First time using macro lens

[sir8148va]

A friend gave me a 70-300 lens and this was my first attempt at macro. Any suggestions for a better photo? THanks!!

ISO 800
1/60
300mm
f/5.6

[Laurenbiz]

What was the lighting like in the environment you took this photo? The combination of ISO 800, f/5.6, and an exposure time of 1/60 should typically give you a brighter photo.

The problem is that you had the lens fully extended, since your EXIF data says it was 300mm. With the more extension, the more controls you will need to adjust to achieve a brighter photo. The light entering the camera when the shutter is open has a longer route to take to finally reach the image sensor with the telephoto fully extended. It looks like you did everything you could, considering. If you still use it fully extended with the current EXIF info, I would suggest to use a tripod with a longer exposure to get a brighter photo.

Other than that, I love my telephoto lens, but when in doubt, I still take a step closer to the subject if I can just because I don't want a dark photo. If you can still get closer to the flowers, I would, and adjust the focal length so that it's shorter.

But, if you have Photoshop, you should easily be able to duplicate this layer, and set the blending mode on the duplicate to 'screen' to immediately brighten it up!

[NoSoup]

More light. Larger f/stop or longer shutter speed if on a tripod. Try not to get use to using photoshop. It is sad that everyone depends on a software to make mediocre pictures look better.