Close Up Photography in Nature This page intentionally left blank Close Up Photography in Nature John and Barbara Gerlach First published 2015 by Focal Press 70 Blanchard Road, Suite 402, Burlington, MA 01803 and by Focal Press 2Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Focal Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business ©2015 Taylor & Francis The right of John and Barbara Gerlach to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Notices Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary. Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility. Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Gerlach, John. Close up photography in nature / by John and Barbara Gerlach. pages cm 1. Nature photography. 2. Photography, Close-up. I. Gerlach, Barbara. II. Title. TR721.G47 2014 778.9'3—dc23 2014006536 ISBN: 978-0-415-83589-3 (pbk) ISBN: 978-0-203-50211-2 (ebk) Typeset in Slimbach and Helvetica By Keystroke, Station Road, Codsall, Wolverhampton This page intentionally left blank Table of Contents Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Cameras and Lenses 11 Crop Factor vs. Full-frame Cameras 11 Features to Look for in a Camera 12 Taking Advantage of Camera Options 14 Lenses and Accessories 17 Final Thoughts 36 Chapter 2 Exposure Essentials 39 Avoiding Common Exposure Mistakes 40 The Averaging Histogram and Highlight Alert 40 JPEG and RAW Image Considerations 42 The Ideal JPEG Exposure 43 The Ideal RAW Exposure 44 The RGB Histogram 44 Clipping on the Left 45 How Images Lose Highlight Detail 46 Metering Modes 46 The Language of Stops 48 Exposure Modes 54 Exposure Modes and Metering Modes 55 Automatic Exposure Using Live View 59 Manual Exposure Techniques 60 Conclusion 64 viii Table of Contents Chapter 3 Shooting Sharp Images 67 Focus Properly—Manual Focus is Preferred 67 Reduce Camera Motion and Its Effects 68 Reduce Subject Motion and Its Effects 68 Use Focus Stacking 68 Tripods 68 Tripod Heads 71 Lens Plates 72 Dedicated L-brackets 72 Tripods, the Environment, and Camera Steadiness 73 Focusing 76 Optimum Apertures 79 Shoot a Little Looser 80 Subject Plane and Sensor Plane Should Be Parallel 80 Keep Still! 81 Ladies and Gentlemen: The Plamp! 81 Focus Stacking 84 Using Flash 84 Image Stabilization 85 Chapter 4 Light and Color 89 The Role of Light 91 Qualities of Light 92 Conclusion 108 Chapter 5 The Power of Flash 111 Ambient Light Defined 111 Advantages of Flash 112 Applications of Flash in Close-up Photography 112 How the Flash Works 116 Flash Basics 117 Close-up Flash Techniques 122 Specific Flash Techniques 123 Main Flash 127 Table of Contents ix Balanced Flash 134 Camera-mounted Flash 136 Should the Flash be Diffused? 138 Conclusion 138 Chapter 6 Photographing Flowers 141 Something Extra! 142 How Do You Photograph Flowers? 143 Focus Stacking Techniques 152 Chapter 7 Special Photo Techniques for Butterflies and Dragonflies 161 How to Find Butterflies and Dragonflies 163 Find the Optimum Subjects 165 ASuccessful Morning 166 What about the Dragonflies? 171 Attracting Butterflies with Flowers 174 Photographing Active Butterflies in the Wild 174 Butterfly Houses 176 Chapter 8 What’s in Our Camera Bags? 183 Barbara’s Bag 183 John’s Bag 185 Why Do We Use This Gear? 185 Appendix: Resources 191 Custom Macro Accessories 191 Photography Workshops 192 Photo Stacking Software 192 Books 192 Web Sites 192 Magazines 192 Photographic Equipment 193 Index 195