The beautiful world of macro photography: I would dare to say the majority of us have had their share of macro photography one way or the other. We all know that macro photography is...

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

I would dare to say the majority of us have had their share of macro photography one way or the other. We all know that macro photography is at its best when a macro lens is used but other lenses, especially teles, could prove to be very useful for the same purpose. There are lenses like the Nikon 28-105 AF-D that allows using a switch some extension of the barrel to make the lens get closer to the subject.

Diopters are available along with extension tubes for macro photography and even using a tele converters we can get closer. There are other ways of getting closer to the subject but a dedicated macro lens is exactly what the doctor ordered when it comes to macro photography. Nikon calls their macro lenses Micro Nikkors.

The tendency is to use a long macro lens to allow the operator extra room to work. I have used in the past 50mm macro lenses which have been excellent but in my case the 105mm focal length has proven to be more useful. Nikon also makes a 200mm macro lens and most recently introduced a 105mm f2.8 lens with VR. I have no experience with that lens. I have always used my macro lens with the camera supported by a tripod.
Independent lens companies like Tokina, Sigma and Tamron also make excellent macro lenses.

Something that is not done often is to use a macro lens with diopters or extension rings. The world takes a different perspective when a macro lens is used with an extension ring. I do not remember seeing pictures with that combination in this forum. I use my macro lens at times with a Nikon diopter and indeed it is a different experience than using the macro lens alone. I believe Canon also has diopters but I am not familiar with them.

These images were shot with different lenses including the Nikon 105mm f4 Micro Nikkor. One of the shots was made using the 80-400 AF-D lens and another with the 28-105 AF-D, if memory serves me well, using its "macro" function. Today I use my teles more often for this type of photography than I did in the past. Macro lenses can be used at their focal length for general photography.

If you have one of these lenses that has been collecting dust in the closet you should take it out and begin using it again. Look at the world with it and begin to discover details in your subjects that escape the naked eye. There is a different world, the world of macro photography waiting for all of us and it is at our reach using a macro or any other way of getting closer to the subject.

I hope my images will inspire you to become more aware of that beautiful world that we can only see through the eye of a macro lens. Not all images can be considered as true macro but you get the idea.

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Julian Loc: Sarasota, FL

camerapapi wrote:

I would dare to say the majority of us have had their share of macro photography one way or the other. We all know that macro photography is at its best when a macro lens is used but other lenses, especially teles, could prove to be very useful for the same purpose. There are lenses like the Nikon 28-105 AF-D that allows using a switch some extension of the barrel to make the lens get closer to the subject.

Diopters are available along with extension tubes for macro photography and even using a tele converters we can get closer. There are other ways of getting closer to the subject but a dedicated macro lens is exactly what the doctor ordered when it comes to macro photography. Nikon calls their macro lenses Micro Nikkors.

The tendency is to use a long macro lens to allow the operator extra room to work. I have used in the past 50mm macro lenses which have been excellent but in my case the 105mm focal length has proven to be more useful. Nikon also makes a 200mm macro lens and most recently introduced a 105mm f2.8 lens with VR. I have no experience with that lens. I have always used my macro lens with the camera supported by a tripod.
Independent lens companies like Tokina, Sigma and Tamron also make excellent macro lenses.

Something that is not done often is to use a macro lens with diopters or extension rings. The world takes a different perspective when a macro lens is used with an extension ring. I do not remember seeing pictures with that combination in this forum. I use my macro lens at times with a Nikon diopter and indeed it is a different experience than using the macro lens alone. I believe Canon also has diopters but I am not familiar with them.

These images were shot with different lenses including the Nikon 105mm f4 Micro Nikkor. One of the shots was made using the 80-400 AF-D lens and another with the 28-105 AF-D, if memory serves me well, using its "macro" function. Today I use my teles more often for this type of photography than I did in the past. Macro lenses can be used at their focal length for general photography.

If you have one of these lenses that has been collecting dust in the closet you should take it out and begin using it again. Look at the world with it and begin to discover details in your subjects that escape the naked eye. There is a different world, the world of macro photography waiting for all of us and it is at our reach using a macro or any other way of getting closer to the subject.

I hope my images will inspire you to become more aware of that beautiful world that we can only see through the eye of a macro lens. Not all images can be considered as true macro but you get the idea.

I would dare to say the majority of us have had th... (show quote)

I invite you to peruse through the True Macro-Photography sections of this forum where you will find hundreds of "inspired" UHH members capturing those subjects not usually observed or obvious to the naked eye. The inspiration has been with this group for a long time. Thank you for excellent your postings.

angler Loc: StHelens England

Good set.

OutBack Loc: North Central Florida

Love the Thistle.

rwilson1942 Loc: Houston, TX

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Julian wrote:

I invite you to peruse through the True Macro-Photography sections of this forum where you will find hundreds of "inspired" UHH members capturing those subjects not usually observed or obvious to the naked eye. The inspiration has been with this group for a long time. Thank you for excellent your postings.

Well, since I always post in this forum I was not aware we had a macro photography section so I apologize.

PAR4DCR Loc: A Sunny Place

Nice set William! I don't see a need to apologize on your part and Julian, I think, was just being helpful. There are many sections to the forum, people, sports, critique, street, macro, etc. Click on the "Home" feature at the top of the page to see all the different sections and then subscribe to the ones that interest you.

Don

Julian Loc: Sarasota, FL

PAR4DCR wrote:

Nice set William! I don't see a need to apologize on your part and Julian, I think, was just being helpful. There are many sections to the forum, people, sports, critique, street, macro, etc. Click on the "Home" feature at the top of the page to see all the different sections and then subscribe to the ones that interest you.

Don

sailorsmom Loc: Souderton, PA

Beautifully done, William!

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Thank you Sue. Thank you Don and Julian.

silverwren Loc: Alabama

No apologies, please! These are all stunning. I am inspired to pull out my old Nikon 200mm micro lens.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

silverwren wrote:

No apologies, please! These are all stunning. I am inspired to pull out my old Nikon 200mm micro lens.

You are very kind and yes, you should get out that lens and begin to use it again. I apologized because I was not aware we had a macro photography forum so to a certain extent my post was kind of redundant.