the Plane of Focus. If we align the points of
interest inline with the Sensor plane we will gain
maximum sharpness
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9. Plane of Focus
Both Shot at f8
Plane of Focus
How to Focus
• Manual Focus – Autofocus can often struggle with
Macro.
• Switching to Manual Focus and moving the camera
forward and backwards until focus is achieved
• Focus and different points and decide yourself what
you like
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10. Working Distance
• This is the distance from the front of your lens to
your subject
• As lens focal length increases so does your working
distance
• Working Distance at 1:1
(using lens extension to attain 1:1 magnification)
Focal Length Working Distance
200mm 316mm
100mm 160mm
50mm 55mm
Light Loss / Camera Stability
• As Extension & Magnification increase, the amount
of light reaching the sensor decreases
• TTL Metering will give you correct exposures in spite
of the f-stop varying with magnification
• The image magnification increases the effect of
camera shake is magnified
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11. Lighting
• On Camera/Built in Flash can cause a shadow of
your lens on the subject
• Use off Camera Flash so the shadows emulate
natural light
• The harshness of shadows cast by a light is a
function of how big the light source appears when
viewed from the subject
– Light Source really close = soft shadows
– Same light Source far away = harsh shadows
• Another Light/Flash or Reflector can be used to
fill in shadows
Lighting
• Manage the Background brightness
– Flash light falls off quickly
– Darken your background by putting your flash
closer to your subject
– Lighten your background by moving the flash
away from your subject so the flash to subject
distance is similar to subject to background
distance
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12. Flash Lighting
• Types of Flash
– Off Camera Flash
• Allows you to create more natural shadows
• Avoids Lens Shadow
– Ring Flash
• Gives a flat illumination with
minimal shadows
How to make a Cheap Ring Flash
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13. How much of that
you Remember
Macro Tips
• Get in Close
– use Macro Lens/Extension Tube/Close-Up Lens to get in close
• Manual Focus
– switch to Manual Focus and move the camera back and forward to
focus on your subject - “Nail those eyes”
• Sharp
– maximum Depth of Field by aligning subject with Plane of focus
• Steady
– with increased magnification use a tripod/beanbag
• Background
– Darken/Lighten by moving your light – look for uncluttered b/grounds
• Flash
– use flash to lighten your subject. Take off camera to create more
pleasing and natural light – watch for flash fall off
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14. Macro Subjects
• Anything goes - so try it!!
Increase Depth of Field
when Post Processing!
Set up on Tripod
Take 4-5 Photos varying point of focus
Open Bridge and select your images
Bring into Photoshop Layers
Auto-Align Layers
Auto-Blend Layers
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15. Open Adobe Bridge + Select your Photographs
Go to Tools / Photoshop / Load Files into Photoshop Layers
Photoshop will start and each image will be loaded into a separate layer
Select All layers and go to Edit / Auto-Align Layers
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16. The Auto-Align Layers Pallet will open – make sure Auto is selected
You may not see much happen – but study the thumbnails to see layer alignment
Then Select Auto-Blend Layers
The Auto-Blend Pallet will open – select Stack Images
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17. So from 5 separate images all shot with a different point of focus
we can create a single shot with much increased Depth of Field
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18. Who wants a go?
• Autumn Still Life
• Stick Insects
• Caterpillars
• …and who wants a
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