A primer on macro photography

Macro photography is an artistic medium that has been gaining popularity in recent years. Camera manufacturers are not always able to produce equipment specific to the discipline. However, they do have certain pieces that work regardless of the kind of camera one uses.

A form of close-up photography, macro photography has been used to advance scientific research. The goal for this discipline is to capture subjects as they are in real life. Shooting at 1:1 magnification, the subject becomes life-sized in the image, mentions Los Angeles-based photographer Robert Testagrossa. Over the years, people have used the term “macro photography” to describe all forms close-up photography or any image of a tiny subject that is detailed.

In the 1900s, F. Percy started shooting insects using bellows and extension tubes to improve his photography skills in a way that would not damage or alter their natural appearance. The invention of Single Lens Reflex (SLR) film cameras gave people access to macro shots even if they don't have scientific goals for taking pictures like him. This boom spurred other inventions such as lens dedicated solely towards getting close up images.

Macro lenses come in three different types: short (35mm-60), intermediate (90 - 105), and long macro (150 mm to 200). The most excellent-looking images can be shot using a 150mm lens with a focal length between 100mm and 180 millimeters, shares Robert Testagrossa. These are the only lenses that will get close enough for shooting insects that often reside far away from humans, like bees or butterflies.