Macro Madness

As promised, the follow-up to my last post from the Tremont fall photo shoot. The event was a macro photography meetup, but I didn't have a macro lens so I just shot what I could using my kit lens (18-55mm). I didn't get the bokeh or detail that a lot of the other photographers got with their lenses but I learned a lot about macro composure from them. Having my new polarizing filter helped a lot with the up-close shots as it allowed me to get detail without the wet reflection on many of the surfaces.

This was such a fun shoot. Macro photography allows you to step into a world we don't normally live in - a lot of times into the tiny world under our feet. The things we normally pass over. Photography in general really forces us to stop and really look at what's around us, and explore what things look like from many different perspectives. It was such a pleasure to spend a day with other photographers. Not only did it surround me with talent that helped sharpen my own skills, but I was able to take my time and "zone out" without getting left behind! (which tends to happen in all situations, but especially when I have a camera!)

Date of Trip: October 11th, 2014

f5.6, 1/100, ISO 400

Rain and dew drops are some of the most fun subjects to photograph! It's like seeing a miniaturized world in an upside down snow globe (without the snow). This is a severely cropped and zoomed-in photo, and no tripod at this point, so excuse the blur!

f5.6, 1/40, ISO 400

More raindrops :) I had a steadier hand on this one.

f4.5, 1/40, ISO 400

I don't really get a wide depth of field with my lens - something I will have to play around with more. Here's an instance where the polarizing filter allows you to actually see the leaves and not just a wet sheen.

f5.0, 1/40, ISO 400

Beautiful fall leaves! Yes, this is a staged photo. I wish I could say I happened upon a perfectly-placed set of perfectly-colored leaves, but hey, if people can pose, so can nature!

f3.5, 1/125, ISO 400

An aster of some kind. I think. 

 

f5.6, 1/50, ISO 400

"Moss and Orange Leaf." Playing with some texture variation. And cheesy photograph names.

f5.0, 1/8, ISO 200

Another shot where the filter made all the difference. The leaf wouldn't be visible under the reflection without it.

Still working through my fall collection this year. More autumn photos to come!