Macro - Techniques Diary

Macro Photography - Techniques Diary

In this session, we looked at the technique of using Macro photography. At first, I found this technique to be challenging but after I had taken a few photographs, I was much happier with using the technique. To carry out the Macro technique, I used a Nikon D300 camera. A macro image is when an object looks larger than life size and requires a special lens to create this effect. When I was shooting for the macro technique, I had to get quite close to the object that I was photographing. This involved using a working distance of 10 inches which consisted of 8 inches in the barrel and then 2 in the front of the lens. I used a fairly fast shutter speed to avoid any vibration and lighting was used and set up in the studio to add light to the subject. In addition to the previous factors, I used manual focus in order to get the camera to focus on the desired area.
I was pleased with the outcome for the shoot on macro photography and below shows two similar images which I captured during the shoot.

This was my favourite image for the shoot. This is because it shows the macro technique well and allows the audience to see the delicate and intricate details of the eye, eyebrows and skin. I think that the lighting of the image is good and I especially like how the eye is in good focus while the ear is out of focus. This therefore helps to create a sense of depth and perspective. I also like the edit of the image as I think that the different colours within the eye makes the photo much more thought provoking and makes the overall image more eye-catching.

This was my least favourite and least successful image from the shoot. The image appears very overly exposed due to the fact that the subject was too close to the light source. Although the image does show  a close-up and macro technique, it is not an overall successful image and lacks many of the major components which make an image successful. If the light had been set up differently and had been further away, it is likely that the image would clearly show the macro technique and be a better image.

Progression

I enjoyed using this technique overall and felt that it went well, especially considering I had never done macro photography before. If I were to carry out this technique again, I would bring a wider range of objects to photograph and would perhaps think about linking my work to a similar style as Dennis Pedersen. Although I may not shoot the same objects, I would try and incorporate ideas similar such as the very bright colours against the backgrounds and quite uniform objects arranged in such a way that looks interesting. I think that the colour was the major aspect which was lacking in my shoot which is why I decided to experiment a little with colours in the eyes.
From experimenting with this technique, I think that it is a technique that I would be interested in pursuing in order to allow me to get even deeper into my chosen topic. In this way I would be able to expand my investigation better from a slightly differing perspective to normal images. This would therefore allow me to create an original feel to the work in my investigation. I think this would be especially effective if I were to go down the route of investigating documentary photography.