Macro Photography

I’ve been doing some exploring with my macro lens. Exploring the details that are often overlooked until you slow down and really look. Often times I can get lost in the details and forget the big picture. I think it’s my Virgo Rising coming into play. I’ve been told that paying attention to the details is one of my super powers but it is a balancing act to make sure you are zooming out throughout a project to ensure those details are still important to the overall big picture.

I see a lot of beautiful macro photography by other talented artists but I’ve never had the patience to get those sharp, clear images that most macro photography consists of. Setting up a tripod and being stuck to one spot hoping for something to cross my path isn’t really my idea of fun. I’m also too impatentient and want to shoot from the hip, be in the moment, be present while also moving and exploring my sorroundings.

“Go get lost in the details in order to rediscover the beauty that surrounds us.”

I was in this weird headspace recently where I felt that I was getting too into the ‘weeds’ in a certain area of my day work; that maybe I needed to pull back to re-examine the overall, high level goal in order to revist and fine tune those details from a different perspective. So I decided to blow the dust off (not literally, always keep your lenses protected and out of dust!) and put my macro lens onto my camera and go down to the creek to get lost in some details to rediscover the beauty that can be found.

What unfolded in front of my eyes gave me chills. It was a split second moment of shooting, moving, connecting, and paying attention. Even if you aren’t a photographer, hopefully you can relate to those moments where something beautiful takes shape right before your eyes. Maybe you can click a physical shutter, or the shutter in your minds eye to capture the moment for enternity. In that moment, and in looking at the by-product of the moment through these images, I am reminded that multiple things can be true all at the same time. It’s not a black or white, all or nothing, good or bad; it’s yes, and. Yes and yes. Both. All of it; and all of it at the same time. Multiple truths at one time.

I am reminded once again why I love photography as a connection practice. The lenses you use are like different paint brushes to a painter, each serve their own purpose and it’s up to the artist how they use them. Thinking outside of the box, using them in ways that are outside the ‘norm’.

For these images, I was standing in the water with my camera pointing down, shooting in manual- always manual. (side note, If you are new to photography and have a DSLR, please do yourself a favor and learn how to shoot in manual mode. There are many of online resources for free that will help you get off the auto setting and give you more control and freedom in your shooting abilities.) I was shooting with a more closed down aperature so I could capture more texture and details, and the appropriate ISO and shutter speed to work with that setting. The water below was moving, in small ripples, and as I slowly moved the focus ring back and forth, different layers came into view, creating a layering effect all within one frame; one click.

I love shooting into running water, each image is unique and you can’t help but co-create with nature in this way. I also love the layering that is achieved in one-click. You know I love layering in my photography work lately with film.

Texture, color, shapes coming into view.

Shot from the same place. The only thing that has changed is the tree canopy overhead was in focus reflecting off the water. Same settings as the first image, just a different focus perspective.

This time, the bottom of the creek bed is in focus. The texture of the algea and soot is in focus and the tree canopy above is just an imprint.

In the gallery below, you can see some similaries between the images and yet the focus has changed to create a different perspective.

If you are a photographer, share how you use your macro lens in the comments below. Any tips, tricks I should try?

I am excited to work more with macro photography this year. I’m already thinking about focusing on more color and shapes to create abstract images and less on the sharp focus the lens offers.