Macro Photography

Beautiful White Orchid by WhiteOaksPhotos

In the beginning when I first started getting interested in photography on a more serious level, I remember being drawn to doing close up pictures of flowers. If I had to label myself as specific kind of photographer it would be a Nature Photograph that specializes in Floral and Macro Photography.  But being an amateur, I would never consider myself a professional photographer until I had years of experience under my belt.

How much have you thought about photography?  When you look at a photograph do you only see what is in the picture or do you see things that the ordinary observer would not?  When I look through the lens of my camera, it is like I am looking into another world.  That is why on my photography business cards my motto is: Beauty seen through the lens of a camera. When I look at flowers through the lens of my camera, I see “Life” in that flower.

To see the original copy of this photo please click here

Macros photography is taking close up pictures of very small things such as: water droplets on flower petals, bumble bees gathering pollen from flowers, birds eating seeds, butterflies, dragonflies, and so much more.  It is seeing all of the tiny things in world that most people miss. Macros Photography is something that is very important in forensic work because they can capture the tiny details of the crime or accident scenes. 

I recently (last week to be exact) got some new eye glasses and they are so strong that getting use to them has been somewhat difficult.  My husband and I had been planning on going to the Botanical Gardens to do some outside photography and since I have only had the glasses a few days, I had not had the time to practice taking pictures.

I did not think of this until it was too late and we were already at the Gardens.  My biggest fear was none of my photos would come out and I would experience the same I did during the very first time I used my camera, and that was every picture I took came out blurry (87 pictures to be exact).  

The pictures looked fine on the little screen but what would it be like once I uploaded them? Well, to my surprise, I kept most of them and only ended up with about 5 blurred photos which was my fault because I was not standing still while taking the picture.

There is no way I could even begin to name all of the different kinds of photography there is. But I will name a few just to give you an idea about what I am talking about.

Portrait Photographer

This is one of my least favorites.  If someone enjoys capturing different moods of people mainly focusing on the upper part of the body than that would be considered Portrait Photography.  I am not sure if shooting photography in movement would be called Portrait Photography, like children playing or taking photos at a sport event.  It seems to me that anything that has to do with taking photos of people would be classified under Portrait Photography, but like I said I am not sure.

Fashion Photographer

This kind of Photography mainly focuses around clothing and/or accessories.  I suppose the difference between a Portrait Photographer and a Fashion Photographer would be: A Fashion Photographer could work with manikins modeling clothes and does not have to depend on people.

Nature Photographer

This is focusing on anything in nature, Cloud formations, the sky, waterscapes, landscapes, trees, flowers, wildlife photography and so on. 

Macro Photographer

Someone who is about doing close-up images of certain subjects, in my case it would be flowers.  The objective of a Macros Photographer is capturing the details of things that may not be visible to the naked eye. As an example, the photo of the Hibiscus I took where I was focusing on the Anthers and Filaments of the Hibiscus.

Wedding Photographers

Photographers who focus mainly on doing wedding photography

Still Life Photographers

Photographers capturing objects on camera that are grouped together to create a particular composition

I have only mentioned a few different styles of photography.  Are you one of these or a different kind of photographer?  If you are not into photography but thinking about starting, which field interests you the most?  Take the poll below and share your thoughts.

Creative Close-Ups: Digital Photography Tips and Techniques 

The art of macro photography-photographing small objects or super close-ups of small sections of big objects-yields fascinating results, but shooting at this level brings its own set of challenges. Now you can shoot close-ups with confidence and creative flair with this information-packed guide.
Renowned photographer Harold Davis provides pages of field-tested techniques on focus, depth-of-field, exposure-even the appropriate equipment to use for this unique niche of digital photography. The book includes stunning and intriguing examples of his work to illustrate concepts.

Closeup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography

Close-up photography is one of the most fascinating areas in photography. This illustrated guide will take the reader on a journey into the wonderful world of small, smaller, and smallest objects and show him how he can capture their beauty with photographic images. Each step of the way will be carefully explained; how to choose the right equipment, how to use ambient light or create artificial lighting, and how to conceptualize and frame the perfect shot.
Whereas the nature photographer is exploring facets and structures in his environment, the "table top photographer" is trying to shoot a small object, a product, or a small treasure for display on the web (e.g., eBay) or in print. Here, the choice of the appropriate lighting and backdrop, and the creative use of the camera's features are key to a perfect image.

Close-Up Photography in Nature

This is the guide for great close-ups of plants, animals, insects and small landscapes
For this updated edition, master photographer Tim Fitzharris includes the latest developments in digital photography and how they affect close-up nature photography. He shares his proven techniques for capturing once-in-a-lifetime images and inspires both amateur and professional photographers to improve the quality and beauty of their work. Packed with reliable information and expert advice, the book covers:

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Cyrill Harnischmacher explains all aspects of close-up shooting for both inside the studio, as well as outdoors. This book is filled with beautifully illustrated examples and detailed instructions on how to set up a system and workflow for successful close-up photography.

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