Macro photography opens up a world of detail that often goes unnoticed. Small subjects like fungi, moss, and intricate textures can turn into striking images when framed properly. But working at this level presents its own set of challenges, from finding the right focal length to dealing with distortion in certain lenses.
Coming to you from Courtney Victoria, this thoughtful video explores how close-up filters and extension tubes can improve macro photography. Victoria explains how keeping a close-up filter in her bag has helped her capture fleeting subjects that would otherwise be missed. She demonstrates how using a close-up filter on a telephoto lens reduces the minimum focusing distance, allowing her to frame subjects more effectively. Instead of using a wider focal length, which would include distracting background elements, she uses this setup to create tighter, more intentional compositions.
Victoria also compares close-up filters with extension tubes, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. Close-up filters are quick and easy to use, making them a great tool for on-the-go photography. However, they don’t offer the same flexibility as extension tubes, which allow for even closer focusing. She also points out that some lenses, especially zoom lenses, can introduce noticeable distortion when paired with extension tubes. Understanding these trade-offs is key to choosing the right tool for different situations.
The video also takes viewers into the field, where Victoria searches for compositions among chaotic natural scenes. She discusses the challenge of simplifying an image when elements like branches and overlapping textures make it difficult to isolate a subject. While finding a subject is rarely an issue in macro photography, finding the right composition can be. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Victoria.
If you would like to continue learning about macro photography, be sure to check out "Mastering Macro Photography: The Complete Shooting and Editing Tutorial With Andres Moline!"
