Macro Photography: How to Take Close-Up Photos

Macro photography... anybody here know what that means? Correct - close-up photography! Looking at objects from close quarters opens up a whole new world.

Remember when you were at school and your chemistry teacher gave you slides of crystals to look at under a microscope, and how wonderful the form was? Nowadays macro photography is within the realms of most of us. Even low cost digital cameras have a macro mode- set your camera and as you view the image on the screen move in as close as you can until the camera will no longer focus. Take the picture and then crop it in Photoshop or other similar program to make it even better.

Above is a picture of a grasshopper I took last week at the London Zoo. The insect was sitting on the glass window of its cage, so I could move in very close without disturbing it. I moved the camera until the light (a combination of sunlight and cage lighting) showed its features to the best, and then I snapped. How many times have you seen such an insect up close and personal?! Try it with a stamp, a coin, a facial feature (eye, mouth, etc) and I guarantee you'll have loads of fun. On top of that you'll certainly impress your friends with your technique.

Trevor is a professional fashion photographer who is writing a series of guest blogs for us, giving tips on how you can take better photos. Click here to see the rest of his posts.

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