Looking a little closer

Whenever I'm out exploring with my camera I always try to take a closer look at the little details that help make up the scene as a whole. Often the little details tell a very different story than the bigger picture. Whatever the scale, grand landscape or macro, design considerations remain the same. It's still important to identify a subject, choose an interesting perspective, place the subject properly within the frame in a pleasing way and and make the hard decisions regarding what to include and exclude in the composition. And as always, light is the key to everything!

Shooting Indoors with my Macro Lens

I made this photo the other day at the University of Michigan Matthei Botanical Gardens while with a group of photogs from Michigan Photo Adventures. Botanical gardens are a great place to play with a macro lens when the weather outside is just a bit too blustery.

Playing with Macro

I'm always amazed when I have a conversation with a fellow photographer and they make a comment along the lines of "I can't seem to find anything to shoot." This seems to happen more often during the winter months. Whenever I feel I need to take a break from my usual local photo haunts or when the weather outside is unbearable, I turn to close-up or macro photography. Lately, I've made it a point to get busy with my macro lens at least a couple of times a week. The possibilities are truly endless. Macro subjects are all around you. This nautilus shell is combined in post with a textured overlay for an interesting effect. Flowers are always a good choice for close-up photography. Flowers are not only cooperative models but beautiful and fun to shoot. And this is as good a reason as any to get to know your local florist! I've had the good fortune of meeting macro photographer +Mike Moats and attended a seminar and workshop he conducted. If you're interested in learning more about macro photography I highly recommend you peruse his website and consider attending a weekend workshop!

My Fellow Traveler

I was walking around Wildwing Lake in Kensington Metropark (suburban Detroit) and I was enthralled with the fall color (as usual) and spotted this freshly fallen leaf on the ground. Since I had my macro lens with me, I decided to pick up the little fella and take him with me as I continued on my hike. Along the way I kept my eyes open for something to use as an interesting background. This is one of the macro techniques +Mike Moats espouses so brilliantly. Finally I spotted an old log with some interesting textures and posed my little friend in several compositions. In the end I settled on the square composition above. I ended up printing this on canvas and have it hanging in my home...and it always gets lots of compliments.