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How To Make Any Lens a Macro Lens

August 23, 2017 by Steve Berardi 7 Comments

Yucca photographed with close-up filterClose-up and macro photography is one of the most popular ways to capture the beauty of nature: whether it’s photographing tiny insects to show their amazing detail or just a simple close-up of a plant (like the Yucca leaves above).

When you think of macro photography, you might think you need a special lens, but there’s actually a few options for turning any lens into a macro lens, saving you money (and space in your backpack!).

First, it’s helpful to understand what makes a macro lens a macro lens. Well, it’s super simple: the macro lens is built to focus extremely close to objects. That’s it. A macro lens is usually at least 50mm too, but the most important part is that it focuses close.

The good news is that there’s two simple ways to make ANY lens focus closer:

  1. Extension tubes
  2. Close-up filters

I’ve already talked about extension tubes a lot here on PhotoNaturalist, and they’re excellent options because they don’t affect image quality at all. [Read more…] about How To Make Any Lens a Macro Lens

Filed Under: Close-Up, Macro, Tips Tagged With: 50mm, close up, extension tube, filter, lens, Macro, magnifying glass, micro, telephoto

How To Build Your Own Flash Bracket

June 25, 2015 by Robert Visconti 3 Comments

Keeping on pace with my last post regarding external flash units, I’ve decided to show you one of my “do-it-yourself” (DIY) projects: building an external flash bracket. Having the majority of my lenses fitted with the same quick-release plates, this flash bracket mounts to all of them with ease and full versatility. Check it out:

Assembled Flash Bracket
Assembled Flash Bracket
[Read more…] about How To Build Your Own Flash Bracket

Filed Under: Tips, Wildlife Tagged With: bracket, diy, flash, red eye, telephoto

Three Great Tripod Accessories

July 22, 2013 by Steve Berardi 4 Comments

Sometimes it can be really annoying to get your tripod in the EXACT position you need it. Just when you think you’ve got it set up how you want it, you lock in the ballhead, and realize your camera just moved down half an inch, which totally ruins your composition.

Well, luckily there are a few accessories that can help make your life easier: an L-bracket, a tripod collar, and a bubble level. [Read more…] about Three Great Tripod Accessories

Filed Under: Landscapes, Tips, Wildflowers Tagged With: accessory, ballhead, bubble level, collar, gear, head, items, l, l bracket, sharp, support, telephoto, tripod

How to Keep Your Camera Ready For Action

May 28, 2013 by Steve Berardi 26 Comments

Photo by Steve Berardi
It’s probably happened to you before: you’re hiking down this trail, and all of a sudden you notice a bird or any kind of wildlife that doesn’t seem to mind your presence. You’re presented with a perfect photo opportunity, but then you remember, “Oh wait, my camera is tucked all the way into my backpack! And, worse: I think my wide-angle lens is on there!”

By the time you get out your camera, put on a longer lens and find the right exposure, that bird or dragonfly is probably in another zip code.

That’s why it’s a good idea to always keep your camera ready for action as you’re hiking down a trail. Always keep it by your side and ready to photograph a distant subject that may only be there for a second or two. Here are a few tips for making your camera ready to go: [Read more…] about How to Keep Your Camera Ready For Action

Filed Under: Tips, Wildlife Tagged With: action, burst, camera, continuous shooting, exposure, f-number series, histogram, image stabilization, insects, iso, lens cap, long lens, rapid, telephoto, Wildlife

Three Quick Tips For Close-Ups

April 8, 2013 by Steve Berardi 2 Comments

California Wild Rose / Photo by Steve Berardi
California Wild Rose / Photo by Steve Berardi
Now that spring has arrived here in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s time to start thinking about photographing all those wonderful wildflowers and insects. It’s the perfect season for close-up photography.

So, here are three quick tips to get you started:

#1 – Get down to your subject’s level

Many of the plants and insects that come out in the spring live very low to the ground, so your first reaction may be to photograph them from where you first spot them (standing up and looking down at them). But, many times it’s better to get down to your subject’s level and photograph them from there because it captures a more friendly point of view (almost as if you’re seeing eye-to-eye with your subject). [Read more…] about Three Quick Tips For Close-Ups

Filed Under: Macro, Tips, Wildflowers Tagged With: butterfly, close, close up, dragonfly, extension, flower, insect, Macro, nature, photography, telephoto, tube, up, wildflower

How to Win the Battle of Close-up Photography

March 7, 2012 by Steve Berardi 9 Comments

Pitcher Sage / Photo by Steve Berardi
Pitcher Sage / Photo by Steve Berardi
In close-up nature photography, there’s a constant battle of trying to find that perfect balance between a sharp subject and an out-of-focus background.

An out-of-focus background is essential to a good close-up photo, because it helps draw attention to your main subject.

But, it’s not always easy to get that nice background. Sometimes the background is just too close, or your subject has a lot of depth (forcing you to try a smaller aperture, which then puts more of the background in focus).

So, how do you deal with this constant battle? Well, here are a few ways: [Read more…] about How to Win the Battle of Close-up Photography

Filed Under: Macro, Tips, Wildflowers Tagged With: aperture, background, close, close up, closeup, depth of field, f number, flower, focus, insect, Macro, nature, out of focu, photography, sharpness, subject, telephoto, up, wildflower

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