articles/Nature/macrocloseuplook-page3

Macro Photography - A close-up look - part 3 of 1 2 3

Published 01/12/2008

By Michael Hayes

Lighting and Exposure

Determining Correct Exposure.

All modern 35mm cameras have very reliable metering systems in them. So if shooting transparencies always bracket the exposure and choose from the Matrix, Center weighted or Spot metering. When using non-metered cameras such as the Bronica or the Mamiya, I love and fully trust a Sekonic hand-held meter.

When shooting digital, you can easily check your histogram, but I always shoot JPEG and RAW files simultaneously.

Natural Light

We must know how to control natural light falling on our small objects. The human eye can see a much higher contrast range than film or digital sensors. But if you are not careful, what looks great to your eye, on film or sensor there can be blown highlights and shadows with no details. So we must modify the light and compress the contrast by using light modifiers such as reflectors and diffusers.

The reflectors I use are some of Lastolite, foldable ones, or just cardboard covered with white paper or crumpled tinfoil depending on the effect required, and the size of the object.

Studio Lighting

I love using studio flash whenever I can but the intense output of studio flash units must be fully controlled. Here just like in portraiture we can use umbrellas and soft boxes although the scale can be much smaller.

Another useful light modifier is the light cube. The monoblocks are positioned outside the cube, where the Light Cube material itself acts like a diffuser.

Flash

in my opinion flash is absolutely essential when working with macro photography. It can be used either as a main source of illumination or as a fill.

When thinking about flash it's useful to look at options available.
Studio flash I have touched on already, other than that there is:
· Off-camera flash, triggered either by cable or remotely.
· Ring flash, triggered either by cable or again remotely.

• Macro Photography - A close-up look page 1
  
• Macro Photography - A close-up look page 2
  
• Macro Photography - A close-up look page 3
  

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