So what’s holding you back from giving macro photography a try? In many cases it’s the lack of a costly, specialized lens offering a 1:1 reproduction ratio. If this sounds familiar you’re in for a surprise because today’s 10-minute lesson from the Hamed Photography YouTube channel demonstrates how to capture stunning images of tiny subjects with affordable accessories and a few easy-to-master shooting techniques.

Macro photography is a fascinating genre that enables you to explore intricate details that are difficult to discern with the naked eye. Appropriate subjects include flowers, water droplets, insects, and even jewelry, and other everyday objects.  The good news is that you can easily get the job done without a professional lens in your kit.

Hamed specializes in tutorials that help amateur shooters capture stunning imagery with straightforward techniques using gear they already own, and perhaps a few inexpensive add-ons. In this video he explores several alternatives to a professional macro lens and explains how to use them for optimum results.

As he says, “By using budget-friendly tools like reverse rings, thread-on close-up lenses, and extension tubes you can achieve stunning results without breaking the bank.” He further insists that by combining these tools with good lighting and a creative eye it’s possible to capture attention-grabbing  macro shots that rival those made with costly professional gear.

But there’s more to this episode than the simple tools described because Hamed also demonstrates a handful of shooting techniques that photographers of all skill levels can master with ease. These begin with the use of a sturdy tripod to minimize camera shake, as even the slightest movement can easily ruin an otherwise great shot.

Hamed explains that autofocus often fails at high magnifications, and why he recommends focusing manually and adjusting by physically moving the camera closer to or further from the subject until it looks really sharp. He also describes methods for depth-of-field management and how to expand the range of sharp focus.

Another way to increase your odds of success when first getting started is to shoot stationary subjects in a controlled environment where rapidly changing lighting, wind, or subject movement doesn’t complicate the task.

After learning how’s it’s done, head over to the Hamed Photography YouTube channel for more easy-to-follow shooting and post-processing tips and techniques.

And be sure not to miss the related tutorial we featured with another accomplished pro who demonstrates simple techniques and key camera settings for capturing magnificent macro photographs with an iPhone.

This Photoshop tutorial from NBP Retouch Tools discusses a variety of concepts and techniques for the best ways to give photos a necessary saturation boost while retaining a realistic look. There are several ways to get the job done, some more effective than others, and there’s a good chance that your everyday method can be improved.

Instructor  Nino Batista is an accomplished photographer and post-processing expert whose tutorials demonstrate “how simple things can be when you have the right tools in your hands.” Today’s out-of-season image is an eye-catching environmental portrait captured at New Mexico’s White Sands National Park—one of his favorite places to shoot.

Batista sets aside the common approach of targeting colors with selections, and he spends eight minutes demonstrating less–familiar techniques that can be easier and equally effective depending upon the specific image at hand.

The photo you see here is a great example because of the extreme saturation differences within the frame, but the techniques you’ll learn will work equally well for more conventional scenes. Batista notes that whatever the case, the key to boosting saturation is “where we do it and where we don’t.”

Batista’s challenging sample shot includes white gypsum sand in the foreground against a dark blue sky. And then there’s his model with minimal saturation that needs to be slightly increased without spoiling the suntanned tone of her skin. He first pulls saturation all the way up (something you’d never really do in an edit) just to illustrate the various areas that need work.

He then walks you through a variety of methods for different purposes than enable you to enhance saturation properly without introducing color artifacts in the highlights or shadows of a scene. Bottom line: Whether your subject is an expansive landscape, portrait, macro shot or something else, Batista provide the tools necessary for adjusting saturation to perfection.

After the video concludes be sure to visit the popular NBP Retouch Tools YouTube channel where there are many more instructional videos to be found.

We also recommend watching the earlier tutorial we featured with another image-editing expert who demonstrates how to clean up landscape photographs with a new Photoshop tool that detects and removes unwanted distractions with a single click.

Getting the light right is an essential task whether you’re shooting indoors or out, and sometimes this means adding supplemental light to achieve perfect exposures. One choice is using a flash, but some photographers are intimidated by the techniques and settings that are required.

Another option is an affordable LED light source that’s a real no-brainer because it provides constant illumination that requires no calculations. So you can shoot as though your image is illuminated by natural light.

This enlightening tutorial comes from the folks at Camera Zone, a popular YouTube channel created by pros and enthusiasts that covers every aspect of photography from gear and no-nonsense techniques, to in-depth buying advice for shooters of all skill levels. If you’re trying to decide between flash and LEDs lights, today’s episode will answer all your questions in a hurry.

Our unnamed instructor puts it like this: “In this video we’ll help you figure out which approach is the best choice for you,” and he breaks done the when, why, and how considerations so you’ll understand the best method to choose for different types of situations and what you’re trying to achieve.

Flash units are typically more powerful with a far greater range, which is why they tend to work best with subjects further from the camera. And the intense burst of fight they provide is ideal for stopping action when photographing subjects in motion.

On the other hand, easy-to-use LED lights are a great choice for stationary subjects close to the camera, like with macro photography and environmental portraiture. The instructor notes that “LED lighting technology has come a long way in providing real-time control.”

He demonstrates the pros and cons of each approach while concentrating on ease of use. He also describes the cost considerations that factor into the ultimate decision you make. And you’ll see how the specific task at  hand is essential to consider.

The instructional Camera Zone YouTube channel is a great source of how-to video lessons like this one, so be sure to take a look.

And on a related note, don’t miss the tutorial we featured with another adept pro who demonstrates how to take advantage of a camera’s Spot Metering mode to eliminate the guesswork from making perfectly exposed photographs in every situation you confront.