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How to use mirrors to get perfect axial lighting on macro subjects

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They often say that photography is all just smoke and mirrors. And, in this case, they’re half right. Mirror-like reflections certainly are involved. This is lighting setup that never would’ve occurred to me had I not stumbled across it on a friend’s Facebook post. UK based photographer Dougie Smith typically brings people into his studio, but he also shoots photographs for Chards, a dealer of rare and collectable coins.

Dougie’s been a friend of mine for years, so when I saw him post a couple of setup shots to his Facebook profile, I had to send him a message asking if I could share them here with you guys. He and Chards agreed, so here we are. It’s a fascinating setup called axial lighting, and it overcomes some of the problems you see with typical macro ringflash setups.[Read More…]

Take extreme macro photos by adapting a microscope

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It’s not that difficult to add computer control to a microscope. Now I realize this is not a huge need for the general photographer, however, some of us use photography in our profession, not weddings or models but in my case, I’m a geologist. We tend to take lots of pictures in the course of our work. We also need to look at samples utilizing a microscope.

Usually, we examine rock samples by slicing them into very thin sections, grinding them down to a few microns, and then passing polarized light through them in our weird geological microscopes. Now sometimes, we need to look at items in three dimensions. Especially with very small fossils. The problem with photographing them is that the depth of field for most microscopes is extremely narrow, so you end up with only a small slice of the fossil in focus. The ability to do focus stacking has revolutionized our visualization of fossils. The problem is that most macro rigs don’t offer the magnification needed without going through a lot of bother.

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An A-Z guide for making fantastic water droplets splash photos

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There’s something special about photos of water droplets. I personally like the element of surprise, because you can’t predict the exact shape you’re going to get. You can create fantastic photos using only water and some color, and photographer Adam Karnacz shares an in-depth tutorial for making them. He’ll guide you through all the steps, from setup to printing your final work. So, watch his video to learn what you’ll need and how to approach this interesting area of photography.

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Sony macro just got a lot more interesting with the new Novoflex reverse lens mount adapter

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Well, this is pretty cool. A reverse lens mount adapter for Sony that you can actually autofocus with. Designed for the Sony E-Mount cmaeras, including the A7 series, A9 series and APS-C format A6000 series, the new NEX-Retro from Novoflex lets you turn any Sony lens into a macro.

Being able to reverse a lens on a body isn’t a new idea, but what’s special about this one is that passes along all of the electronic functions. This means you get full control over aperture and autofocus from the reversed lens as if it were mounted normally. It’ll even pass along the EXIF data.

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8 easy and effective DIY photography hacks using cardboard

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Cardboard is such a wonderfully versatile product.  You can use it for all sorts of photography related things. Most of my cameras have arrived in boxes made from the stuff. But what can you do with it instead of throwing it away or leaving it to gather dust in the attic?

Well, here’s the folks from COOPH with 8 ways you can utilise cardboard with your photography. These are simple tips and tricks that can have a great effect. Most of us already have cardboard laying somewhere around the home, so there’s no cost, either.

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The Weirdest Macro Lens – Laowa 24mm f/14 2:1 Underwater Field Test

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Back in June, I was given the opportunity to test the new crazy lens by Laowa – the Laowa 24mm f/14 2:1 Relay Lens. It measures about 40cm in length and looks more like an endoscope rather than a traditional lens. While such relay lens designs are not entirely new with a few other examples in underwater macro photography, there are rarely any readily available options for terrestrial macro photography.

I only managed to spend a few hours with it during an inter-tidal shoot, and compiled some clips in the intro video here:

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10 macro photography tips for beginners

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1. Lens

There are several good lens options for macro photography. You could use extension tubes combined with a normal lens, which gives you some magnification. Or even better, you could reverse a normal lens, which combined with extension tubes gives even more magnification. The most convenient and flexible option though, especially for a beginner within macro photography, is to get a dedicated macro lens.

The most popular models come in focal lengths between 90-105 mm, and have 1:1 magnification. There are also shorter focal lengths such as 50 or 60 mm, but these have shorter working distances, which means you have to get very close to your subject, risking to scare it away. 1:1 magnification means that when you focus as closely as possible, your subject is as big on the sensor as it is in real life. So if you have a full frame sensor of 36×24 mm, it means that any insect you want to shoot that is 36 mm long, just about fits in your picture.

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This artist photographs surreal “landscapes” from human skin and paint

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“Beauty is everywhere.” This is how Russian-born artist Ruslan Khasanov describes the motto that drives his creative work. In his latest video, he found beauty in bodily landscapes. He turns human skin into landscapes using nothing but some paint and a macro lens. It feels like you’re watching satellite shots of another world, so similar, yet so different from ours.

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A lightweight set-up for wide angle macro to give you more depth of field

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I like experimenting with different setups, especially for wide angle close-ups. Last year, I took my wife’s Sony A7 for a couple of field trips and paired it with the Voigtländer Super Wide-Heliar 15mm f/4.5 with extension tubes for some wide angle macro photography, and the results were pretty cool! Compared to my usual DSLR setup, the lens was much smaller, allowing me to approach subjects from more compelling angles.

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A review of the Olympus STF-8 twin macro flash system for Micro Four Thirds

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Last year, Olympus Singapore loaned me a pre-launch unit of their new STF-8 Twin Macro Flash, together with their OMD-EM1 Mk1 and M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro for a test-run in the field. I’ve had the set for about a week — it was easy to use and the results were pretty good, although it took some time for me to get used to focusing using the LCD.

This review is grossly overdue, but I’m posting it because I had been receiving questions on macro photography performance on micro four-third systems. This not a technical review. Instead, I will explain its pros and cons, as well as simple steps to maximise its capabilities.

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