Macro Fakery: Background Creation

Flower photographed with 50 mm f/1.8 lens and 10x close-up lens.

Here is the secret to amazing macro and close-up photographs: many photographers cheat.

Ok, ok, there are not exactly rules to photography, but if you are wondering why your bug, flower, insect, or other close-up shots are not quite looking the same as the ones you admire, there is an easy reason. That other photographer knows how to optimize the scene.

Read any book or blog about macro or close-up photography, and you will soon realize that you need to "create" the scene you are photographing as much as you need to find it. All types of photography involve working the scene - finding the best angles, perspective, and composition for what you want to capture. But with macro photography, you are working with such small subjects and such minuscule compositions, that you have a lot more leeway. (Read more Tips to Improve Your Macro Photography.) This post will look at one easy way to immediately improve your macro and close-up photographs - pay attention to the background and cheat as necessary.

Background: Move Your Feet 

Although the photographer's eye is most often drawn towards the subject, it is the background that will make or break your final image. Always be on the alert for times when you become so focused and intent on your subject that you forget to review or even glance at the background and how it is rendered as part of your photographs.  An earlier blog post dealt with the idea of paying attention to the background in general: Remember the Background and Move Your Feet. Often times, your background problems can be solved with just a minimum of legwork. 

Areas of light and dark in the background of your image can compete with your subject in unhelpful ways. In the top photograph above, the bright lights and blur of the background flowers is quite pretty, but it is also quite distracting. It is difficult to distinguish the foreground, in-focus flowers from the background, and there is a large, blank section of dark in the upper left corner.

Moving myself just slightly led to the second composition, below. Now, the in-focus flowers, the subject of the photograph, are strikingly contrasted against the darker area of the background. The bright lights and blur are still an element of the image, but it is now much easier to see and appreciate the subject matter.

Sometimes, however, you can take your solutions even one step further. This is where truly manipulating the background comes into play ...

Background Creation

There are two ways to go about this method of background-perfecting: you can fix the background or you can move your subject. Many photographers are not above digging up, cutting, or otherwise rearranging flowers, for example, whether in a bouquet at home or in a ditch along the road side. Read just a little into the 'how to' behind a remarkable flower shot, and you might be amazed at how much effort has gone in to both find and then create the final scene.

If you are already shooting cut flowers, your options for background fixing become infinite. An earlier post has already covered the ease with which a common tri-fold board can be used for a photography background and reflector: Easy Photography Upgrade: the tri-fold board.

But why be content with simply adding a plain old white or black background? Tri-fold boards come in many colors, offering many possibilities for contrasting or complementary backgrounds for your images.

When shooting macro and close-up photography, you are in luck. The area covered in a typical close-up shot is often so small, that you can use much smaller papers to create your backdrop. The collage above shows the setup for the close-up flower shot and the surprising twist about the background - a simple 12x12 inch shamrock-decorated piece of scrapbook paper. The photograph at the opening of this article? A faux water scene with waves.

Backgrounds in Macro Photography: Fake It or Just Make It

Backgrounds are a critical part of any photograph but can often make or break a macro or close-up image. Spend some time considering the background before you start shooting. Think about whether you can move slightly and recompose or shoot with a different length lens or from a different perspective. These simple steps could resolve your background problems in the field. Or, simply control the background entirely by substituting your own. Tri-folds and scrapbooking paper allow for infinite variation and are inexpensive and easy to use. How has paying attention to the backgrounds made an impact in your photography?

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Product Review: Close-Up Lens Set

A close-up lens is a tool for shooting close-up or macro photographs. This article will review a specific set of close-up lenses, the Digital Concepts 58mm 4-Piece Multi-Coated Camera Lens Filter Set. (Review in brief: I love these close-up lenses and use them all the time for the majority of my macro and close-up photography work!)

If you want to read about how to use close-up lenses in general, check out Inexpensive Close-Up Photography: close-up lenses or read Cheap and Easy Macro: comparisons and recommendations for a comparison of several methods of close-up and macro photography.

Sunbursts from melting frost on a window, taken with a 10x close-up lens

What is a Close-Up Lens?

The name "close-up lens" is a bit of a misnomer. A close-up lens is not a standalone camera lens but rather is a glass element that screws on to the front of an existing camera lens like a filter. The close-up lens acts like a magnifying glass and allows you to focus-in closer on your subject, which effectively increases the size at which you can photograph.

When purchasing a close-up lens, you need to buy lenses that fit the diameter of your lens (or lenses). You can find the diameter size of your lens by looking for the Ø symbol on your lens. The Canon 18-55 mm kit lens, for example, has a diameter of 58 mm, while the Canon 50 mm f/1.8 lens and the Nikon 18-55mm lens have diameters of 52 mm. You can also purchase an inexpensive adapter ring to use larger filters on a smaller lens. I use a 52-58 mm step-up adapter to use my 58 mm close-up lenses on my 52 mm diameter lens.

52-58 mm step up adapter shown with 10x Macro Lens (close-up lens)

Product Review of the Digital Concepts Lens Filter Set

The Digital Concepts 58mm 4-Piece Multi-Coated Camera Lens Filter Set is a series of four close-up lenses at different strengths of magnification: +1, +2, +4, and 10x. It also comes with a nylon carrying case that has pockets for each of the four lenses, and it currently retails for around $12 USD. Filled, the case is the length of a sunglasses case and takes up about the same amount of room in your wallet or camera case. You can also bring a single close-up lens along, which slips easily into a pocket.

Ease of Use

To use a close-up lens, first remove any UV filter or other filters already on the front of your lens. Then, simply screw the close-up lens onto the front of your lens. You can even stack lenses on top of each other to amplify the magnification. I commonly use the +4 and 10x close-up lenses together.

Cropped photograph of snowflakes, taken with +4 and 10x close-up lenses on 50 mm lens.

One benefit of close-up lenses is that you are still able to use all of the functions and features on your camera, including autofocus. While I recommend using manual focus when shooting macro and close-up photographs, having autofocus as an option is always useful.

The one difficulty that I have occasionally experienced is that the close-up lenses can get stuck together if you are stacking more than one or using a step-up adapter. The solution is the same as any time you get a filter stuck on your lens: use a rubber band. Wrap the rubber band around just the outside filter or close-up lens. It will usually give you enough grip to loosen the stuck one and remove it.

Magnification Results for the Close-Up Lenses

All of the following photographs were taken with one or more of the Digital Concepts close-up lenses on the Canon 50 mm f/1.8 lens using the Bower 52-58 mm adapter.

The image below provides a comparison of a mini bottle of nail polish (one inch wide) photographed using each of the four close-up lenses. The graphic on the bottom was created by re-sizing each of the individual items to show what portion of the nail polish and background were captured in each photograph. The closest-in result, taken using both the +4 and 10x close-up lenses, is right in between the actual physical size of a full frame and cropped sensor, which means that it is a "true macro" photograph. (Read more about true macro in the article on Tips to Improve Your Macro Photography.)

Comparison of Close-Up Lenses used on a single subject

Another consideration when shooting macro and close-up photographs is the working distance of the lens. Each of the shots above was taken at the greatest magnification possible, which means that the camera and lens were as close as possible to the subject, while still maintaining focus. For the 50 mm lens alone, this working distance (approximate distance from the front of the lens to the area of the subject in focus) was around 13.5 inches. Adding the +1 close-up lens brought the working distance down to 9.5 inches. The +2 close-up lens focused at a minimum distance of 7.5 inches, while the +4 close-up lens focused at 5.5 inches. The working distance for the 10x close-up lens was 3.5 inches, and the +4 and 10x combined was around 2 inches. This is not much of a concern when shooting stationary subjects, like the bottle of nail polish, but it can make it difficult to shoot a moving subject. Skittish butterflies are not always too keen on photographers sneaking up three inches away from them, for example. 

A final consideration is light loss. Because a close-up lens is simply an additional piece of glass on the front of your lens, it does not significantly affect the amount or quality of the light captured by the camera. Each of the photographs of the nail polish, above, were shot in Aperture Priority mode with ISO 100 and f/5.6, using a tripod to eliminate any possible shake. The shutter speed was 1/15 th of a second for the 50 mm shot, 1/20 th of a second for the four photographs with a single close-up lens, and 1/13th of a second for the +4 and 10x close-up lenses combined. 

Aperture Results for the Close-Up Lenses

Depth of field (the area of the photograph in focus) is always a concern in macro photography. The closer you get to your subject, the thinner an area will be in focus, even at the same aperture. The shots below of bubbles on a feather were all taken using the +4 and 10x close-up lenses on a tripod. (Want to take this type of shot? Read how in Fun with Fizzy Fruit Photography.)

The impact of changing the aperture is apparent. At f/22 it is just about possible to get the bubbles at the front and the back of the feather in focus - a total distance of under an inch from front-to-back. The f/5.6 and f/2.8 images really show the narrowing down of the depth of field, as more and more bubbles fade into background blur, which isolates the forefront bubbles that remain in focus. By f/2.8, only the closest bubbles remain in focus. Some of the bubbles themselves are too large (deep) that the entire bubble, front-to-back is not in focus. This razor-thin depth of field is a feature of close-up photography, not just the close-up lenses, but it is important to keep in mind when shooting close-up and macro photography.

Final Verdict

I am a huge fan of my Digital Concepts 58mm 4-Piece Multi-Coated Camera Lens Filter Set. They are my go-to close-up photography accessory, and I commonly carry the 10x close-up lens with me when traveling or going on a photo walk. It only takes a few seconds to grab it out of my pocket, screw it on my lens, and start shooting close-up photographs. No need to switch lenses outside. Plus, for around $12 USD, why not try a set of close-up lenses before shelling out $600 for a dedicated macro lens (Canon 100 f/2.8)?

Kiwi photographed with 10x close-up lens

Addendum: Bryan Peterson, in his book Understanding Close-Up Photography, speaks very highly of the Canon 500d close-up lens, which works as a filter, just like the Digital Concepts version. At $90-150 USD, depending on which diameter you need, this is still a pricier investment. Peterson bemoans the quality of cheaper close-up lenses, but I have been quite happy with mine. 

What about you? Do you shoot with close-up lenses? Are you happy with your results?  Share your thoughts or a link to relevant pictures in the comments below.  

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Boost Your Photography: Learn Your DSLR is now available from Amazon. Get the most out of your camera with practical advice about the technical and creative aspects of DSLR photography that will have you taking beautiful pictures right away.

Tips to Improve Your Macro Photography

What is Macro Photography?

Macro photography is a way of looking at and recording the details and minutiae of the world. A macro photograph allows you to see a subject enlarged beyond life size and to capture subtle details or amazing facets that might be overlooked at a normal scale.

Macro and close-up photography are related but not identical fields. There is actual a technical definition for macro photography, and it is related to the ratio between the size of the subject being photographed and its size on the camera's sensor. A true macro photograph will record the subject equal to (1:1) or larger (2:1 or greater) than the true life size of the subject. For a crop sensor camera with an APS-C sensor, the sensor size will be around 25 x 17 mm, while a full frame sensor matches conventional 35 mm film, with a size of 36 x 24 mm. This would mean capturing a subject at that size sensor for a true macro photograph.

Close-up photography is a more loosely defined term. A close-up photograph will also feature a smaller subject shown magnified, but the subject may not be as small as the actual camera sensor. Since most photographs are viewed at larger sizes than camera-sensor-size, such as 4 x 6 inches, it is easy to print a close-up photograph at a larger size and show off larger-than-life details. All of the suggestions in this article apply equally well to macro and close-up photography.

Bugs and insects are classic macro photography subjects, but you are not limited in your choice of subjects. Everyday objects can take on an unexpected appearance when viewed through the lens of macro photography. Other good candidates include subjects with interesting textures or colors. You might be amazed at the possibilities you will discover!

Depth of Field in Macro Photography

Depth of field refers to the width of the part of your photograph that is in focus and is of particular interest in macro photography. The closer you get to your subject, the relatively smaller (thinner) your depth of field will become. If you are focusing on a subject at your camera's minimum focusing distance, it may mean that your depth of field is only millimeters thick. This can make focusing particularly difficult, as any slight movement in the camera or the subject may throw the entire subject out of focus.

Depth of field is visible as a narrow slice through this hoarfrost on a chain

Use a Narrow Aperture

One solution is to use a narrower aperture when shooting, such as f/22. This will maximize your depth of field and allow you to get more of your subject in focus. The trade-off, however, is that you will need to use a much longer shutter speed to compensate. This may not be possible if you are shooting a quickly moving, crawling, or flying subject, as it may move while the camera is recording the picture, causing blur. In that case, you will need to open up the aperture or raise your ISO to get a quicker shutter speed.

Use Your Tripod Effectively

If you have a stable subject, such as a still life or a household object, you can use a tripod in combination with that longer shutter speed to keep your camera rock steady and maintain a sharp focus. Use a remote release or two-second timer to avoid adding shake to the camera, turn off any image stabilization on your lens, and consider turning on the mirror lock-up option to completely avoid transmitting any shake to your camera. Read more about How to Maximize Your Tripod here.

Focus Stacking

One post-processing solution to increase depth of field is to utilize focus stacking. Focus stacking allows you to shoot a series of pictures with incremental changes in the location of the depth of field and then combine all those separate regions in focus into one fully in-focus final image. Read more about focus stacking later this month in a full post how to.

Composition: Clear the Clutter

Depending on your subject, you may not have a lot of control over your final composition. A quickly moving insect may not be considerate enough to land on the right flower or at the proper angle. At the same time, if you keep some simple compositional ideas in mind, you will have great success getting the shot you want.

Beware of the Background 

Be sure that you are paying attention to the background and not just your subject when shooting. It is always a temptation to zero in on your subject to the exclusion of all else, but you will be surprised at how many flaws you will find later when you review your photographs. Aim for simple, uncluttered backgrounds. Contrasting colors work really well. You want your subject to be the star, not the distracting patch of bright light right behind it. A pattern like a mass of branches can blur into a pleasing background, but a single out-of-focus background branch can pull the eye away from your subject and into distraction. Try to take that extra half-second to survey the background. Often simply changing your perspective slightly can alleviate the problem. Read more about Remembering the Background and Moving Your Feet here.

Try Filling the Frame 

Better yet, don't worry about your background at all, and simply fill the frame entirely with your subject. This works particular well for a subject like flowers or a repeating pattern, like rust stains, where you can compose for only a portion of the entire subject. Filling the frame gives your viewer an up-close and personal encounter with the subject and can make for a memorable macro photograph.

Orient for Focus 

In general with macro photography, you will only have a portion of your subject (and of your image) in focus, depending on your depth of field. Think about what part or parts of your subject are the most important to keep in focus (think eyes for bugs and insects or the centers of flowers, etc.). Because depth of field is a plane parallel to your camera, you can move yourself or your subject to place that plane in the best place. For insect wings, for example, place your camera parallel to the wing to keep the entire thing in focus.

Improve Your Macro and Close-Up Photography

Now that you have the basics, take the time to try them out and see what works for you! If you are intimidated by the idea of chasing moving subjects (or you live somewhere cold, like I do and think you might never see Spring again), then start with stable subjects like flowers or household objects. Work on getting your focus spot on, extending and contracting your depth of field, and cleaning up your composition. Then you can build your confidence for shooting on the fly (or at least, shooting things that fly).

Looking to get macro-level photographs without expensive equipment? Check out our Cheap and Easy Macro: comparison and recommendations.

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Boost Your Photography: Learn Your DSLR is now available from Amazon. Get the most out of your camera with practical advice about the technical and creative aspects of DSLR photography that will have you taking beautiful pictures right away.

Winter Round Up

Welcome to the Winter Round Up. This is a chance to look back at the posts from the last three months and catch up on any posts you might have missed.  You can also check out the previous round ups for Spring 2013, Summer 2013, and Fall 2013.

Book!

If you missed the big news, my new eBook, Boost Your Photography: Learn Your DSLR is now available from Amazon! Carrying the style and tone of the Boost Your Photography web site into a full-scale book, Learn Your DSLR will help you get the most out of your camera. Read the full announcement here or jump on over to Amazon and check it out!

The Top 5 Top 5

We kicked off the New Year with a look back at five collections of Top 5 posts from 2013. Each of these top 5 lists has great details and links back to each of the top posts.

Top 5 "How To" Photography Posts

Top 5 Informational Photography Posts

Top 5 Guest Posts on Photography

Top 5 Instant Inspiration Posts

Top 5 Travel Photography Posts

For Beginners

This is a collection of posts geared towards beginners or those who want to learn to do more with their camera. Many of the 'Tips and Tricks' and 'Inspired Ideas' posts will also be applicable. You can find other posts geared toward Beginners here or in the tab up top.

Know Your Aspect Ratio (How to Crop)

Must Have Accessories for Your (New) Camera

Improve Your Photography for Under $20

Tips and Tricks

Advice for getting the most out of your camera and your photography. You can find more Tips and Tricks posts here or in the tab up top.

How to Photograph Outdoor Holiday Lights	Creative Christmastime Photography	How to Take Better Snow Photographs
Favorite Photography Books and Authors: part 1	Favorite Photography Books and Authors: part 2	Boost Your Photography in the New Year

Inspired Ideas

This is a collection of posts containing ideas, both those that you can implement immediately and those that require a little more time, effort, and potential planning. You can find more Inspired Ideas here or in the tab up top.

How to Freeze and Photograph Bubbles	Fun with Fizzy Fruit Photography	Master the Heart-Shaped Shadow
All about Bokeh (the basics)	5-Minute Heart-Shaped Bokeh	Foldable DIY Light Tent

Guest Posts

During the winter, I became a regular contributor to Digital Photography School. These are my posts that were published over on their site in the last few months.

Using Sun Flares and Starbursts to Create Stunning Images	Jumpstart Your Photography: Start a 365 Project	Perspective in Photography: don't just stand there, move your feet!
How to Use Lens Flare to Your Advantage	Beyond Full Moon Photography: shoot the moon all month	Do You Need to Upgrade to the Latest Camera?

Black and White Book Club

During the month of February, a group of photographers participated in a Black and White Book Club discussion of Michael Freeman's The Complete Guide to Black and White Photography. Participants read the book, took photographs, and discussed their thoughts and ideas on this blog, the Photography Book Club Flickr group, and 365project.org. Each of the posts below summarizes a section of the book and includes exercises and suggestions for improving your black and white photography.

Introduction to the Black and White Book Club	BW Book Club week 1: fine art, abstract	BW Book Club week 2: normality, street photography
BW Book Club week 3: elements of design	BW Book Club week 4: low key and high key	BW Book Club week 5: putting it all together

Stay Connected

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