Macro Photography: Revealing the Universe at Our Feet

Photography and photographers document moments in time, create art, provide historical recollections, and capture unrehearsed and posed interactions alike. Through macro photography, the universe at our feet is revealed, uncovering intricate details often invisible to the naked eye. Since its beginnings in 1822, photography has advanced, evolved, embraced nostalgia, and even leaped into the space age.

Advances in cameras, development techniques, lenses, lighting, and computer-driven AI, VR, and AR have taken photography into a new realm since 1822. Now the world of photography for artists, professional photographers, hobbyists, and amateurs offers unique glimpses into vast galaxies of space and those at our feet.

As photography enters its third century most people are familiar with the macro lens. It is a prominent fixture on the cameras of photographers at sporting and news events. It enables the camera to zoom in to capture images from a distance. At the other end of the spectrum in photography is macro photography.

The photographer with a macro lens needs a skill set beyond the point-and-click camera; macro photography is another set of skills. A mix of curiosity, patience, a steady hand, and the right tools are required to dive into an almost microscopic view of the universe at our feet. Like the ultimate micro pictures using the power of a telescope to capture the unseen universe in photos, macro photography turns within to capture a universe of another nature. It dives down into the unseen beauty hidden in the wings of a butterfly, a blade of grass, the body of an ant, or the wonder of grains of sand, all captured in photographs.

Macro shot of a butterfly

Essential Macro Photography Equipment

The professional portrait photographer of 1822 had limited choices in their equipment selections to pursue their craft. Over 200 years later, the world of photography offers specialized equipment for a multitude of genres. The box camera of 1822 could never shoot the fast action of sports, a distant volcanic eruption, or the infinitesimal interactions in the soil around us. The constant evolution, experimentation, and introduction of new photographic equipment opens universes of techniques, styles, and specialties for the student, hobbyist, and professional photographer.

Macro Lens

To pursue macro photography requires:

• Camera and Lens: Cameras of the digital era of photography offer built-in macro modes. Ideally to pursue the true character, skills and art of macro photography a dedicated macro lens is essential equipment. Commonly available and reasonably priced lenses for macro photography offer focal lengths between 60mm to 105mm. Experimentation in shooting macro photos will guide the user to find the sweet spot for their purposes.
• Tripod: The stability that a tripod offers remains essential in macro photography. In macro photography maintaining a steady camera is essential to capture sharp, detailed photos.
• Lighting: The light provided by nature might be enough for some macro photos, for others some additional lighting may be required to eliminate shadows. Light ring lighting and flashes could be used along with diffusers to soften well-lit images. Macro photography requires a photographer to experiment with lighting and shutter speed to achieve the desired results.

Macro Photography Opens the Universe at Our Feet

As 21^st century macro lenses glide deeper into the galaxies sending back amazing photos shot from a distance, macro photography offers a view of the universe within. In the space age social media age of instant, macro photography invites the photographer to slow down and discover the universe at our feet.