Winter Macro Photos: Camera Settings, Gear, Framing & More (VIDEO)
Remember that macro lens you stashed in the back of your camera cabinet at the end of summer? Well, there’s a lot more to closeup photography than photographing spring buds and the flowers and insects that emerge later.
Winter also provides a wide array of great macro photography opportunities, as you’ll see in today’s 11-minute tutorial from instructor Steve Hedges. Snowflakes and icy foliage are just two eye-catching examples of appropriate subjects. Hedges is an accomplished British pro whose short-and-sweet videos span the gamut from landscape, cityscape, and wildlife photography, to street photography and shooting after dark.
In this behind-the-scenes episode you’ll follow Hedges in Essex during a rare snow event (just like what we’re experiencing today in New Orleans where it’s been 15 years since the last significant snowfall). So mount your macro lens on a camera, launch the lesson, and follow along as Hedges explains his powerful winter macro tips.
Technically speaking, a “true” macro lens has a 1:1 reproduction ratio like Hedges’ 105mm Micro Nikkor. Lenses like this are expensive, but you’ll also learn how to create impactful closeups with affordable lenses that are limited to a reproduction ratio of 1:2 or even 1:4.
On this frosty morning Hedges is concentrating on small details and explains the challenge like this: “The beauty of macro photography is that you can take a really ordinary subject and turn it into something beautiful.” By doing this in winter you’re sure to capture unique macro and closeup images that grab attention and stand out from the crowd.
Hedges finds some ordinary-looking frozen ferns and explains the techniques he employs when photographing subjects with a “true” macro lens. He reveals recommended camera settings, effective tips for composition, how to deal with weather, and methods for using ambient light to advantage.
This discussion continues with similar advice for using lenses with less magnification. You’ll learn how to minimize subject movement on windy days and other effective techniques for getting the job done to perfection.
So bundle up warm, get out there in the snow, and see what kind of winter macro magic you can create yourself. Then head over to Hedges’ instructional YouTube channel for more tips on elevating your outdoor shooting skills.
And don’t miss the tutorial we shared earlier with simple tips from another accomplished pro who explains why your outdoor photographs are boring and demonstrates how to capture stunning images in the camera.
