‘Macro Photography’ is the general term used for ‘close-up photography. ‘Macro Mode’ allows you to get extremely close-up shots of something, allowing you to capture intricate detail. This article is for basic hand-held digital camera photographers but if you have a macro lens, you can play along too.

Composition. The most effective macro photos take into consideration basic rules of composition. For example, fill the frame with the subject, use the rule of thirds, and consider how the background looks.

Lighting. It is difficult to produce great the right effects using the built in Flash. Try shooting in well lit areas and experimenting with external light sources.

Focus. Perhaps the most important element to get right is the focus; manually set the subject to be in focus.

Keep your camera still. In order to capture the finest of detail, the camera must not move at all as this will cause blurring. It is best to use a tripod to reduce the risk of camera shake and it will help you set up the shot. If possible, trigger the camera remotely to further reduce camera shake.

Good luck, and email your photos to alan@formattmag.com for a chance to feature in the online gallery.

These macro photography examples are courtesy of Elana Wall.

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