AmSnaps - Digital Photography Basics For Amateur Snappers

Macro Digital Photography Allows You To Get Creative And Explore A Whole New World Of Objects Close-up

Macro digital photography is possible without a DSLR. Most digital cameras include a "macro" feature on the menu. This is usually depicted by a flower icon. (Flowers are one of the most common subjects for macro digital photography.)

This feature enables the photographer to take a close-up picture without it being too blurry or distorted. It will focus on your subject and leave the rest of the background muted and hazy.

Once a digital camera is put in macro mode it will automatically adjust its other settings for optimum lighting and focus ability so that you can get a clearer shot. This can be a great tool for amateur photographers who may not have all the high-tech lenses and expensive equipment that professionals often have on hand.

Lighting can often be a problem in macro photography since you are typically very close to the item you are trying to photograph.

The flash from your camera will be more intense the closer you are. As a result, the best macro photography is usually done outdoors in daylight. Plenty of natural light can keep a flash from being too bright and ruining the picture.

The closer you get to a subject the more light gets blocked. One way to counteract this (without a lot of fancy equipment) is to adjust the F stop on your camera, if your camera allows you to. This widens the aperture to make up for less light.

Sometimes just shooting a photo from different angles can improve the lighting and change the perspective in a new and interesting way.

One tip for getting macro photography ideas is to examine everyday objects with a magnifying glass.

You want to photograph items with plenty of texture, shape, and light. Look closely at a swatch of fabric, the grain of wood, a multi-colored stone, or the center of a flower. Scrutinize them from all angles in various lighting situations to determine what will make the best picture.

Eventually sizing up the perfect photo will become second nature.

Another idea for taking great macro pictures is to only photograph a portion of your subject. For example, instead of focusing on the little hummingbird, concentrate on just his tiny beak busily sipping nectar from a honeysuckle bloom.

The less busy or crowded the photo, the more attention is given to the beautiful lines and subtle curves unseen by the naked eye.

Taking clear, crisp close-up pictures takes practice, especially if you're shooting animate objects such as insects. It takes patience to wait for just the right shot.

You can get plenty of practice on inanimate objects first, like flowers, a blade of grass, a piece of candy and much more. The more you practice, the better your photos will get. Before you know it, macro digital photography will be as natural as breathing and your family and friends will rave about the incredible shots you're getting!

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