Matters needing attention
The first point: learn to control the direction and quality of light;
We know that the extinction of soft light is what we need most for the light of macro photography, so many people will not shoot in strong light. On the one hand, if we do this, the tolerance of the reflector will be very small, and at the same time, it will bring Gao Fancha. If we exceed the tolerance range, the effect we want to show will often be covered. Second, if the light is strong, it is easy to reflect light, and direct light can easily lead to strong light and glare at the receiving end. Macro photography suggests using astigmatism and soft light effects. Another thing to note is that when shooting objects with smooth surfaces, such as insects with hard shells, such as beetles, or plants with waxy surfaces, such as azaleas and oleanders, you need to use flash carefully. Improper use of flash lamp can easily cause regional reflection and bring the same side effects as direct light.
The second point: learn to master the focal plane correctly.
In macro photography, the choice of focal plane is a very difficult problem. Many beautiful photos were taken with correct composition and proper focal plane. Of course, the choice of focal plane is also the most energy-consuming process when shooting. A good focal plane often makes the photos taken higher. Of course, there is no certain rule in the choice of focal plane. In the eyes of most macro photographers, what we need to pay attention to is to make the theme we want to express completely appear in the focal plane. If you want to shoot butterflies, you can shoot them from the front, side and even tail of the head. One principle we need to adhere to is: we must put what you want to express on a plane as much as possible, and we must be clear about what is clear and what is not on the film. The fuselage with depth of field prediction function comes into play at this time. Although the prediction effect may not be completely accurate, it can at least give you a reference.
The third point: Try to find the most suitable details when shooting the subject.
The purpose of macro photography is the same as shooting portraits, so we need to find the right details to make the photos come alive and more attractive. The expression of any subject with signs of life will be in the eyes, so macro photography should focus on the eyes as much as possible when shooting such subjects, but one thing we need to know is that it is very difficult to make the compound eyes of insects clear. Not all photographers can master how to shoot the eyes of insects correctly, so it is best to shoot them. The compound eye of insects is not a simple plane structure, but a three-dimensional structure with a strong sense of space, some of which are spherical and kidney-shaped, and the depth of field of macro photography is very small. In this case, it is difficult to show the three-dimensional structure, and the compound eye of insects is generally not on the axis of the body, so how to choose the focal plane is really a headache. Take the grasshopper as an example. If shooting from the side, the focal plane should be selected between the highest point of the compound eye and the body axis, so as to make full use of the space of the front and rear depth of field and let as many details as possible fall within the depth of field. This little skill needs practical practice to master.
Fourth, overcome external unfavorable factors.
In macro photography, external factors are often the key to the success of a good movie. External factors have a great influence on the macro, and the wind should bear the brunt. If we shoot flowers and plants, we often can't focus correctly because of the wind. At the same time, we will find that even the so-called windless weather is not so calm when taking macro photography, and there will always be strange air fluctuations when you press the shutter. Sometimes the small wind that you can't feel with the panel can really be seen in the viewfinder. And this breeze can turn your amazing masterpiece into a mediocre photo. But how can we overcome the influence of wind on focusing every year? First of all, of course, this is also a stupid method, that is, try to choose the right weather and time when shooting. Windy weather is often not suitable for shooting. The second way is to DIY some small shading facilities to help us shoot.
Photography skills
When shooting at a very close distance, even if the subject moves extremely, the image will be very blurred. Here, in order to avoid the swaying of the flowers in the picture layout, a reflector made of white cardboard was erected on one side as a wind wall, and a metal ratio was used to make the flower stems more stable.
In order to take close-ups of small objects, such as butterflies, insects, coins or jewels, you usually need to put the camera lens very close to the subject. This may be because the camera is too close to the lens, and it is difficult for the subject to get enough needed light. 100 mm macro lens can make lighting easier, because it enables you to shoot away from the subject.
If you want to get excellent image quality in macro photography, macro lens is the only choice. Macro lens is specially designed for macro photography. When designing the optical lens group of macro lens, it is different from the conventional lens. As mentioned above, the shooting distance of conventional lenses is considered according to the focal length of dozens or even more times. The shooting distance of macro lens is much closer, and the nearest shooting distance is only several times the focal length. More importantly, it is necessary to correct all kinds of aberrations when shooting at close range. In particular, spherical aberration and distortion must be strictly corrected to ensure that plane objects, such as photos and drawings, can be truly restored. Macro lenses of 35 mm cameras produced by various manufacturers generally have three specifications: 50mm*** including 55mm and 60mm * *100mm * * including 90mm,105mm * * *; 180mm * * * contains 200mm***, and the magnification can reach 1: 1. The longer the focal length of the macro lens, the farther the recent shooting distance. Therefore, the long focal length macro lens is more suitable for shooting difficult-to-access objects such as insects. In addition to macro photography, the above macro lens can be used as a conventional lens with excellent imaging. In addition, Canon and Minolta each have a special macro lens, which can only be used for macro photography. If the magnification exceeds1:1,the image on the film will be larger than the original one. Canon MP-E65MM F2.8 1-5x macro photo, the magnification of this lens can reach 5 ∶1; The Minolta af macro zoom is 3x- 1xf 1.7-2.8, and the maximum magnification of this lens reaches 3∶ 1. 120 SLR cameras also have corresponding macro lenses. For example, in Hasselblad's supporting lens, Zeiss Makro-Planna CF 120 and Zeiss Makro-Planna CF 135 are two macro lenses, and the latter, together with a close-up leather cavity, can reach the magnification of1:1.
In addition, major camera manufacturers also have special macro flash for macro photography. The flash index of macro flash is relatively small, which is only suitable for close shooting. The automatic function of special flash can also be realized in macro flash. In addition, the macro flash is set in front of the lens, which can create a shadowless shooting effect. Canon has a macro ring flash MR- 14EX and a macro double-lamp flash mt-14ex; Minolta has a macro double-lamp flash T-2400 and a macro ring flash R-1200; Nikon has a macro ring flash SB-29; Hasselblad also has a set of macro double-lamp flash.
There is also a close-up attachment, which is a close-up ring. A close-up ring is installed between the lens and the fuselage, which is equivalent to extending the image distance of the lens, thus obtaining a larger magnification. Close-up collar accessories usually consist of several collars with different lengths, such as 12 mm, 25 mm, etc. , can be used alone or in combination.
Low power photographic lens
1. Select the corresponding macro lens as required.
Macro lenses with different focal lengths have different application characteristics, specifically: under the same image-field ratio, the shorter the focal length of the lens, the closer the shooting distance; At the same distance, the longer the focal length, the larger the picture; Short focal length lens can emphasize the perspective of the picture, and long focal length lens can compress the picture better, blur the background and highlight the subject. Generally speaking, in order to leave a large space between the lens and the main body for lighting and light distribution, it is recommended to use a macro lens with a long focal length. When shooting insects or other small animals, you should also use a long-focus macro lens to shoot at a certain distance from insects or small animals, so as not to scare them and miss the shooting opportunity.
2. Appropriate compensation for risks
When using macro lens to shoot close-ups, appropriate exposure compensation should be made according to the shooting magnification. Generally, relevant exposure compensation materials will be recommended in the instruction manual of macro lens. At present, most single-lens reflex cameras have automatic exposure function. There is no need for exposure compensation when shooting with the automatic exposure file of a camera with TTL function.
3. Pay attention to the shooting quality under macro function
Many zoom lenses also have macro shooting function * * * Strictly speaking, it should be called "macro function" or high-power shooting function, because many zoom lenses marked with macro words are not very close when shooting at high power * * *, but there is still a gap compared with the macro function of fixed-focus lenses. First, the shooting magnification is small, generally only 1: 4, or even smaller * * For example, the maximum macro shooting magnification of a Nikon lens is only 1: 5.9 at 200mm focal length and 1: 14 * * at 80mm focal length, and only a few of them reach 6544. Secondly, the quality of macro files of zoom lens is not as good as that of fixed focus macro lens. However, Minolta AF macro zoom 3x-LX F/ 1.7-2.8 is a special case of zoom lens in macro function. This is a macro zoom lens, the macro function is greater than the shooting magnification of the fixed-focus lens, and the shooting magnification is 1 times to 3 times * * *, and it can still focus automatically when shooting at high magnification.
Accurate focusing
Macro lens provides convenience for shooting small objects at close range, but when using macro lens for macro shooting, the depth of field is very small, so focus should be very careful, and the camera should be mounted on a tripod or a remake stand as much as possible.
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