Learning Macro Photograph

• 1). If you're using a single lens reflex (SLR) camera, mount your macro lens on the body or set your point-and-shoot to its close-up mode.
  
  
• 2). Find a subject. Flowers and insects usually work great because there is so much detail found on each of them that gets lost in the bigger picture.
  
  
• 3). After you've found your ideal subject, set it against a background that complements the shot, usually a color that works well with the subject. Of course, this isn't an rule that is set in stone, so be sure to frame your image to your liking and intention.
  
  
• 4). Light your subject either with a flash, natural lighting or both to help bring out the underexposed details which tend to get lost in shadows.
  You can use a ring flash, which attaches around the front of the lens and gives equal light coverage over the entire subject. A regular flash will also work, but you'll have to dial it in more to get the best lighting. Try bouncing it off a reflector for a softer glow.
  Natural lighting is especially helpful because it's easily attainable, but sometimes doesn't fill the areas you want. In this case, bounce the sunlight off a reflector to fill in areas lost in shadow.
  
  
• 5). Mount your camera on a tripod and bring your subject into focus. Using a tripod helps to keep the camera stable, which is necessary because a macro lens magnifies the subject so intensely that any shaking will be noticeable. You can set the lens to autofocus (AF) or to manual (M) by using the switch located on the top-left of the lens. Manual focus is easier because it seems that AF will focus on everything except where you want it; having control is definitely a plus.
  If you're using manual focus and do not have a tripod, it may be helpful to gently rock back and forth on your heels while looking at your subject in the viewfinder. This will help you fine-tune the focus because even turning the focus ring a little can throw your image out of focus.
  
  
• 6). Set your aperture by using the AV button while simultaneously turning the dial found on the top of your camera to either the right or left. A large aperture such as f/2 or f/5.6 will give you a shallow depth of field and will produce a favorable blur behind you subject while still letting in a good amount of light into the lens, and a small aperture such as f/8 or f/11 will produce a narrow depth of field, resulting in a sharp picture plane, including the background.