There’s just something about getting in close to a subject that creates wonderful, intimate images. Macro photographs are fun to take, but also challenging to get just right. Learning a few macro photography tips will help, but it’s also a good idea to take a look at what other photographers have captured to get the creative juices flowing. Here are eight excellent macro photography examples to do just that.
#1
Eyes are essential in portraits, but they play a big role in macro photography too. If your subject has them, that is. The focus in this shot is right on the eyes, allowing you to see the little speckles of gold in them, tapering off to a blurred background for the rest of the frog. The focus and perspective gives the viewer an intimate idea of the frog. Photographer Rosan Nepal used a 100mm focal length to get up close to this guy. A f/4.2 aperture contributed to those sharp eyes and that soft background, while a 1/250s shutter speed and 640 ISO finished off the exposure.
#2
Macro photography is a great way to take abstract images. This particular shot by Sonny Abesamis looks more like something a graphic designer created than a snapshot. To create this effect, he used a gold wire on a black background and created a pattern. With a macro lens and a wide aperture, he created an excellent abstract shot.
#3
Just like the photo of the frog above, the eyes on this fly are the focal point. But notice that the arms are also sharp. The way the fly is rubbing them together adds a lot to the shot. Photographer Clint Mason also did a great job of keeping the background simple. He took this shot with the Canon EOS 70D and the EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM. He used a wide f/2.8 aperture, a 1⁄800 shutter speed and a 320 ISO.
#4
Macro photography highlights the shape and texture of small items like these screws. By getting in close, we can see the spiral detail of the bottom, as well as the top piece on the one that’s on top of the pile. Dave Lundy captured this shot with a Panasonic GH4 and a Leica DG macro lens at f/16, 1⁄50 s. and ISO 1600.
#5
Macro is a great way to show texture. The swirls and whooshes in these fingerprints are great examples of that. The dirty hands and black background highlight the texture even more. D. Sharon Pruitt shot this photo with the Canon EOS Xti at f/5.6, 1⁄60 s., and ISO 400.
#6
Water droplets make excellent macro subjects because they act as miniature magnifying glasses. Gabriel Gonzalez handled the subject well in this shot, keeping the droplet and blade of glass in focus so that the droplet reflects more grass. The background is also kept simple, so it doesn’t distract from the subject. He took the shot with a Pentax K-30, keeping the subject sharp with a f/18 aperture and rounding out the exposure triangle with a 1⁄200 shutter speed and 1600 ISO.
#7
This shot isn’t your typical macro flower image. It’s dark and moody, and the wide aperture blends the shape of the petals into a nice swirl. The water droplets add just a bit of detail. The shot was captured with a Sony M2 at 1/60s and ISO 800.
#8
Spider webs make great macro subjects. They’re naturally full of lines and patterns. While this one isn’t a complete web, the shot is done well and it just works. The dew drops add detail to the web. The background is full of excellent bokeh, but not too distracting. Photographer James Jordan captured this shot back in 2008 with the Nikon D60, using a f/5.6 aperture, 1⁄50 shutter speed and ISO 400.
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