ARTISTIC MACRO

Plan, shoot and edit colourful close-up and macro images packed with stunning subject detail and background interest

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Macro is a fascinating and challenging photographic genre; it’s a blend of science and artistry, combining the functional with the decorative. Photography is a powerful scientific tool, enabling us to study the world around us in precise detail, an area where macro photo gear excels. It can reveal features we would never otherwise be aware of, and so can be an enlightening medium for those researching the natural world. Flowers, colourful insects and natural patterns are not only points of interest for botanists, entomologists and geologists, and they also happen to look rather beautiful, making them the perfect subjects for gallery display.

Of course, the approaches we should take to creating macro images will differ, depending on the end-use of the resulting photographs. If simple record shots are the name of the game then a standardised compositional technique will help save you time and ensure clear views of the important details you want to capture. However, if you’re looking at the subject from the point of view of a creative photographer, then ‘standard’ is rarely going to provide the engaging story that viewers might expect.

Similarly to wildlife photography, it can be tempting to think of macro as functional. Many photographers entertain the philosophy that closer is better, and that beyond the basic colour and detail of the subject there’s little to experiment with in terms of composition, focus and camera settings. Over the next few pages we’ll explore the missed opportunities this can result in, and look at how you can craft the physical elements to produce captivating multi-layered artworks.