In this article, I will share my experience using the Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S lens in the field. I have attempted close-up photography multiple times, but I always found the complexity of this technical genre overwhelming. However, with the emergence of mirrorless technology and this amazing lens, I have had better luck in the last year or so. Today’s article focuses on this lens, Nikon mirrorless in general, and my process to capture sharp close-up photos more easily.
Landcape photographers typically rely upon wide-angles lenses because a short focal length is often the best tool for capturing expansive vistas. Sometimes, however, we need more reach to accentuate distant elements that are the key to a shot. So what’s your best option in situations like this when your telephoto lens is resting at home?
Impressive objects like mountains recede into the distance when photographed with wide-angle glass, and one sort of lazy “solution” is to simply crop the shot during the editing process. But there’s a much more effective way to get the job done, as you’ll see in this tutorial from the PHLOG Photography YouTube channel.
Instructor Christian Mohrle is an acclaimed German landscape photographer who often calls on Lightroom’s powerful Transform tools when a boost in scale and impact will greatly enhance a photo, and in this episode you’ll learn the simple step-by-step procedure he recommends. We suggest using the link beneath the video to download Mohrle’s sample Raw file so that you can follow along in real time.
Those who’ve watched Mohrle work his magic in the past understand that he’s not a one-trick pony. Hence, there’s another key component to today’s lesson; namely, how to embellish this somewhat bland midday photo by applying “a lovely Golden-Hour effect.”
Mohrle fans also know that he advocates using a hierarchy of tools in a specific order—often leaving the big reveal until the end of the process. Thus, he typically starts with a variety of basic global adjustments before moving on to masking, color grading, exposure modifications, and other selective adjustments.
Mohrle takes a different approach today by starting off with the hero of the process by explaining the concept behind Lightroom’s Transform tools and describing how they work. Then he moves on to the aforementioned enhancements, sharpening, and a few other tweaks.
He captured the sample shot with a 16mm lens, and herein lies the problem: “Things close to the edge get distorted, and distant elements in the center of the frame (like the mountain peaks) appear smaller than they truly are.” You’ll see why cropping isn’t an effective solution, and how to unlock the power of Lightroom’s Transform tools for an impressive, natural looking result.
Mohrle’s instructional YouTube channel is a great source of information, especially for landscape photographers looking to elevate their shooting and editing skills, so be sure to pay a visit when you have time to explore.
This comprehensive macro tutorial from the Naturefold YouTube channel is designed for those new to the genre. Yet, everything discussed will prove equally helpful if you’ve given closeups a try and were disappointed with your results.
Instructor Alexis is a tiny-world expert who’s developed a foolproof formula for capturing eve-popping images of insects, small organisms, flowers, “slime molds” and more. In this episode he reveals his favorite camera settings for getting the job done to perfection and discusses how the technique known as focus stacking factors into the equation.
But there’s a very helpful twist, as Alexis discusses how a simple on-camera flash outfitted with an affordable diffusor will quickly transform good photos into great ones. If you’re avoided outdoor flash in the past because you thought it was too complicated, you’ll quickly change your mind as the lesson progresses.
According to Alexis there are four basic settings that are “essential” to understand, especially when using flash. These include aperture, flash power, shutter speed, and ISO. He provides practical examples of how these key variables interact to deliver macro shots with perfect exposure and a variety of compelling looks.
The aperture setting enables you to control depth of field—a task that’s particularly important with close-up photography because of the inherently shallow range of focus—typically measured in inches. Interestingly, shutter speed doesn’t have much impact on exposure when shooting macro with flash because the output is so much brighter than ambient light reaching the subject.
With the foregoing in mind it’s easy to understand why flash power is such a critical setting to get right. Alexis walks you through his process for making the right choice for different subjects and conditions. You also see how ISO has an impact on every macro image you shoot.
The video concludes by comparing images captured with a single shot, and those created by focus sacking multiple images for the absolute best results possible. So take a look, dust of the flash that’s hiding in the back of your cabinet, and then create some macro magic of your own.
Once you’ve become captivated by the hidden world of macro, head over to the Naturefold YouTube channel where there’s much more to learn about this enchanting style of outdoor photography.
This has been an eventful week. Some of it was expected, and some was sudden and without warning, like a bolt from the clear sky. I invite you to take a moment to relax and take a cooling dip with this Mute Swan. The memory of the chill that pervaded me when I took this photo was pleasantly refreshing, and I hope it will be for you as well.
