Close-up Photography
Some information on how I do close-up photography. My equipment
and some techniques.
click on the thumbnail to see the full-size image
| My Nikon F1 configured for highest magnification. I use three extension
rings, a macro lens and a telephoto lens mounted backwards. High magnification
means small appeture so two flashes are essential. I use a standard flash
(F1) and a slave flash (F2) triggered by the primary flash. Typically I
mount the slave flash above the micro-aquarium or tank (on the glass cover)
and the primary flash to the side. Photographing from several angles avoids
capturing unintentional reflections from a flash tube. |
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| Components: camera (C), cable trigger for shutter (T), telephoto lens
(L1), macro lens (L2), extension rings (E1,E2 @ 2x, E3 @ 1.5X), Tripod
base (B), and adapter ring (R). The adapter ring is a metal ring
threaded on both sides which joins the (reversed) telephoto to the macro
lens.
Extension rings are an inexpensive alternative to a bellows for high magnification.
A good tripod (not shown) is essential. I position my tripod and micro-aquarium to set the
focus using a piece of paper in the center of the aquarium before I fill it or move fish.
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| A micro-aquarium may be fabricated with microscope slides and aquarium
sealant. For high magnification photographs of eggs and wigglers a slide with a concave
well will do. The micro-aquarium should be as thin as possible to keep the
subject within the depth of field of the camera. |
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| A micro-aquarium defined by a single layer glass spacer is thick enough
for very small free swimming fry. As the fry grow, additional glass spacers
are required. For small fish the glass may be sealed on edge producing
a cell up to one inch in depth. |
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| Small fry are easily transferred to the micro-aquarium using a medicine dropper.
For larger fry (and a thicker micro-aquarium) a small net will work. The easiest way to
return the subject to the growout tank is by emersing the entire microquarium in the tank
and letting the fry swim out.
With no reflecting material behind the micro-aquarium, a dark background
image is obtained. |
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| How does one determine the right exposure time and f-stop?
Ok, I guess I should say something about this. In the future I will
post some of the simple equations one can use to calculate the
exposure corrections as a function of magnification. However, I must confess I never
used those equations myself. I determined the correct exposures by trial and
error. The procedure is as follows. Shoot lots and lots of film at different
exposures, different angles, and with different lighting conditions. Process the
film somewhere cheap. Keep the good shots.
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