| When you take a head and shoulders portrait | | | | what the subject is. |
| sometimes you move in close. If you use your zoom | | | | Things like bellows and extension tubes will not work |
| lens and fill the frame with only the face, you have | | | | on the average digital camera today, however filters |
| gotten closer. When you fill the entire frame with a | | | | still will. Even if the lens you have is built in and has no |
| single eye you have entered the world of close-up | | | | threads on the end, you can still use close up filters to |
| photography. To go beyond that; to see details within | | | | go further than you have before. One point worth |
| the reflection of that eye, you have entered the world | | | | mentioning is that filters are sharpest in the center and |
| of macro photography. What someone considers | | | | tend to get softer focus on the edges. If you like a |
| "close" is in the eye of the beholder. (No pun intended.) | | | | narrow depth of field, that is not necessarily a problem, |
| For years camera manufacturers have confused | | | | because it helps to isolate your subject against the |
| people when they advertise "macro", and in reality they | | | | background. |
| deliver "Close focus". In most cases, when you use a | | | | However if you want to get closer and sharp from |
| Close Focus lens you can only get within 18 inches of | | | | edge to edge, you are going to need a high end digital |
| your subject. When you use a close focus on a zoom | | | | camera that you can remove the lens from. This |
| lens, it may appear that you were closer than 18 | | | | allows you to specifically use a Macro lens and or add |
| inches; like a single human eye in your photo. But what | | | | the devises I mentioned above (bellows or extension |
| happens when you start to photograph something that | | | | tubes.) One advantage that digital cameras have in |
| most eyes never see; the reflection within an eye for | | | | general is the high resolution. If you want an extreme |
| example? How close is too close? | | | | close up, try an extreme blow up. If you have one of |
| If you photograph a butterfly peering over the edge of | | | | these new digital wonders that can make prints 64 |
| a flower, that would be an excellent use of a macro | | | | inches x 48 inches, surely you can get a nice 8 x10 |
| lens. But let's say you photograph the hair on the side | | | | image by just enlarging a section of the original. |
| of a butterfly's leg. Oh yes, it is possible, but the | | | | Depending on the equipment you have you can use |
| question that remains is why would you want to get | | | | any combination of these devises to get the results |
| that close? If you are an entomologist (one who | | | | you want. Back in the military, I once had a captain that |
| studies insects) then you are entering the world of | | | | brought in a 110 negative (less than ¼ the size of |
| Micro Photography. If you are in medicine or several | | | | a 35mm negative) and wanted a really big print. The |
| other fields there are very legitimate reasons for going | | | | photo lab printed a really sharp 3.5 x 5 inch print. I used |
| beyond what the human eye can see. | | | | an RB67 (the negative was almost as big as the print) |
| Artistically however, there is a gray area that many | | | | and copied the print using extension tubes AND |
| photographers disagree on. If you are photographing | | | | close-up filters. The end result was that this captain |
| an object so close that you can no longer tell what the | | | | was able to use a 20 x 30 inch print as a training aid |
| original subject was, you are venturing into the area | | | | that he told everybody he shot from his little 110mm |
| called Abstract photography. Abstract photography | | | | camera. In case you didn't already know; most 5x7 |
| like abstract art often has no clearly defined subject, | | | | inch prints look bad coming from that size of camera. |
| but leaves more to the viewers' imagination. It is meant | | | | That's why it didn't last very long. |
| to be experienced from the inside, not examined from | | | | You can choose your options and accessories and |
| the outside. At this point the original subject really | | | | decide just how close it too close for you. But |
| doesn't matter; what does matter is the lines, curves, | | | | remember this; no matter how close you shoot the |
| textures and colors and how they affect the viewer. | | | | elements of design still matter. You still need to have |
| Personally; and remember I am speaking from a | | | | balance. You still need to be aware of leading lines. |
| graphic arts background, if you are relying on just the | | | | The rule of thirds is something for you to always keep |
| basic elements of design you should be a painter not a | | | | in mind. Being a great photographer is not about the |
| photographer. There it is, I confess, I am a photographic | | | | fancy equipment you have or how close you can |
| snob. Viewers should be able to see the subject in a | | | | shoot. Being a great photographer also means |
| new way, but I draw the line when they don't know | | | | shooting subjects artistically. |