my first macro and a question

[KathrynWilson]

here's my first ever macro shot (of sorts). i know it's not that close up/detailed but i just love the DOF effects and color variations.



my question is though - what next? what do you guys take macro shots OF?? i walked around my garden and got a couple of other good ones, but nothing much exciting. should i just be scouring the neighbourhood for cool looking plants?

[dlaf]

What a lovely photograph, Kathryn!

A better question would be what NOT to take a macro of. Most of my photos are done in macro mode (I have a Canon point and shoot).

Flowers are my favorite thing to take photos of.
Insects on flowers.
Dew on flowers
Sunlight on flowers
and like yours above, flowers on flowers!

Things from nature that are small
Things from your junk drawer take on a whole new life in macro mode

Take a look through the recent "Textures" weekly assignment. There's probably plenty of shots taken in macro mode (mine included).

Did I mention flowers?

Again, very pretty shot!

Debbie

[oldwolf]

Originally Posted by KathrynWilson

my question is though - what next? what do you guys take macro shots OF?? i walked around my garden and got a couple of other good ones, but nothing much exciting. should i just be scouring the neighbourhood for cool looking plants?

Look at the world through the eyes of a child. That's what you take a picture of. Children have this amazing sense of wonder. The most mundane things to adults can keep them occupied and interested for hours.

[KodiakStar]

I would say take pictures of everything that strikes you as a typical macro shot. Once you have exhausted that, think about other things that someone may not have taken a macro of.

Getting away from flowers, lately I have done leaves, beer, pumpkins, food...

Exploring with Macro you will probably delete more shots you do for anything else but once you get something that you like, you will love it

Sometimes even taking something ordinary, like a flower, can be turned into something more abstract:


As was mentioned before, check out the texture assignment, macro is all about detail, and so is texture, a match made in heaven!

[candleman]

cool plants are good.
not that i'm a guru.. but heres my 0.00002cents
i see macro this way: (my opinion.. so take it with a spoon of salt)
its all about capturing little things you normally wouldnt pay much attention to.
like the details of pollen on a plants stamen (i think thats the right word)
just the little details and textures that are normally lost.
or bringing attention to one specific aspect of an object.

EG. KodakStars shot of the petals.. i only see 2 things.. the curves of the petals , and the beautiful shift in tones.

as above, you can get some very artistic results when you have wide open apertures.

[KathrynWilson]

Good advice. I'm just gonna try make pretty colors!! Cool shot KodiakStar!

[abchip]

I find flowers are very cooperative and they don't run away like the bugs around here do.

Look for things with texture:
Peeling paint on an old barn door
Rusty metal objects
Moss on a rock
Tree roots
Mushrooms

You've got the right idea about scouring the neighborhood. The problem with macro is you must learn to restrain yourself. Many times I've been dragged out of my neighbors garden kicking and screaming, "just one more shot pleeeease."

btw I love your first marco!

[BrianLS1TA]

Dlaf said it best....

Originally Posted by dlaf

What a lovely photograph, Kathryn!

A better question would be what NOT to take a macro of.

I love Macro photography myself...Check out my flickr site in my signature, there are a few macro shots there I have taken recently. Bees, flowers, bark on a tree, mold, mushrooms, rain drops/dew...anything!

[KathrynWilson]

Well last night... I got addicted!!

[candleman]

wow.. thats brilliant... nice work
try #2 is far better than any of my macro's