My best tips for macro photography

Macro photography lets you photograph very small subjects. Strictly speaking, it refers to a magnification ratio of at least 1:1 and up to 10:1; beyond that, you enter the field of microphotography. In practice, however, we will mostly be talking about close-up, or proxy, photography, because few lenses can capture at a ratio higher than 1:1 without accessories. We will still look at the accessories that can help you increase that ratio.

If you are not familiar with magnification ratio, you may already have seen it listed in the technical specifications of some lenses. Put simply, it tells you how large the subject appears on your sensor. For example, a full-frame sensor measures 24x36mm, which means that a subject measuring 24x36mm will fill the entire frame at a 1:1 ratio. Roughly speaking, 1cm in real life is recorded as 1cm on the sensor. Most macro lenses offer a 1:1 magnification ratio, but not all of them. Some lenses are labelled “macro”, including some zooms, even though they only offer a 1:2 ratio or less. So be careful not to get caught out, haha!

Without accessories, macro lenses that reach a 1:1 ratio are therefore truly macro only at their minimum focusing distance. That said, smaller ratios can still produce very satisfying close-up images. Macro photography also means working very close to your subject, so a long focal length used from a comfortable distance does not really qualify as macro, even if it lets you capture relatively tight shots.

On our website, you will find an article to help you choose your equipment for macro photography. It covers some of the points mentioned in the introduction, as well as a fairly complete list of cameras, lenses, and accessories. In short, most mirrorless cameras and DSLRs are good enough for macro photography. Fast autofocus is not always essential either. In fact, macro is often done with manual focus, although autofocus can be useful for some subjects, just as good high-ISO performance can help in low light.

Most fixed macro lenses are optically very good, as they are designed to capture as much detail as possible. So do not hesitate to look at third-party brands such as Tamron, Sigma, or Tokina, which all offer very good lenses that can compete with native brands such as Nikon, Canon, or Sony. Again, remember to check the magnification ratio: some macro lenses do not reach 1:1 by default, such as the Fujifilm 60mm f/2.4, which offers a 1:2 ratio, while others, such as Laowa ultra-macro lenses, go beyond 1:1. The Laowa 25mm, for example, offers a ratio between 2.5:1 and 5:1. Also keep in mind that focal length mainly affects the perspective of your images. Macro photography requires you to work very close to your subject and near the minimum focusing distance of your lens. So whether you use a 50mm or a 200mm, you will still be close enough to scare away certain subjects, such as insects. For example, Tamron’s 90mm reaches a 1:1 ratio at about 30cm from the subject, while Sigma’s 150mm reaches it at about 38cm. Since the Sigma 150mm itself is about 15cm long and the Tamron 90mm is around 12cm long, you only gain about 3cm of real working distance, which is not huge…

Larger sensors are useful for their better high-ISO performance when light is limited, which can often happen in macro photography. They also generally provide better dynamic range and color reproduction, although smaller sensors can still perform very well. Whatever camera you choose, most systems offer accessories such as:

• Reversing rings, which allow you to mount a lens backward. The shorter the focal length, the higher the magnification ratio, although you usually lose automatic controls,
• Close-up conversion lenses, which act like magnifying glasses,
• Extension tubes, which reduce the minimum focusing distance,
• Macro bellows, which work on the same principle as extension tubes but use an accordion-style body, making it easier to vary the extension.

Most of these accessories cause a loss of light. And the closer you get, the more likely your camera or lens is to cast a shadow over the subject. This is why flashes can be useful, especially ring flashes, which are placed around the lens rather than on top of the camera body.

Macro photography requires a lot of preparation because it often involves subjects that are difficult to see clearly with the naked eye. But those subjects are not so different from those in other types of photography: some, such as flowers or objects, will remain relatively still, while others, such as insects, will move. The settings needed to capture movement therefore follow the same logic as usual. Use a fast shutter speed for fast subjects and a more flexible shutter speed for static ones. However, in macro, moving subjects often require even faster shutter speeds because, the closer you are, the more their movements affect the image. As mentioned in the equipment section, good high-ISO performance or a ring flash can be very useful for fast subjects.

For still subjects, the classic “1/focal length” rule — for example, at least 1/50s with a 50mm lens — is less reliable for very tight shots. In macro, I recommend adding a safety margin by doubling that value, so around 1/100s with a 50mm lens, to reduce the risk of motion blur. For moving subjects, take a much larger margin, with shutter speeds such as 1/250s or faster, and if that is still too slow, do not hesitate to go even faster. On a tripod, camera shake is no longer the main issue, but as always, you will still need to adapt your shutter speed to the movement of your subject.

If you have read the article on macro photography equipment, you already know that the maximum aperture of a macro lens is not always the most important factor. In macro, depth of field is so shallow, even with a small sensor, that you will often stop down or use techniques such as focus stacking. Focus stacking consists of photographing the same subject several times in a row while shifting the focus, then combining the images to create a final image with greater depth of field. This is another situation where a larger sensor can help, because you may need to compensate for the lack of light caused by small apertures and fast shutter speeds. A flash or focus stacking can become especially useful. With focus stacking, instead of taking a single image at f/16, you can combine several images at f/4, so each photo receives 16 times more light.

Instead of having to shoot at 3200 ISO at f/16, for example, you can take several images at 200 ISO and f/4, which will produce less noise once combined. That said, nothing stops you from taking a single image at f/4 and embracing a very shallow depth of field. Just because some people say that depth of field is very short and that you should stop down does not mean you always have to. If you find it more interesting to drown your image in blur and keep only a tiny area sharp, do it! Although macro lenses are designed to deliver a lot of detail, avoid using apertures that are too small, as diffraction can reduce sharpness. As a general guideline, avoid going beyond f/16 on full frame, f/11 on APS-C, and f/8 on Micro 4/3. This also depends on your sensor resolution, but with many cameras sitting around 20MP, these values are a good starting point for most formats.

As always, try to keep ISO as low as possible. The lower you can keep ISO sensitivity, ideally close to 100, the better your image quality will be. In macro, noise can become visible quickly because you will often crop more than usual. After all, if you are doing macro, it is usually to isolate details. When you cannot get any closer because of the focusing distance, cropping can be an easy solution, but it is not without drawbacks. To maintain your shutter speed, use smaller apertures, or compensate for the light loss caused by accessories such as extension tubes, you will sometimes have no choice but to raise the ISO. This is where accessories such as a ring flash can become very useful allies.

Depth of field in macro photography is usually extremely short, sometimes only a millimeter or so, which makes focusing crucial. Autofocus is very convenient, but it is not always accurate enough, which is why many macro photographers prefer manual focus. For moving subjects, you will need experience, a lot of practice, and sometimes accessories to make shooting more comfortable. Many digital cameras, almost all of them in fact, are not designed for comfortable manual focusing with the naked eye. They usually provide focusing aids, such as a focus indicator or confirmation light on DSLRs, and magnification or focus peaking on mirrorless cameras. For static subjects, especially on a tripod, manual focus is much easier and, in some cases, helps avoid focusing errors. Once focus is set, and as long as you do not move it, you can keep shooting without changing the focus point. Manual focus can also be very useful for focus stacking without needing an in-camera stacking option: you can simply fire a burst while turning the focus ring in the direction in which you want to extend the sharp area. The only drawback is that you will then have to combine those images later in software, whereas some cameras can produce a stacked image directly.

On many autofocus macro lenses, you will also find a focus limiter switch. This reduces the focusing range the lens has to search through, preventing it from trying to focus at unnecessary distances. Basically, if you are photographing subjects 30 to 50cm away, there is no need to let the lens search beyond 2m. Strict macro purists may disagree, but autofocus can work perfectly well in many situations. For moving subjects, it can even be essential, because the close-up movements of some insects are too random to track manually. It can be done, of course, but again, it requires practice. That said, autofocus is not always ideal in macro because using it often means changing your shooting distance, and therefore not always shooting at the same magnification ratio. If we follow the very strict idea that “macro means 1:1”, the only way to do it would be to set manual focus at the minimum distance, or at least at a distance that guarantees 1:1 on lenses with higher magnification, and then move your body back and forth to adjust focus on the subject.

Macro photography can feel quite abstract: the closer you get, the harder it becomes to recognize what you are seeing with the naked eye. Still, many of the same composition tips apply as in other types of photography, whether landscape, wildlife, or portrait work. Do not hesitate to play with perspective and leading lines, or to leave space in front of an insect in the same way you would leave space in front of a person in a portrait.

Light is, of course, one of the most important elements in photography. Ideally, aim for softer light, typically around sunrise or sunset. But with today’s cameras, software, and techniques, do not lock yourself into that rule too strictly. If you carefully followed every piece of advice you hear, not only in macro, you would not have much time left in the day to take pictures. And as mentioned earlier, in macro you are often so close to your subject that you and your camera can cast a shadow over it. When that is not the case and the light is still a little harsh, you can use accessories such as reflectors to redirect some light, or diffusers to soften it. Cloudy conditions can also work very well, as clouds act like a large natural diffuser.

Colors are also a great way to strengthen a composition. Again, with today’s cameras and software, especially if you shoot in RAW, you can adjust colors extensively and even recreate the mood of those softer light moments. If you use a tripod, choose one with a tilting center column, as you will sometimes need to work very close to the ground. In that situation, the column will help you position the camera properly. When shooting handheld, a camera with a tilting screen is also very useful for the same reason.

If you want to photograph insects, I invite you to read the article on wildlife photography, because the preparation work is quite similar: you need to spot them, observe their habits, understand how to approach them discreetly, and so on.

Focal length has a strong influence here. The shorter the focal length, the more perspective is exaggerated, giving the image a stronger sense of depth. Conversely, longer focal lengths compress the scene. Either way, you need to pay close attention to your background. Even if it will often be heavily blurred, its shapes, colors, and light variations can still make it more or less distracting. One advantage of macro photography is that you are photographing very small subjects, so you can often place elements behind them quite easily, a little like a studio photographer choosing a backdrop. Of course, with insects or other moving subjects, your attention will often be focused on the subject itself and you will have to work with whatever background is there. But with such strong blur, it will often become less noticeable.

Use complementary colors whenever possible. Also pay attention to the shapes behind your subject. A single leaf, for example, may become a large soft green oval, while a cluster of leaves can create a more uniform and sometimes monotonous background. You can also, while respecting the environment, arrange the background to suit your image by adding branches, removing a few distracting elements, or using backgrounds such as fabric, boards, or even parts of your own gear, like your bag. Almost anything can help harmonize a background, so try to give it depth, shapes, and shades of color that work with your subject.

Also play with aspect ratios and orientation. Full-frame and APS-C cameras usually use a 3:2 ratio by default, while Micro 4/3 cameras use 4:3. But you can also use traditional ratios such as 16:9 or square format to make certain shots more dynamic. Likewise, if you want to give your subject a sense of height, for example a flower with its stem, or isolate it from surrounding elements, portrait orientation can work very well. Vertical framing is also often suitable for insects.

Macro photography is demanding on both your equipment and your preparation, but do not worry: unless you want to specialize seriously, you can already achieve very close-up results with reasonable gear. Many photographers are happy with close-up images that are closer to proxy photography, and many lenses, and even some expert compact cameras, can produce them. In fact, many images described as “macro” are not actually shot at a 1:1 ratio.

I hope this article helps you improve your close-up photography. Keep in mind that the more space your subject fills in the frame, the faster your minimum shutter speed should be to avoid blur or freeze a moving subject.

If you are looking for more photography techniques and tips, I invite you to take a look at my best tips for waterfall photography.

Speak to you soon,

Written by Sylvain PONS

I've been passionate about photography since 2010, learning as I went along. Today, I dedicate myself to guiding others in their choice of camera gear and sharing a variety of tips to improve their photography skills.

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