Macro Photography Tools and Techniques

   

This Macro Photography Series consists of 6 Parts. You can use the Blog Archive links to access any chapter, as well as my other posts. I recently re-formatted this Series so that the chapters can be read in order. I learned that the only way to do this on Blogger was to change the publishing dates to flow concurrently. Don't be misled by those posting dates. This thing was not written in 6 days!

The information and photos in this Macro Series represent a compilation of years of research and field experience.

Enjoy the series, and please leave a comment at the bottom if you like what you see. 

                     Macro Photography 
                    Tools and Techniques
                                 Part #1
                               
Introduction:
As anyone who has ever picked up a camera knows, bigger is almost always better. Filling a frame with as much of a subject as is technically possible ranks highly among every serious outdoor photographer’s aspirations. While easily fulfilled during every day shooting scenarios (at least most of the time),  the challenge of filling our frame with our subject becomes increasingly more difficult to accomplish as the size of our intended quarry diminishes into the unforgiving realm of the macro world.

In this Series, we will focus upon understanding the fundamentals and challenges inherent in creating high-quality, in-camera macro imagery in the field. We will attempt to acknowledge most of the obstacles Mother Nature appears to enjoy hurling into our paths as we delineate the tools and skills requisite to conquering them. We will detail specialized equipment and techniques required to resolve the adversities of effective lighting, both natural and applied. We will offer strategies for recognizing or crafting practical backgrounds which help to define and accentuate our minuscule works of art.
We will analyze some of the more popular macro subjects found in nature and offer demonstrated shooting tips, stealth techniques and suggestions helpful in transforming the mundane into masterpieces worthy of praise.
We will discuss the fine art of composing tiny landscapes…a  practice which can best be defined as “creating something from nothing“. This acquired skill can prove extremely valuable in salvaging those days when there really is, “…nothing to shoot”.
Throughout this text, a familiarity in photographic technique and its nomenclature will be beneficial…particularly as applied to modern film and digital SLR applications.
We will try to dissuade a dependence upon technology, and create a more comfortable mind-set toward applying manual camera settings for ultimate control…while translating some of macro photography’s most cryptic vernacular into more digestible provisions.

Along the trail, we will meet up with Bugsy.
He’s a fictional, but intrepid nature photographer who is beset with many field challenges which he has to resolve through innovation. How he imaginatively conquers his countless macro photography dilemmas should be an inspiration to us all!

If your concept of "photography" involves holding up your cell phone and pushing a button...you likely won't gain much from this Series.
I've been referred to as That Old Fart from the Old School...but I believe that inspirational, creative imagery requires empirical knowledge gained through years of practical experience.

Therefore, you can expect extensive discussion into expanding upon what you should already know about composition, critical focus, exposure, and depth of field control.

Like the ingredients in a stew, these fundamentals represent photography’s building blocks, so it stands to reason that a mastery of these basic essentials applies as much to macro photography as to any other form. (…only closer).

              A Macro Photographer's Arsenal

The first installment in this series outlines tools and materials which might typically be found in an outdoor macro photographer's gear bag. As mentioned, future posts will elaborate further into actual shooting scenarios, field challenges, and advanced photographic techniques designed to maximize potential.

The Macro Lens:
The true macro lens is an extremely versatile piece of equipment. This specialized lens has the ability to focus from as close as a few inches away from the subject (at 1:1 life-size) all the way to infinity.
(The idiom “life-size” reverts back to the film era and accurately defines the size relationship between an actual object and its reproduced likeness on film. “True life-size” indicates that the object size, as photographed on a film strip or slide, is exactly the same size as in real life.) 

The extreme range of focusing capabilities prompts many photographers into replacing their standard (kit) lenses with macro lenses as part of their every day, “walk around” camera systems.
When choosing any photographic accessory, quality and practicality should be foremost in the mind of the prospective buyer. This is particularly true when choosing a macro lens, since a poor choice can often lead to disaster.
Don’t be misled by generic lens manufacturers who misappropriate the idioms  “macro capabilities” or “close-focusing” when describing their modestly-priced zoom lenses. More often than not, these lenses are of poor optical quality, and most cannot focus closer than around ¼  life-size.
True macro lenses are manufactured in fixed focal lengths. The most commonly available lens sizes range from 60 mm to 200 mm. While focal lengths and working distances may vary, all macro lenses will have the same range of focusing capability…from 1:1 life-size (or 1:2 on some models) all the way out to infinity. Most name brand and high-quality generic lens manufacturers employ specialized glass, which helps optimize corner-to-corner sharpness from the lens’ minimum focusing distance throughout its entire focusing range. So while there may be other options for close-up photography, it’s wise for the serious nature photographer to own at least one true macro lens.
Which focal length to select will depend heavily upon one’s intended quarry. While a 60 mm macro lens is an acceptable focal length for wildflower photography, it may not be the most practical choice for shooting insects and the other skittish little creatures we  encounter in nature. A much better focal length for insect photography would fall into the 105 mm to 200 mm range. The same 1:1 ratio could be achieved…but at a much more effective working distance.
Lens manufactures will usually list the “Close-focus Distance” in their specifications, but don’t confuse this with the actual “Free-working Distance”.
By definition, “Close Focus” is the measured distance between two critical focus points…the subject and the film plane or sensor (when the lens is focused to its closest parameter). Conversely, the free-working distance of a lens is measured between the subject and the front of the lens barrel when the lens is focused at 1:1. While specified distances may vary slightly, dependent upon the lens manufacturer, the average working distance with a 60 mm macro lens focused at 1:1 is around 3 inches from the subject. With a 200 mm macro lens, a photographer can focus to 1:1 from over a foot away from his or her quarry.
So it stands to reason that if the nature photographer had to select only one true macro lens for all-around use, a longer focal length lens might be the sensible choice.

Close-up Filters

Close-up Filters (Diopters):
Magnifying (close-up) filters, which can be attached onto the front of just about any lens via the threaded filter ring, represent a cheaper alternative to investing in a true macro lens. They are typically sold in sets, representing varying diopter strengths, and can be used singularly or stacked together. The quality of the glass used in magnifying filters can vary from dreadfully poor to really good, depending upon the manufacturer and price range.
The obvious advantages are the lower price and ease of use. Since close-up filters can be applied to any lens which accepts the same filter thread, they allow the budget-minded macro photographer to utilize a non-macro lens he or she may already own to magnify an image beyond its standard close-focusing parameters.
The glass filters are clear so there is minimal light loss and, with a little practice, it’s generally easy to achieve acceptable results while shooting hand-held in decent light.
But as in all photography, there are trade-offs to consider. Magnifying filters are only functional when shooting close, so if a situation changes abruptly and a photographer needs to quickly react and recompose, the lens with the applied magnifying filters will lose its ability to focus on distant objects.
The filters will need to be removed to allow the lens to focus normally.
Since the filters add more layers of glass, the integrity of an otherwise stellar lens may be compromised. Adding additional layers of glass can increase the possibility of chromatic aberration (color shift), and lens flare. When several of the close-up filters are stacked, vignetting (…that dreaded darkening of the corners) is a common anomaly.
Finally, magnifying filters are designed to achieve their most effective levels of sharpness when the subject is in the center of the frame. (As we know, positioning our point of interest dead-center in the frame may not always be desirable.)

Reversing Rings:
Another inexpensive alternative for shooting close is to mount a standard lens onto the camera body backwards by using a reversing ring.
Reversing rings are readily available in a variety of lens mounts and filter thread sizes. By design,  they are all basically the same. A threaded flange on one side of the ring accepts the filter threads inside the front of the lens barrel. On the other side of the ring, a compatible lens mount attaches the reversed lens to the camera body.
(When shopping for a reversing ring, be sure to select a manufacturer’s compatible lens mount and filter thread size to accommodate the lens or lenses you intend to use.)
Lenses most practically used in reverse for macro photography have manually operating aperture control capabilities and are of short focal length (20 mm to 60 mm). It’s true that any focal length lens can be reversed with the proper ring, but longer lenses are also heavier lenses. The excessive weight of a heavy lens could add undue strain to the delicate threads of the lens barrel and increase the possibility of the threads jamming…making it difficult to remove the ring after the macro shoot.
It’s important to remember that a reversed lens is more vulnerable to damage, since the rear glass and delicate pins and contacts are exposed. G-Series (gelded) lenses are pretty much worthless when reversed. The rear contacts are no longer attached to the camera body so there is no communication mechanism to control the aperture settings.

How does reversing a lens increase magnification?
To explain this concept fully requires an understanding of focal points and how lens extensions relate to life-size ratios. (Unless you’re the Professor of Physics at the local college, the cerebral gymnastics of trying to calculate the math can drive you batty.) To put it simply, we are extending the rear lens element at a distance equivalent to the lens’ focal length. In FX (or 35 mm) format with a reverse-mounted 50 mm lens, this equates to around 1:1 life-size. Mounting a shorter focal length lens in reverse can increase the image size beyond life-size. (On a DX digital body, with its smaller sensor, the crop factor permits subject magnifications up to around 3.4X with a reversed 20 mm lens.)
Unlike the magnifying filters, no additional glass elements are applied so the integrity of the primary lens’ quality is not compromised. Since the focusing ring becomes useless, critically focusing on a macro subject with a reversed prime lens can only be performed manually by moving the camera forward or backward. This process can prove to be quite cumbersome in the field with a tripod mounted camera.
This focusing handicap has a redeeming benefit though. Since we’re forced into moving our cameras and tripods to focus manually, those old manually focusing film camera lenses we all have lying around can be put to good use.
(Some photographers mount a zoom lens in reverse…then use the zoom feature to critically focus rather than trying to move the camera and tripod back and forth.)

With a reversed lens, we are restricted to only one working distance, one critical focus point, and one magnification ratio which as mentioned, will vary depending upon the focal length of that specific lens.
The simplest method for determining how a given lens will perform in reversed position is to conduct a simple test with a flat subject, such as newspaper page.
While looking through the viewfinder, gradually move the camera and reversed lens closer toward the printed page until you see the text pop into focus. With the camera and lens stationary, it’s easy to determine the exact position where the text appears sharpest. You can then measure the distance between the rear element (which is now in front) and the subject in focus. This measurement is the only working distance achievable with that particular reversed lens.
As in all macro applications, depth of field parameters will be extremely narrow. The reversed lens should be stopped down to squeeze out as much depth detail as possible.
(It’s not advisable to stop any lens all the way down, though, since image quality may suffer.)
Since the automatic diaphragm function will not operate when the lens is mounted in reverse, the viewfinder will darken considerably as the lens is stopped down. Ideally, overall composition and a critical focus point should be determined with the camera tripod-mounted and the lens aperture at its widest setting. Once accomplished, the lens can be stopped down to the desired setting, and the scene can then be metered for proper exposure.

              Extension Tubes and Bellows Assemblies:
These two popular macro accessories are similar, in that they are hollow, glass-free spacers which are mounted between the lens and the camera body. Their primary function is to extend the rear lens in graduated distances away from the film plane or digital sensor. The result is an increase in subject magnification.
The degree of magnification is determined by two factors; the focal length of the lens, and how far the lens is extended.
 (To better understand how lens extension increases image size, we need only think back to our slide show days. Remember how moving the screen further away from the slide projector made the image bigger? The same thing is going on inside our camera when we extend the rear lens element further from the film plane or sensor.)

Extension Tubes

Extension tubes are fixed sizes and are typically sold in sets of three…usually 12/20/36 mm. They can be used singly or stacked together for up to 68 mm of lens extension. With most brands of extension tubes, auto-diaphragm functions remain operational. This is a benefit over other macro systems, since focusing and composition can be performed with a much brighter viewfinder…even when the lens is stopped down to the shooting aperture.
TTL Metering will function as well, since the meter is reading only reflected light which is passing through the lens…regardless of whatever accessories have been attached. Attaining a critical focus point is best performed manually though, even when utilizing an auto-focus camera system. The primary reason for selecting our point of critical focus manually, is that depth of field will be exponentially minimized, and our machine doesn't really know which portion of our scene we think is most important.
We should also keep in mind that extending any lens farther away from the camera body will change its focal range. To better explain focal range and how dramatically this range is affected, let’s assume that the normal focal range of a 105 mm macro lens is from 12” to infinity. If we were to stack 68 mm of extension tubes, the focal range (the distance between the subject and the film or sensor) would be limited to around 6” to 10”, between its closest parameter and the infinity setting. Given that, the implementation of extension tubes (or bellows) are only viable options when shooting in macro, and the extension accessories must be removed to permit the lens to perform within its normal focusing range.

                                                     Macro Bellows with 105 mm Lens

A bellows assembly, unlike a set of extension tubes, is fully adjustable and can extend a lens further away from the camera body throughout a wider range of distances...typically from 50 mm to 190 mm or more. Depending upon the focal length of the lens, optical magnification ratios of 10X or greater are achievable when both the bellows and the lens focusing ring are fully extended. A typical bellows assembly is equipped with a built-in focusing rail which can be tripod-mounted. The focusing rail allows the entire tripod-mounted, camera-bellows-lens combination to be easily adjusted back and forth to establish critical focus on a key element.

When discussing the use of a bellows for shooting macros in the field, you will likely hear assertions that a bellows system is “Bulky and cumbersome”, “Too delicate”, “Outdated” and, “Not practical for outdoor use”, to name a few. For the most part, these claims are at least somewhat accurate.
Bellows assemblies are indeed bulky and can be considered a bit cumbersome to control.
And delicate?…Definitely true. But since we've trained ourselves to be so cautious with our expensive equipment while we’re out in the wild, we can easily adjust our behavior to safeguard even our most fragile of accessories.
And yes, as mega-pixel resolutions continue to increase in the ever-evolving digital age, a macro bellows unit can probably be considered outdated and may eventually become obsolete. It’s so much easier to achieve extreme magnifications by enlarging an image digitally that many have forgotten the advantages of extending their macro lenses to magnify their subjects optically.
Digitally enlarging a small portion of an image taken at 1:1 with a true macro lens can indeed enlarge that part of the frame to beyond life-size, but as we know, this process utilizes a smaller portion of the sensor and a mere fraction of the available pixels.  Extending the same lens to enlarge the subject optically utilizes the entire sensor and ALL of its pixels. And best of all…with so many pixels gathering data, we can still opt to apply our digital techniques to enlarge an extreme macro image even further with very little loss in detail. (…as long as we don’t get too greedy.)
Finally, the claim that a macro bellows is not practical for use in the field was likely penned by someone who had never learned to use one. Like any piece of specialized photographic equipment, extensive field practice is recommended when attempting to use a bellows to chase finicky bugs on a windy day.
By far, the most challenging obstacle to overcome when attempting to shoot natural light macros with a fully extended bellows, is maintaining sharpness and composition when we’re faced with a subject that won’t sit still.
Quite often, we are dealing with shutter speeds of several seconds due to extreme light loss and depth of field which is measured in microns. In extreme macro, even the slightest of breezes can result in our subject dancing around in the viewfinder in and out of focus …even in and out of the frame.

Using the Macro Bellows Effectively
A macro bellows, as mentioned before, is a hollow, adjustable accordion-shaped tube with a lens mount on one end, and a camera body mounting flange on the other. For consistently producing greater than life-sized images (without cropping), no other tool in the serious macro photographer’s gear bag is more treasured.
When shopping for a macro bellows system, there are two important points to consider. Foremost, is that the lens and camera mounts have to be compatible with the camera system upon which it will be used. The second key component is that the unit must be equipped with a built-in focusing rail and a tripod mount. By shopping around, it’s relatively easy to find a high-quality used bellows and (focusing) rail system for a few hundred dollars. It’s also wise to acquire and permanently affix a 12 mm extension tube to the camera-side flange to simplify mounting of the camera body onto the bellows. This spacer proves particularly beneficial when attempting to attach the current crop of hefty, ergonomically designed DX-DSLR’s.
(Note: When attaching a 35 mm film camera (or full-frame, FX-DSLR) onto a macro bellows, avoid using the 12 mm spacer mentioned earlier or extreme vignetting will occur. The body of the camera should be attached directly onto the mounting flange of the bellows. If the camera body has an optional battery pack installed, this may need to be removed before the camera can be fitted onto the bellows.)
Once installed, the bottom of the camera body should not contact any portion of the focusing rail or it will not move freely.
On the other end of the bellows, a mounting flange accepts any compatible lens to complete the system.

The Macro Bellows…Pros and Cons:
Each piece of equipment has it’s good side and its bad side. It’s always at the discretion of the individual to differentiate between good and evil.  The outdoor macro photographer weighing these decisions ultimately determines whether or not this particular tool will be practical for his or her macro needs. For the sake of fairness…we’ll list the macro bellows’ bad points first:

1)  “Bulky, Cumbersome, Delicate, Difficult to Use”
These despondent lines of reasoning were discussed earlier…and they’re true. Using a bellows assembly in the field is challenging work. But with practice, handling the various array of knobs, levers and controls will become much easier.
2)  All Manual Operation
Forget about your auto-settings. You will need to feel comfortable setting the aperture and shutter speeds manually. Critical focusing will be performed manually as well, by moving the entire camera/bellows/lens assembly back and forth.…a process made simpler via the focusing rail.
3)  Minimal DOF and Available Light  
Both will become progressively worse as a lens is extended further. Depth of field will be almost non-existent when most lenses are extended to the most extreme distance on the bellows. Massive light loss will necessitate ambient light exposure times of several seconds. Longer focal length lenses (in the 100 to 200 mm range) will in both cases, offer much more latitude on the bellows than standard or wide-angle lenses.
4)  Camera-shake and Subject Movement will be Amplified   
Again, these sharp image killers will intensify exponentially for each additional millimeter we extend our lens. Controlling all movement during a multi-second, exposure is the bellow assembly’s most challenging aspect. The camera’s timer and/or mirror lock-up functions will definitely be utilized to their full potentials in natural light.
5)  Critical Focus Must Be Attained with the Lens Wide Open   
Due to substantial light loss, it becomes difficult to see the image through the viewfinder when a fully extended lens is stopped down to its shooting aperture. Since the lens is not connected to the camera body, the auto-diaphragm function becomes inoperable, so the scene in the viewfinder gets progressively darker as we stop down the lens. We must therefore, compose and critically focus on the key element in our scene with the aperture at its widest setting. We then, have to stop the lens down to the shooting aperture, meter the scene, set the appropriate shutter speed, set the timer, and press the shutter…ALL without touching the focusing ring or moving the camera. If all goes as planned, the timer will run out and the shutter will open and close before a bug flies off or re-shifts its pose…and before a puff of wind starts to jiggle things around. Needless to say, this takes patience…and lots of practice.
6)  Dust and Dirt on the Lens will be Visible in the Photo  
When we mount our lenses directly onto our camera bodies, tiny specs of material on the exterior elements aren't really much of an issue. The dirt and dust are thrown so far out of focus that they become indiscernible. When we extend those same dirty lenses on a bellows in extreme macro, those specs will show up in every photograph as black spots or hazy glitches which will need to removed later with software. Unless you enjoy spending time on the computer zapping out ghosts and goblins, it’s wise to carry along a good blower-brush or cleaning kit…and keep those lenses clean.
7)  Image Quality Can Deteriorate in Extreme Macro  
Whenever we try to push a lens, or any piece of equipment, too far beyond its intended parameters, something invariably has to suffer. Image sharpness and overall quality are foremost in the minds of all determined macro photographers so it stands to reason that we want our extreme macro images to be the best they can be. While magnification ratios of 15X and beyond are possible on a macro bellows, image quality will suffer and color shifts typically occur at the more extreme magnification levels. These aberrations, like many others, are progressive and will vary, based upon the optical quality of the lens, the harshness of the light, and an individual photographer’s technique. In practice, we learn which lenses in our arsenals perform best, and we ascertain exactly how far we can push their fragile limits. Empirical wisdom should eventually take precedent over greed, as we learn exactly when to back off on the throttle.…before our equipment starts fighting back.
8)  “G-Series” (Gelded) Lenses Cannot be Used with a Bellows  
Gelded lenses have aperture rings which are internally controlled by electronic contacts on the camera body. For this reason, only lenses with manually-controllable aperture rings will work on a bellows assembly. When considering a bellows purchase, it’s wise to pick up a few used manual-focus macro lenses to use with it. These lenses are relatively cheap in today’s market, and they all have manually operable aperture rings. The better quality, “name brand” used lenses perform very well when extended.
9)  Limited Exif Data will be Recorded
Since the lens is not connected directly to the camera body, internal communications supported by the lens’ contact points, such as focal length and aperture setting, will not record accurately. (The embedded data will default to the lens information supplied by whatever lens was previously attached directly to the camera body.) The maximum aperture and focal length of that previous lens is what will be recorded.
Any data supported by the camera body, such as file format, shutter speed, ISO, white balance, etc.,
will record as normal.


OK…now that we've sufficiently outlined the negative aspects to owning and operating a macro bellows system, let’s explore a few of its benefits:

                                                            Cabbage White Butterfly at @ 3.5X 
                                            105 mm Macro Lens with Bellows Extended to 190 mm 

1) Bigger is Better
The ultimate goal of the macro photographer is to get close enough to his or her subject to record its most intimate details. A bellows system allows the photographer the ability to see the macro world in an entirely different perspective. As mentioned before, when we extend our lenses, we are enlarging our subjects optically, rather than digitally,…and utilizing ALL of our available pixels.
2) Versatile and Adjustable  
Another redeeming quality is that the ability of the photographer to be flexible in his or her macro renditions is not compromised . It becomes simple to increase or decrease the magnification of macro subjects by extending or contracting the bellows. An insect photographer can reduce the bellows extension to document the subject within its surroundings, then extend it for a few full-frame, full-bug views…then, expand even further for those intimate close-ups of only its eyes…so close that he can often see his own reflection staring back at him.
All of these varying perspectives can be performed without changing the camera position.
Most bellows systems also allow for easily adjusting from landscape to portrait format (…from horizontal to vertical), by flipping a lever and rotating the camera body 90 degrees. This feature proves beneficial during those compositions when a subject is resting up and down, rather than east to west.
3)  A Bellows has No Glass Elements   
Compounding multiple layers of additional glass between our sensor and our subject typically degrades image quality. Many photographers have tried attaching magnifying filters and/or teleconverters to their macro lenses, aspiring to enlarge their images a little further than their equipment would normally allow. More often than not, they were disappointed when viewing the results. Applying additional glass opens the door toward color shifts, flare, poor focusing capabilities, as well as other optical aberrations.
The ability to physically extend a stellar lens far beyond its designed parameters to optically enlarge an image (…without adding any more glass), is likely the bellows most valuable attribute.
The bottom-line consensus when attempting to enlarge any macro subject is that…“Less glass is always better”.
4)  A Bellows/Focusing Rail can be Tripod-Mounted  
It’s certainly no secret that a macro bellows requires tripod use. On the bottom of the focusing rail, a threaded flange accepts the same thread as most standard tripod heads. If their intended quarry that day involves mostly macro work, many photographers carry their bellows permanently affixed to their tripod, with the camera body and lens attached. Matching quick-release devices mounted onto the bellows, and also bottom of the camera body, allows the photographer to switch things around in a hurry if the need arises.
5)  A Multitude of Magnification Ratios at your Fingertips  
Greater than life-size optical magnifications are easily achieved with just about any compatible lens which is mounted onto a macro bellows. A short focal length lens (in the 35-60 mm range) will produce very high magnification ratios (..up to around 12X), when coupled with a DSLR with a DX sensor. The trade-off will be DOF which is measured in microns and a very limited working distance. When the subject is in focus, it will be nearly touching the front of the lens barrel.
Shooting Tip: A short focal length lens will actually perform better and allow for greater working distance when mounted onto the bellows backward with a reversing ring.
Conversely, a longer lens (150-200 mm) will have far less magnification possibilities but will provide a lot more working distance and much better depth of field control. For all-around use, a true macro lens falling within the 85 to 105 mm range seems to provide the perfect compromise for use on the macro bellows. A 105 mm macro lens, with both the focusing ring and bellows fully extended, can produce dramatic, optical magnifications above the 4X range on a DX sensor. This combination provides acceptable depth of field control and a manageable working distance of around 4 inches away from the subject.
6) It’s Never Too Small
Photographers who arm themselves with a macro bellows system are no longer limited by the size of their intended subjects. Even the tiniest specs of life can be explored. Put simply…if you can find it, it can be photographed. Fascinating, often rare and exotic, life forms can be enlarged to show intimate detail which many have never witnessed.

As mentioned earlier, extending the lens to enlarge a macro subject optically has distinct advantages over attempting to achieve the same result by digitally enlarging a tiny portion of the frame.


             Calculating Life-size Ratios with a Macro System

        1:1 Lifesize

Mathematically calculating "accurate" life-size ratios with an extended macro bellows can result in mental gymnastics best left to brainiacs with nothing better to do.
My system is pretty simple. I roughly divide the millimeters of extension into the focal length of the lens I'm using, then estimate from there.
In other words....
A 105 mm lens extended 190 mm on a bellows would yield @ 1.81X magnification (190/105=1.809)
This calculation is close to accurate with a full-frame (FX) sensor with the lens barrel focused to infinity.
When considering crop factors for DX cameras and additional lens-barrel extensions, my brain starts to hurt, so I usually just estimate.
If you are really serious about how much actual magnification you are getting with a particular lens, prop a ruler onto a steady surface, focus the lens at it closest parameter on the millimeter scale of the ruler, and snap a photo.
You can then count the millimeter marks you see in the frame and divide that into the mm length of your sensor to get true life-size reproduction information for that lens.
(...that's the easy way.)

© Bob Cammarata 2015
bobcammarata.blogspot.com

No portion of this material may be copied or used without permission

Go To Part 2 of this Series

Macro Photography Tools and Techniques (Part #2)

Part #2 of this Series picks up where Part #1 left off...and expands upon a few effective uses of electronic flash in macro photography. 

                       

                     Macro Photography 
                    Tools and Techniques
                                Part #2

                        Fundamentals of Effective Lighting

                                                                     BLAST OFF!!


Natural Light vs. Electronic Flash:
There is an on-going debate which is the more effective method to illuminate macro subjects in the field…natural light or flash. Most prefer natural light because "it’s there", and because...
"..It’s Natural."
A lesson soon learned in macro photography is that natural light, while more flattering to the subject, often proves to be the more problematic of the two options.
Understanding Mother Nature, and how her challenges relate to macro photography, represents the key to achieving higher quality imagery using natural light. In nature, there will almost always be variations of extremes. Bright sunlight can be exceptionally harsh. There will be distracting shadows which need to be filled with an alternative light source or a reflector. There will be hot spots reflecting off shiny surfaces which need to be softened to more acceptable levels with some type of diffusion material. There will also be instances when a photogenic subject is deeply shaded by an overhanging tree limb or other obstacle, necessitating longer shutter speeds and white-balance adjustments. (These and other natural light quandaries will be expanded upon in greater detail in a few “Field Challenges” later on.)

Sure, we all pray for that hazy, light-overcast sky…that naturally diffused  “light box in the sky” which provides uniform illumination with minimal shadows. These ideal conditions (coupled with calm winds) are in every outdoor photographer’s dream. In Utopia, it makes perfect sense to capitalize upon the charitable gift from above and leave those flash heads in the car.
In virtually every other shooting situation though, it’s the wiser outdoor photographer who ventures into the field fully prepared for whatever Mother Nature may have in store that day. Packing one or two fully charged electronic flash units into the corner of one’s camera bag offers peace of mind. The decision to bring them along may even end up salvaging the day. 

A NEWS FLASH
Electronic flash is versatile and controllable and represents a viable option every serious outdoor macro photographer should consider. In the beginning, I scorned electronic flash...mainly due to the fact that, like others, I was intimidated by it. Extensive field experience has helped to quell my fears and shed some light on how really effective those electronic flash units can be.
There are several styles and methods of flash illumination which can be utilized effectively in macro photography. The simplest type is the built-in, pop up flash head included on most modern film and digital SLR‘s. These tiny flash heads are generally weak and considered by many to be almost worthless during normal shooting scenarios. Fortunately, in most macro photography situations, our subject is less than a foot away.  For such close encounters, the tiny, pop-up strobe can provide more than adequate illumination.
While a tripod is always recommended, the built-in flash can produce acceptable results while shooting hand-held with a true macro lens in the 105 to 200 mm range, either with or without extension tubes. (Trying to utilize the built-in flash with shorter length macro lenses, in the 60 mm range, may prove problematic. This is especially true when the lens is reversed or when extension tubes have been added. It will be difficult to fully illuminate the subject with the built-in flash at very close range, since a dark shadow will be cast over the subject due the light from the flash being partially shielded by the lens barrel.)

In most shooting scenarios, the key to success when shooting hand-held with any flash system is to select the fastest flash sync speed the camera will allow, preferably in the 1/200 to 1/250 second range. This will ensure that all motion, initiated by both by the subject and the photographer, will be frozen by the flash.
It’s also important to note that everything within range of the flash output will be recorded against a black background.

By dragging the shutter (...selecting a shutter speed which constitutes less time than the maximum flash sync speed), some ambient, background light will be allowed to record. This technique, which may also be described as “Slow Sync Mode”, can be tricky to implement but is extremely effective in creating more pleasing backgrounds when electronic flash is used as the primary illumination. While dragging the shutter helps to eliminate the black background associated with flash photography, it should only be attempted with a tripod-mounted camera and an immobile subject. When attempting this technique hand-held, or when trying to capture a subject which is moving around, there will be a strong possibility that ghosting will occur…meaning that all subject and/or camera movement occurring during the time the shutter remains open (both before and after the flash fires) will also record. The end result will be a discernible “halo” around the subject, or a fuzzy image…seemingly out of focus.

                                                                      Example of Ghosting

                                                                    Close up of Wings

In the above photos, it’s easy to see the inherent defects when attempting to use a slow-sync flash setting.
This emergent Oak Treehopper was photographed with a hand-held strobe at a shutter speed of 1/2 second. The flash was effective in freezing the bug's body, but a puff of wind during the half-second the shutter remained open created enough motion in the wings to cause a halo effect.

It’s also important to mention that attempting to use the built-in flash, or even a more powerful shoe-mounted strobe, with a bellows system will likely result in unwanted shadows forming in the bottom portion of the frame. This aberration will be caused by the limited direction of the light source during really close encounters. The visible shadow area will, as in the previous scenario, be the result of the light from the flash output coming into contact with the lens barrel.
To help combat this flash dilemma, there are a number of commercially made multi-flash brackets available which can be meticulously positioned to re-direct the light. The direction and intensity of several flash heads can be adjusted to fire simultaneously to provide even illumination directly toward the subject and help to fill in shadows.
There are two downsides to these versatile, multi-flash systems (aside from their cost). Too often, the arms of the bracket, or one of the flash heads, gets in the way and disturbs surrounding foliage…sending a skittish bug fleeing for cover.
They also tend to produce abnormal, multiple catch lights in the subjects eyes. Some overly fussy folks might consider these distracting, but they can easily be corrected in the digital darkroom.
Aside from that, those multi-flash systems come highly recommended.

                                                  Ring Flash (Photo by Bill Vanko)

There are also circularly designed flash heads which attach to the front of the lens barrel via an adjustable ring. Ring flash units are extremely effective tools for really close macro photography applications. They surround the subject with uniform illumination…even when only inches away.
As with the multi-flash systems, ring-flash units tend to produce abnormal catch lights, but they are barely noticeable and easily corrected.

                                 Photo Taken by Bill Vanko with Ring Flash Above

Now that we've outlined some of the more common types of flash photography options available to the macro enthusiast, there’s a much simpler, but effective method to achieve high quality macro images with flash utilizing basic equipment…but with specialized techniques.
A shoe mountable strobe, which has wireless remote capabilities, can be hand-held in virtually any position to illuminate any macro subject. Being wireless, there are no pesky cables to get in the way.
All of the major camera manufacturers offer matching dedicated flash units which can be activated remotely. How they can be triggered into firing will vary. Some are designed to be activated by the built-in flash on the camera body, while other more advanced styles have their own dedicated, radio control or infra-red triggering systems.
(An old, inexpensive strobe you already own can also can be modified with an infra-red receiver, with a matching infra-red trigger attached to the hot shoe mount of the camera body.) 

The primary advantage to this simple system is its versatility. Since the flash is hand-held, bracketing exposures becomes a breeze by simply holding the unit closer or farther away from the subject during subsequent exposures. It’s wise to select a flash unit which can be manually adjusted to varying power output levels. By selecting the lower power settings (1/4 or 1/16), re-cycle time becomes much faster. This allows the photographer a much quicker work flow when bracketing multiple frames of the same subject.
It’s also advisable to bracket not only the intensity, but also the direction of the light. This is easily accomplished by holding the flash closer, farther away, or at varying angles during subsequent exposures. Depending upon the subject, the flash head can often be positioned in such a way that the shadows fall completely out of the frame.
With a digital camera, it’s easy to observe the effect of each flash output and instantly make adjustments to the intensity and direction of the flash. Since dramatically different results can be achieved from the same shooting position by changing the direction of the flash, it’s wise to create different versions of the same scene. Each exposure can be later analyzed to separate the wheat from the chaff. Quite often, we end up liking several different exposures of the same subject. The only difference between them is the direction of the light.

As evident in these two intimate portraits of a rather handsome crane fly, bracketing the direction of the flash can afford the macro photographer the diversity to record several different renditions of the

same subject. 

With practice, handling and positioning the flash will seem effortless and we can opt to implement other techniques, such as applying diffusers, flash filters or reflectors to augment and fine tune our flash exposures. This simple, hand-held flash technique pairs extremely well with a tripod mounted macro bellows system. Massive light loss, inherent with a stopped-down lens and fully extended bellows, will necessitate an effective flash position which may end up being mere inches away from the subject.

Mixed Lighting
During the previous discussion, we mentioned “dragging the shutter” during flash exposures to allow ambient light to also record. This represents a form of mixed lighting, indicating that two or more sources of illumination (…sometimes, representing different color temperatures) are utilized during a single exposure.
In practice, intentionally applying additional light sources can help add new life to our macro subjects.
Back in the day, film photographers needed a thorough understanding of color temperatures, especially when using slide films. These color temperatures (or suggested uses) were printed on the film box. To benefit digital camera users, approximate color temperature ranges typically encountered are included in the "White Balance Settings" section of the owners manual. Color temperatures are characterized using the Kelvin scale, and are listed as follows:

2700 K…Sodium Vapor-lamps (Typical light found within sports arenas.)
3000 K…Incandescent (Very Warm…Can be referred to as “Indoor Light”)
4200 K…Cool-white Fluorescent 
5200 K…Direct Sunlight (Can also be referred to as “Daylight”)
5400 K…Electronic Flash (Similar to Daylight temperature)
6000 K…Cloudy (Moderately cool light…Typically occurring during daylight under overcast skies)
8000 K…Shade (Very cool…Occurs in deep shade on a sunny day)

Film camera users (especially slide film shooters) have to balance their film to their intended source of illumination, and have to accurately predict how their film’s emulsion will react. There’s no way for slide film users to see the end result until much later, when the processed slides come back from the lab and are sitting on the light table.
With modern digital cameras, it’s much simpler since we can examine each exposure at the scene and instantly make whatever adjustments needed to achieve our desired result.
Even in the Digital Age, some knowledge of color temperatures can be beneficial. Since our machines have been programmed so efficiently to “correct things” when we utilize their auto-features, we should feel comfortable when manually selecting appropriate white balance settings to match existing conditions. We should also be well aware of our intended outcome when additional light sources are applied to our scene.

                                                                   Mystical Mushrooms

A small, battery powered flashlight can provide many creative opportunities for implementing mixed-lighting compositions. With this simplest of tools, we can direct auxiliary light to deliberately create a color-shift on an isolated part of the scene.
With the white balance set to Direct Sunlight (5200 K), the portion of the frame illuminated by sunlight will record nearly the same as seen by the naked eye. The light from the flashlight is warmer (around 2,700 to 3,000 K), so that portion of the frame will record with a an amber glow…similar to the light from a setting sun.
The miniature landscape above was photographed with outdoor balanced slide film (Provia 100). There were actually three light sources which came into play…all representing different color temperatures. The blurred waterfall in the background was partially shaded while the moss in the foreground was bathed in sunlight.
The light from a battery powered flashlight was positioned from the left side to create an amber glow on the mushroom caps.
Slide films seem to represent relevant color temperatures more accurately their digital counterparts, but a manual setting of 5200K on a digital SLR should yield similar results.

                                                                  Goat's Beard Plant 

The flashlight can also be used to frame macro subjects with dramatic, back-lit halos of light, create catch-lights in our subjects eyes, or add auxiliary light to our subjects or backgrounds. We can be experimental and play with the light by covering the flashlight head with different colored filters and/or selecting varying white balance settings between exposures. The possibilities are limited only by our imagination. The practice and implementation of mixed-lighting techniques allows us to utilize our inner-visions to create in-camera, graphic imagery in which the photo’s primary point of interest is the light itself.

© Bob Cammarata 2015
bobcammarata.blogspot.com
(All photography by the author, except where noted. Thanks to Bill Vanko at VankoVision for the use of the photos.)

No portion of this material may be copied or used without permission

Go To Part 3 of this Series

Macro Photography Tools and Techniques (Part #3)

Part #3 of this Series details the benefits of shade...and how to control and conquer its effects.


                     
                    Macro Photography 
                    Tools and Techniques
                                Part #3

                  Taming Harsh Sunlight by Creating Shade
Distracting shadows, glare, and hot spots are all synonymous with natural light shooting when harsh sunlight is used as the primary source of illumination. These anomalies are apparent in all photographic situations. Fortunately though, for the macro photographer working within close proximity to his or her subject, there are solutions which can help overcome the effects of these challenging conditions.
A piece of non-translucent material, such a small square of cardboard, the brim of your cap, even part of your own body can be utilized to cast shade over the subject and its surroundings during exposure. Deliberately forcing shade can virtually eliminate all distracting shadows and hot spots.

               Leafhopper in Bright Sunlight (Manual WB 5200K...Shutter Speed 1/2 Second)

               Leafhopper in Forced Shade (Manual WB 8330K...Shutter Speed 2.5 Seconds)

These two examples clearly demonstrate the advantages of manufacturing shade to combat the adversities of harsh light. The first photo was taken in bright sunlight, as it appeared.
In the second photo, after shade was cast over the entire frame. the shadows and hot spots were completely eliminated. The intimate detail of the ‘hopper and its leafy perch are more clearly defined.

As in all of photography though, there are trade-offs to consider. On the brightest of sunny days, this process can easily add up to four stops of exposure time, so the subject (and the camera) will have to be completely immobilized for what could likely become a multi-second exposure.
Later on, a Field Challenge will detail a proven method for supporting delicate plant stems with stabilizing devices to eliminate subject movement…as well as techniques to minimize the effects of camera-shake. These processes become essential elements to success any time long, natural light shutter speeds come into play.  

In addition to longer shutter speeds, physically creating shade will necessitate an adjustment of the camera’s white balance setting.
In the two previous examples, the white balance was set manually to accurately record naked eye color renditions. Photographers who opt to keep their white balance permanently set to “Auto” will usually find that their digital equipment cannot accurately interpret the color temperature of shade without a little help. Adjusting the WB control to the “Shade” setting (@8000K) will usually warm things up.
During most conditions, even with the white balance at the Shade setting, the resulting exposures may still appear too cool (..too blue), or too warm (..with a yellow tinge). The intensity of the sunlight will determine how much WB adjustment above or below 8000K will be required to balance the shaded light to acceptable levels. The wiser photographer will test the effects of how his or her camera system interprets color temperatures, and will learn to feel comfortable setting the white balance manually if that need should arise.

                                      Hazy Sunlight ("Daylight" WB Setting ...@5200K)

                                                 Forced Shade (WB Set to "Auto")            

                                        Forced Shade (WB Manually Set to 6670K)

In this sequence of stills, a cooperative Widow Skimmer (Libellula luctuosa) proved to be a prime candidate to test the effectiveness of varying white balance settings. The first photograph was taken with a Daylight Setting in hazy sunlight as it appeared. The colors seem to be fairly accurate, naked-eye interpretations, but even though the light at the scene was partially diffused by haze, some distracting shadows and hot spots are evident.
In the second photo, after the skimmer had re-positioned to a different perch in the same light, shade was applied and the dragon was re-photographed using the Auto WB setting. The resulting photograph indicates how the Auto WB setting renders the scene with a slight bluish tinge.
In the final photograph, again in applied shade, a manual WB adjustment to 6670K eliminates the blue color and depicts a rendition similar to the daylight setting…but without the distracting hot spots and shadows.
With practice, a photographer can learn to “read the light”, and instinctively spin the white balance dial to a corresponding color temperature setting which will depict his or her shaded subject where it will appear most natural.

By far, the most challenging dilemma of physically creating shade befalls the intrepid insect photographer. It’s no secret that most bugs really hate the shade, so composition, focus, AND the setting of camera controls need to be performed with the subject in its original position in the sunlight. Then with the timer engaged, the camera controls can be adjusted and shade can be cast over the sun-bathing critter just before the timer runs out. It takes a lot of practice and field experience to learn exactly how many seconds of dark shade a particular species will tolerate and remain motionless before it decides to fly away or scurry to a sunnier spot.

                                      Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata)

The bright, reflective carapace of C. sexguttata helps to rank it among the most difficult bugs to photograph. These tiny beetles can be found basking and feeding only in the most sunlit areas of the forest. When we attempt to photograph their metallic green bodies in the sunlight,  pure havoc is wreaked within our camera sensors. These guys are textbook candidates upon which to apply the forced shade technique.

This photo was taken with a macro lens on a bellows during a cool, sunny spring morning. The sun was extremely harsh, but it provided sufficient warmth to entice this particular beetle into securing a prime roost on a sunlit log. 

When the lens was stopped down to the shooting aperture (f-16) and shade was applied, the resulting shutter speed was a whopping 4 seconds! Typically, these heat-sensitive little creatures will tolerate only a few brief seconds of shade before they hastily vacate the scene. Fortunately, this little guy hung around and remained motionless during the entire time the shutter remained open.

Most will agree that photographing extreme macro compositions in natural light can be challenging enough. Shading a subject...and deliberately adding shutter-time certainly adds to that challenge.
Some might argue..."Why not just increase the ISO to get a faster shutter speed?"
Sure, that's an option, but I'm of the opinion that the best overall image quality is attained by using the lowest ISO setting possible...particularly in extreme macro.  

As mentioned, upcoming chapters will focus upon stabilization techniques to help control subject and camera movement during those multi-second exposures....as well as the benefits of utilizing those lower ISO settings.

© Bob Cammarata 2015

bobcammarata.blogspot.com

No portion of this material may be copied or used without permission

Go To Part 4 of this Series

Macro Photography Tools and Techniques (Part #4)

Part #4 of this Series is all about backgrounds, which are integral in all compositions...both big and small.


                       Macro Photography 
                      Tools and Techniques
                                   Part #4

                       Backgrounds in Macro Photography

                                                                     Spring Beauty

An effective photograph is a compilation of visual components which, when combined, create an eye-pleasing result. Interesting subject matter may be photogenic, but it cannot stand alone. We need to accentuate our macro subjects by presenting them against aesthetic backgrounds. More often than not, this is easily accomplished by changing the camera angle, or by utilizing natural elements we find at the scene.

Utilizing Natural Materials
Leaves, chunks of bark, even reflective rocks (…as in the example above) can be used effectively as make-shift backgrounds. Just about any natural material we find lying around can be hand-held or propped up behind a macro subject to accentuate a scene.
We can opt to maintain detail in our background to help define our subject when it’s deemed beneficial, or choose a softer, more pleasing compliment. The amount of detail and degree of apparent focus in our chosen background is completely controllable, dependent upon its distance behind the subject. In macro photography, even when our lens is stopped down, the depth of field is so shallow that a background can be easily thrown out of focus just by positioning the material a few inches farther away from the subject.
In the above example of the Spring Beauty flowers, a small chunk of sunlit, mica-encrusted rock was propped up behind the flowers. The amount of distance behind the primary point of interest determined how far out of focus the background appeared in the photograph.

A proven method for creating indistinct backgrounds by utilizing materials found at the scene, is to wiggle the hand-held object rapidly behind the subject during a long, natural light exposure. The subject remains stationary, so the primary point of interest in the photograph remains sharp.
Since the background is in motion during the exposure, it’s presented as a pleasing bokeh of soft color and texture.

                                Wild Chicory Flower (Stationary Green Leaf Background)

                             Wild Chicory Flower (Green Leaf Background...in Motion)
           
                                   
           
In the above photos, a green leaf was selected as background material. In the first example, the stationary leaf was propped up a few inches behind the subject during a four second exposure. The veins and impurities in the leaf are clearly visible.
During the second four second exposure, the same leaf was manually jiggled around behind the subject to create a muted, more pleasing compliment.

                                   Pandorus Sphinx Caterpillar with Braconid Parasites

This same technique can applied to create soft backgrounds in insect photography...as long as the subject remains stationary.
This colorful Sphinx caterpillar was very much alive, but completely immobile. During a 1 second, natural light exposure, a bright green leaf was rapidly shaken behind the subject to create a soft background.


Field Challenge 1 
A nature photographer (…we’ll call him “Bugsy“) locates a colorful caterpillar posing photogenically on an oak branch. The handsome larva is immobile and the lighting is perfect, but the background seems dull and distracting. The caterpillar is a pristine specimen, and it appears to represent a species he’d never seen before. He wants to create the most eye-pleasing rendition as possible so he starts searching the surrounding area for something to improve the background. He spots a colorful maple leaf, holds it up directly behind the subject and takes his photo. It’s perfect! The contrast in colors really brings the scene to life!  

This is a classic example of a field practice which should have been avoided. Since Bugsy had found his caterpillar resting on an oak branch, it’s fair to assume that this particular caterpillar species may be found only on oak trees. A trained mind would immediately recognize this photographers “natural”, maple leaf background as fake and contrived.
A better solution would have been to have presented the background material completely out of focus so the leaf was un-recognizable. He could have also opted to utilize leaves from the same tree to simulate a more realistic background…one which not only appeared to have occurred naturally, but helped to identify the subject.
Or, Bugsy could have simply re-positioned the camera angle until the existing background seemed more pleasing.
As photographers, our primary objective is to create artistic imagery which is pleasing to the eye, but when depicting our work as naturalists, we should try our best to maintain veracity standards any time a crafted background is utilized. If a chosen background material is recognizable, and it is being used to define the subject, it should depict authenticated fact.


Using Reflected Light to Create a Background of Bokeh Halos
A natural background consisting of a series of light circles can add an entirely new dimension to almost any subject. We've all seen these in-camera anomalies. We may even have created them before, purely by accident, and were pleasantly surprised by how well they augmented our scenes and complimented our subjects.
To become proficient in utilizing the technique of creating picturesque backgrounds of light circles requires a bit of practice, coupled with an understanding of how our lenses and digital sensors react to reflected light.
The effect and intensity of reflected light be controlled by changing the angle of perspective. When shooting directly toward the sun (…or with the sun shining from directly behind our shooting position), the reflections on the light-reflecting surface will be extremely intense. At 90 degrees (..from either the left or right), the effect will be minimal. For practical purposes, selecting a shooting angle from somewhere in between these extremes will create the most pleasing results.

Out-of-focus “halos” of light behind our macro subjects add aesthetic compliments to our compositions and help to transform the mundane into harmonious works of art.
Best of all…they are relatively easy to create. The only ingredients required are a lens or macro accessory which affords shallow depth of field, and a sparkling, reflective surface  positioned a short distance behind the subject.
For optimal impact, light halos should be completely round. This is accomplished by selecting a fast shutter speed and adjusting the lens aperture to its widest setting. (When most lenses are stopped down beyond their widest settings, the out of focus reflections will not be perfectly round. The light circles will assume the outline of the aperture blades.)
It’s true that depth of field on our subject will be compromised when our lens is wide open, but to ensure that we get those perfectly round circles in our background, we must sacrifice some apparent focus on our primary point of interest.

The size of the light circles we create is determined by increasing (or decreasing) the actual distance of the subject from the source of the reflection. This is the easiest method to control the size (and quantity) of the light circles in our out-of-focus background. Moving the subject closer toward the background will result in smaller circles. Increasing the distance between the subject and the reflections will exponentially enlarge and lighten the halos. Eventually, when extended far enough away, the background will dissipate completely.
If moving the subject (or the background) is impractical, the lighting effects can also be varied by moving the camera closer (or farther away) or by adding extension tubes to the lens.
If this seems confusing, you are probably not alone. Hopefully, this field challenge will reflect some light on exactly how this distance-to-background thing works:


Field Challenge 2:
Our nature photographer (Bugsy), while scouring the landscape for his next macro subject, discovers a photogenic mollusk shell. The specimen displays natural form and is nearly free of imperfection. He immediately begins to conjure up images in his mind’s eye. The concentric lines and opaque texture of the shell certainly qualifies to create visual impact…but he requires something more. He needs to fashion an aesthetic background to bring his shell to life. 
It’s a sunny day, so he decides to utilize the light reflecting off the rippled surface of a nearby creek to create a background of light halos. He props his shell on top of a stream-side rock he finds anchored a few feet in front of the source of the reflections and examines the scene. With the bright sun shining at a slight angle from behind the rippling creek, he observes the reflection of dancing light behind his subject from his intended shooting position. It seems nearly perfect for his anticipated result. 
He selects his 105 mm, f-2.8 lens as the most practical choice for the effect he hopes to achieve. At the medium-telephoto lens’ closest allowable focusing distance, he critically focuses on the shell. The background of flickering light, which is two feet behind his point of interest, is pleasingly out of focus…but he envisions that from that position, his light halos might render too small. Since neither the subject nor the background can be moved without compromising his proposed dynamic, he decides to place an extension tube between the camera body and the lens. This allows him to focus on the shell from a few inches closer than before. This closer focusing position, not only enlarges his subject, but  the incurred decrease in depth of field from the lens extension throws his background of dancing light even further out of focus, helping him to attain the slightly larger halo circles he was aspiring to design.
With his lens aperture opened to its widest setting, he meters the scene. The resulting shutter speed of 1/750 second freezes everything…and those effervescent, out-of-focus reflections behind the shell are recorded as perfect circles of light.

In this example, our photographer was unable to move his subject or its background farther away from each other, so he opted to extend his lens and move his camera a little closer toward the shell, thus decreasing his depth of field just enough to achieve his intended result.  If the position of the subject or the background could have been changed, he could have simply increased the distance between the shell and the reflections to achieve the same result.
It’s wise to remember that, when the sun bouncing off rippling water is being utilized as an out of focus background, a really fast shutter speed of at least 1/500 second will freeze the reflected light circles and help to keep them perfectly round. 
A slower shutter speed will cause the circles to elongate into elliptical “blobs” of light.

                                                  Shell with Reflected Light Background



Man-made Backgrounds
Utilizing artificial materials to create aesthetic backgrounds for our subjects is as old as the art of photography itself. For outdoor macro photography though, our choices of materials will be limited to what we feel can be comfortably transported into the field. Man-made backgrounds are most commonly utilized by wildflower photographers, since, unlike most insects, a flower won’t run off or fly away during the setup process. Truly dedicated wildflower enthusiasts create specialized, folding contraptions using 20 X 30 inch slabs of foam board material. These versatile, inexpensive backgrounds are simple to build and can be easily customized to conform to a photographer’s particular preference.
Although a bit cumbersome to carry around, these simple, pop-up backgrounds can actually double as wind breakers.
A few other man-made backgrounds that can be carried into the field are textured felt material and squares of poster board in various colors. These uncomplicated backgrounds can be easily propped up (or hand-held) behind our subjects to create more pleasing renditions.

                                                                  Pride of Parenthood 
                                                      (Blue Poster Board Background)

In order to isolate this "story-telling moment", a slab of blue poster material was gently slid into a patch of Black-eyed Susans... directly behind these two proud parents, beaming over their little flower child.
Between puffs of wind, it took several takes to get this one keeper image.

         

© Bob Cammarata 2015

bobcammarata.blogspot.com

No portion of this material may be copied or used without permission

Go To Part 5 of this Series