I have always thought and defended that the essence of a photographer is to see where others do not see. It is the ability to find a wonderful image where others do not see anything, the ability to be fascinated by the immediate environment without having to resort to long trips or easily photogenic scenarios. A photographer is not simply someone who takes photos, because today anyone falls under that definition, a photographer is a creator of images, a seeker of stories, the spokesperson for an idea.
Most of the time, beauty and great stories are closer and smaller than we think. Do you have a macro? Then you have a treasure and a key to a door that will bring you great satisfaction 😉 . And if you have a macro, then you have to dive into nature photography with this mega guide that we have prepared for you, because the combination of macro photography and plant nature is a safe bet 🙂 . But before launching like crazy to capture images with a macro, I leave you some tips that I hope will be useful to you.
1. Photography at sunrise
Yes, what a laziness, right? Until you see the difference between doing it at another time of day and at dawn 🙂 . And I say dawn and no sunrise and sunset by the way, because sunrises have the characteristic not only of giving us a wonderful warm and soft light, but also of being the time of day with less wind.
- Very attractive soft and warm diffused lights to enhance colors and shapes.
- It is the time of day with less wind. And in macrophotography the focus is essential and very precise, so a scene that is as static as possible is necessary.
- Dew. It is an element that can add interest to your images and give a lot of play in macro photography.
2. Use a tripod
Always. No excuses, to photograph macro you have to carry a tripod. It is already difficult to depend on the flower or plant you want to photograph not moving an iota, much more to trust your good hand or have enough light to be able to shoot at high speeds (and freeze the movement).
- If macro photography is your thing, surely getting one with a removable, heavy central column and in which the legs can be opened at different angles is an (expensive) option to consider.
3. Use a timer or remote shutter
I won’t tire of insisting that the slightest variation due to movement can throw off focus in macro photography, where detail is almost the essence of the image. That is why all precaution is little 😉 Using the camera’s remote shutter or a timer will eliminate the movement that you cause when pressing the shutter. Likewise, if your camera has the option to lock the mirror, do it; this will also help reduce the shake.
4. Lower the ISO
Another reason not to forget the tripod at home. Working with a low ISO will provide more sharpness and quality to your images. So it is best to leave it fixed at a low value. Each camera has a default value that ensures better image quality, if you are very purist, try to find out yours, if not, set the ISO between 75 and 125, which is approximately where this value is.
5. Take care of the background
Do not forget how important the background is in photographs and the power it has to elevate or destroy an image. Even more so when we try to photograph something as formal as a flower or a plant, where color and shape are practically everything. A good trick is to carry alternative funds with you for when you can’t find one that suits you. You can take fabrics or colored cardboard. Since what you photograph is small, you will not need them to be too large.
6. Always carry a reflector
Since the sunrise only gives us light for a short time and you will probably want to continue your photographic adventure for a while longer, it is best to always carry a reflector with you to soften harsh lights, shadows and textures whenever you need it. This will allow you to get good images in times of the day that are not so good 😉
7. Take advantage of cloudy days
Cloudy days, although for other types of photography can be somewhat annoying, for the photography of flowers and plants, it represents a great scenario. The clouds act as a diffuser and make the light reach the scene in a soft and diffused way, causing shadows and soft textures ideal for this type of photography.
8. Change the point of view
Macro photography is a type of photography that must be simmer, without hurry, savoring the scene and all the work prior to the shot. Forget about here I catch you here I kill you because then you won’t get anything. You have to think, look, re-look, go around, frame, unframe, stretch out on the ground, bite, contrapicate and try different frames. Macro photography allows you to enter magical worlds, enjoy them no hurry 🙂
9. Photography all year
You should not only look forward to spring, there are flowers all year round somewhere, not of all species or everywhere, but stop to think, there are flowers on balconies, in the city, in florists… If you like macro photography of flowers you will never run out of material.
10. Take a vaporizer with you
You’re not always going to find morning dew in the place or the way you might like. So why not create your own dew? It’s as simple as taking a small vaporizer with you and spraying the areas of the plant and flower that you want and in the way you want.
11. Take great care of the composition
In this type of a priori static photographs, a good composition is as basic as it is free, although some basic composition rules will help you to start:
- rule of thirds
- Law of gaze (in case you find a bug on the flower and want to portray it as part of it, leave space in the direction in which its gaze is directed)
- Fill the frame. Don’t be afraid to dive into the frame and fill it completely.
… And a favor: leave everything as you found it or better yet 🙂
Every flower, every plant, every bug, everything counts and is important in this battered nature of ours. So, please, take care of it and respect it from the first moment. (I know you will, but it doesn’t hurt to say it 😉 )
How about? Do you dare with the macrophotography of flowers and plants? You’ve done it already? Be that as it may, I hope you have been able to take advantage of some of the advice. If so, and if you also know someone who could also benefit from any of them, share it so that it reaches them. Thank you very much and until next time 🙂