Macro Flower Photography Tutorial with a Telephoto Lens

Macro Photography  •  Photography Tips

Macro photography is popular for its ability to capture the intricate details of subjects. Almost anything around your home or garden can be a potential subject for macro photography. But there’s a catch. You need a specialized macro lens first. Macro lenses are specialized lenses that can produce a life-size image of the subject on the camera’s sensor. But in case you don’t have a macro lens, there’s a less expensive workaround using an extension tube. Photographer Paul Miguel shows you how you can use a telephoto lens with an extension tube and photograph some flowers:

An extension tube is essentially a hollow tube that attaches between your lens and the camera body. It has no optics whatsoever. By doing so, you essentially reduce the minimum focusing distance of the lens. You can thus photograph the subject from a much closer distance and fill your frame with the subject.

Miguel also touches on the techniques that you can use to take better macro photos. For instance, considering what’s on the background, and how the subject is being lit with the sunlight, makes a great deal of difference. Also pay close attention to the depth of field and whether or not the subject is in proper focus when selecting your aperture. As for focusing, make use of live view, and the focus peaking option (if available) to ensure that you nail that focus.

“The best way to decide where to focus is to look at the subject and decide where your eye’s drawn to.”

Have you tried macro photography using extension tubes? Let us know how it went.