Orchid - Learning to take macro shoots

[happylife]

Take this photo in the house garden. Just started learning to take macro pics using Digital camera - Olympus C-700UZ.

Comments welcome.

 

[luisg]

nice one :thumbsup:

 

[megaweb]

try erwinx's tips

• Use a tripod
• Many flowers are quite large. A macro lens is not essential.
• Use aperture priority. f/11 to f/22 are common apertures. If photographing white flowers, seek advanced help beyond this guide.
• You may need to manually focus. Beginners - focus on the most important part of the flower. Beyond beginners - focus 0.5-1.0cm in front of the most important part.
• Make sure background is not distracting.
• Make sure light is not too contrasty unless effect is deliberate.

 

[erwinx]

There is reasonable sharpness and reasonable depth of field indicating that focussing was correct.

Light is good and not overcontrasty

Background is a bit of a problem.

After you sort out the background, you're on your way to thinking more about composition.

_______________________

(1) Use a tripod

(2) Many flowers are quite large. A macro lens is not essential.

(3) Use aperture priority. f/11 to f/22 are common apertures. If photographing white flowers, seek advanced help beyond this guide.

(4) You may need to manually focus. Beginners - focus on the most important part of the flower. Beyond beginners - focus 0.5-1.0cm in front of the most important part.

(5) Make sure background is not distracting.

(6) Make sure light is not too contrasty unless effect is deliberate.

(7) Decide whether you are photographing A flower, a BUNCH of flowers, or the WHOLE plant and compose the shot accordingly.

An early attempt (1998) of mine to apply rule (7) but lighting wise yuck. (also ignore scanner noise and lack of sharpness from old scanner)
http://members.tripod.com/~tsc/travel/205.htm