Outdoor Photography Magazine

Improve your summer macro skills

From flash diffusion to focus stacking, there are numerous close-up techniques you can harness to take your nature photography to the next level. Geraint Radford talks us through the advanced skills he uses to create amazing macro images.

Sunshine, warmth and long days… at last! The summer months are fantastic for macro photographers of all levels.

At this time of year, insects, plants and flowers are plentiful, allowing us to learn new techniques and expand our creative ideas. Take a walk in the woods and search for wildflowers; explore meadows teeming with butterflies; find a local pond and focus on damselflies and dragonflies.

Insect photography is a captivating sub-genre of macro that presents unique challenges. With their elusive nature and small size, these tiny creatures often evade our lenses moments before we click the shutter button. If you’re patient, though, your efforts will be rewarded with amazing images.

Macro photography is unique in many ways, but the fundamentals of photography remain the same. I believe gaining knowledge is important, but we should not become limited by what we know. Find a technique that works, build on it and then seek new skills to further your photographic arsenal. Experiment and try new things, be impulsive and work within the unknown. This can enhance your creativity and help you develop an individual style.

Read more to create amazing macro nature images in issue 307 of OP.

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