Mastering the Macro Mode
Macro mode, often identified on your camera by a little flower icon, allows you to take photos at close range without losing focus.
If you have an interchangeable lens camera, you can buy specific Macro lenses that should enhance the quality of your close-ups even further.
My Olympus OM-D E-M10 is an interchangeable lens camera, but, as a bit of a technophobe, I haven’t branched out into the daunting world of lenses yet. The photos I am sharing with you today have all been taken using Macro mode without any special lenses or additional editing.
Depending on your camera, Macro mode should allow you to get up close and personal with your subject to capture all the little details. I found the focus got more temperamental the closer I got, with around 2 inches distance getting the best results – with the subject in focus and the background blurred out.
It’s interesting to experiment with a variety of objects, particularly when there are multiple objects in shot and you only want to focus on one particular area. A camera with touch-screen focus really helps with this as you can tap the screen exactly where you want the camera to focus.
I love peacock feathers and they make a great subject for Macro photography as you can pick out all the individual strands and details.
One tricky thing I discovered while shooting in Macro is that you have to stay really, really still to get a good quality image. When you’re this close to your subject, the slightest wobble can create major blur.
I’m happy with the results I’ve had using Macro mode but I think that if you’re serious about this kind of photography, or if you struggle to keep your hands steady, it might by worth investing in a tripod to avoid camera shakes.
Once I’ve got to know my camera a little better I plan to invest in some fancy lenses, one of which may be a Macro lens. If so, I will revisit this subject at a later date for more advanced Macro photography! Stay tuned…
CNL
Katie x
Camera Never Lies 