CHOOSING THE PERFECT MACRO LENS

A macro lens is essential for shots like this

If you want to take macro and close up photos you need to get yourself a specific macro lens. You may have read about alternative macro photography equipment, such as reversing rings, close up filters and extension tubes but forget about these since they are no good. If you want to capture true macro photos you need a proper macro lens.

There are several different types of macro lenses available, and the best one will depend on the subject you want to shoot. For example, a 50mm macro lens is fine for still life subjects but no use for moving subjects, such as insects, whereas a 180mm macro lens is suitable for still and moving subjects.

If you only want to take macro photos of flowers, and nothing else, a 50mm or 60mm macro lens is all you need. 

With short focal length macro lenses you have to get real close and personal to the subject to get the shot, which means there is little working distance. The problem with shorter working distances is the lack of light, so you are going to need to deal with this as necessary. Short focal length macro lenses are super cheap, and are the best budget option.

If you want to take macro photos of moving subjects, such as insects you are going to need a macro lens with a longer focal length. The longer the focal length the greater the working distance, which means you don’t have to get so close to the subject. Keeping further away from a living subject reduces the chances of spooking it and it flying off or scurrying away, and increases the chance of getting the shot.

Basically, the longer the focal length the greater the working distance, which is good but there is a problem. Long focal length macro lenses are big and heavy, and controlling them, i.e. keeping them still for a sharp shot, can be tricky. The best compromise is the mid length macro lens, such as a 100mm macro lens since this provides a  nice working distance and is also manageable.

If you are like me, and shoot a Canon camera “the best macro lens for Canon cameras” may be an article of interest, especially if you are thinking of getting a macro lens in the future. 

The macro lens I use is the Canon 100mm f2.8L IS and I highly recommend it. Take a look at the pros and cons of the Canon 100mm f2.8L IS lens to see just how good this lens is. 

SHOOTING INSECTS IS SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO TRY

Insect photography really is awesome - try it.

Macro and close up photography is cool, and it is something I think all photographers should try at some point. Okay, macro and close up photography won’t be for everyone, but you never know unless you try it, right?

Typical macro and close up photography subjects include flowers, jewelry, coins and other similar items, and this is what most people go out and shoot when they first get their macro lens, reversing rings or extension tubes. Some people stick to just taking macro photos of these subjects and miss out on what is, in my opinion, the best subject for macro and close up photography – insects.

Insects, creepy crawlies and mini beasts are fascinating and since they are found all over the place, you don’t need to go too far from your front door to find one to photograph. In fact, take a good look around your home and the chances are you won’t even have to go out the front door to find something suitable to take a picture of.

Macro photos of insects, creepy crawlies and mini beasts are fascinating and macro photography equipment pics up details you can’t see with the naked eye. For example, macro photography equipment highlights the individual hairs on a fly’s legs or each separate eye on a spider. Life though a lens is cool, but life through a macro lens is something else, and you really do have to use one and take some sample photos to see what is possible.

Taking macro shots of insects, creepy crawlies and mini beasts isn’t easy, but then nothing in photography is and if it were there would be millions of professional photographers earning a living selling their photos. Fortunately, there are some hints, tips and tricks you can use to capture great macro photos of little critters and “macro – shooting insects” is an article you may want to take a look at. 

THE BEST LENS FOR SHOOTING DRAGONFLIES AND BUTTERFLIES

A hawker dragonfly captured with a lens you probably wouldn't think of using. Keep reading to find out what lens I used.

Macro lenses are a great lens for shooting insects, however when it comes to butterflies and dragonflies there is a better lens out there. Sure, you can capture great photos of dragonflies and butterflies using a macro lens and I have had a lot of success with my Canon 100mm f2.8L IS macro lens shooting these wonderful creatures in the past, but a tele-lens is a far better lens for dragonfly photography and butterfly photography too.

I am sure you are sitting there reading this yelling “What?” so before you click away please allow me to explain……….

Dragonflies and butterflies are timid creatures that will scarper at the slightest movement. Dragonflies and butterflies are fast, they fly

erratically and when you combine this with their small size it is easy to see that tracking these creatures with a lens and actually getting a sharp photo is a real challenge.

Macro lenses typically have a focal length of 65mm – 105mm (there are other macro lenses out there with a longer reach – such as the Canon 180mm macro) and these focal lengths aren’t enough to be a good way back from dragonflies and butterflies (so not to spook them) and get a frame filling shot. The only way to ensure a good working distance, i.e. distance between the lens and the dragonfly/butterfly being photographed, is to use a long reach zoom lens.

The lens I use for dragonfly and butterfly photography is the Canon 100 – 400L IS lens and it is perfect. With its push/pull zoom action I can zoom in (and pull back) very quickly, and the image stabilisation means I can use slower shutter speeds as necessary for a correct exposure and still get a sharp photo. Take a look at my review of the Canon 100 – 400L IS lens here.

With this lens I can stand right back from the dragonfly/butterfly, get it in frame with the lens pulled back to a wide focal length and then zoom right in for a frame filling shot. This method doesn’t spook the dragonfly/butterfly (although you still have to be quick and don’t have time to drag your heels) and has increased my keeper rate no end. I have to admit that I am not familiar with Nikon lenses however I am aware there is a Nikon 80mm – 400mm lens and I can only assume this is going to be a great lens for dragonfly/butterfly photography too.

When I am travelling I take a single lens, a canon 28 – 300L IS lens, and I have used this to get some great photos of dragonflies and butterflies on vacation as well. Even though this lens is another top Canon lens I do prefer the extra reach of the 100 – 400 as I can stand that much further back.

I know many people like to take extreme close up photos of dragonflies and butterflies, however I have found this type of photo has limited appeal. I have used a macro lens and managed to capture some extreme close up and detailed photos of dragonflies and butterflies (although my hit rate/keeper rate is very low) however I have never managed to make any money with these shots. In my experience people just don’t buy close up shots of parts of dragonflies and butterflies.

Frame filling shots showing the entire dragonfly or butterfly is a totally different story though. I have sold many photos of different species of butterfly and dragonfly using my Canon 100 – 400 lens and pulling back a little to show the entire subject. These photos don’t show the same level of detail, but they do show a lot of detail and it seems to be the sort of photos customers want and are willing to pay for, so that’s what I give them.

The whole process of taking photos of dragonflies and butterflies using a long reach zoom lens is less stressful, less frustrating and more enjoyable as your keeper rate will be so much higher than using a macro lens. So, if you are looking for a lens to take photos of dragonflies and butterflies I would suggest putting the macro lens to one side and opting for long reach tele-lens instead. Give it a go and I guarantee you will not be disappointed with the results.

The Canon 100 - 400 is my dragonfly and butterfly photography lens of choice.

Buy the Canon 100  - 400 form Amazon.com (US citizens) or buy from Amazon.co.uk (UK citizens)

STOCK SITES ARE DEAD – HOW TO MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR PHOTOS NOW

There was a time when it was possible to make some half decent money selling photos through stock photography sites, although it was several years ago now. Making money selling photos through stock sites is virtually impossible, and whilst it is still possible to make a bit of money, and by a bit I mean pocket change, it is no longer possible to make real money.

Digital photography has gone mad over the last few years and with modern day cameras being so good it is now possible to “point and shoot” and capture a commercial and saleable photo there are now thousands of people trying to make money with their photos through the stock sites. With thousands of contributors with portfolios of hundreds/thousands of photos the millions on stock images out there has saturated the market making sales pretty difficult to come by. The stock photography bubble has well and truly burst.

I still sell the odd photo through the various stock sites, however the images are very old and I get hardly anything for them. I haven’t been a regular stock site contributor for the last five years or so, and I am not going to put in the time and effort in adding to my stock site portfolios when I get hardly anything out of it. There are far more lucrative things I can do with my photos to generate a little money and that is now what I spend my time doing.

Rather than submitting photos to stock sites I now use the “stock” type photos I take (and I still go out with the sole intention of taking stock style photos) and sell them through a couple of print on demand stores. Making money through the print on demand stores is easy and also fun too. Basically, I upload the photos and place them on a variety of different products, such as mugs, mouse pads, t-shirts/tops, plates, serving trays, teapots, laptop cases, key rings, posters, postcards, greetings cards, watches, pendants and charms, blankets, hats, shower curtains……. Etc. Once the photo is paced on the various products it is time to post them for sale and then get to work doing a bit of marketing to let the world know about my designs.

The good thing about using photos on a print on demand store is that photos are never declined. This means I can light the photos the way I want, I can expose the photos the way I want, I can compose the photos the way I want and I will never get an email saying “you’re photo has been declined because “it is not properly lit” or “it is not properly exposed” or “it is not properly composed”. Photography is subjective and there is no such thing as “properly lit, properly exposed or properly composed” so having photos declined because the site moderator has totally different views and opinions is a real kick in the guts. When I submit my photos to print on demand sites I submit what I want to submit so it allows for more creativity.

In addition to this, it means I can use whatever camera I have with me and still get photos I know I can post to the store and potentially sell. Whilst I prefer to shoot a dslr (my Canon 6d – checkout the pros and cons here) there are times when I only carry my point and shoot camera (my Canon G1X) or my old Canon 450d.

Starting a print on demand store is hard work and it does take a bit of time to get the first sale, but once the first one comes the second, and third is not far behind, and once you have a few sales under your belt there is a snowball effect and they pick up super quick. It did take me about four months to reach the minimum pay out to begin with, but I not only reach the payout threshold on a monthly basis, I blow t out the water, and have done ever since.

So, rather than wasting your time submitting photos to stock photography sites I suggest submitting them to a print on demand store instead. The rewards are higher and there is a real chance of making some proper money and not just a few pennies here and there. 

I can even capture commercial images with my Canon G1X. Check out my Canon G1X gallery

Buy the Canon G1X from Amazon.com (US) or buy the Canon G1X from Amazon.co.uk (UK)

10 STOP ND FILTER - A MUST HAVE FILTER FOR LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

In years gone by landscape photographers carried around a large selection of photography filters, which usually included warming filters, cooling filters, graduated ND filters, ND filters and CPL filters to name just a few. Thanks to the age of digital photography, and photo editing software the amount of photography filters you need in your kit bag has significantly decreased. With decent photo editing software, together with the knowledge on how to use it, most effects can be created processing the RAW files. I say most of the effects because there is one particular effect, and a very popular one at that, photo editing software can’t create and that is the effect of using a strong neutral density filter.

A 10 stop ND filter, often referred to the ‘big stopper’ is a ND filter that slows the shutter speed by 10 stops, which allows long exposure photography. Those photos where clouds are turned to blurry streaks across the sky are captured using a strong ND filter. Those photos of waterfalls where the cascading water looks smooth and silky are captures using a strong ND filter. If you want to take these kind of photos you need a 10 stop ND filter since it is impossible to create these images using photo editing software. As a result a 10 stop ND filter is an essential photography filter all landscape photographers should have in their kit bag.

There are two types of 10 stop ND filter available including the screw in variety (i.e. the one you attach directly to the end of the lens) and the square variety (i.e. the type you place in front of your lens). Both are useful and do the same job however I prefer to use a square 10 stop ND filter. The square ND filters are easier to use, more versatile and allow for filter stacking and this is why I prefer them over the screw in 10 stop ND filters.

In order to use a square 10 stop ND filter you also need a specific square filter holder. Whilst there are loads of different square filter holders available you do need to take care as some of them are utter rubbish and as good as the proverbial chocolate teapot. The “best filter holderfor landscapes” is an article you may want to take a look at if you want a square filter holder.

The main players in the 10 stop ND filter market are Lee, Hitech and Singh Ray. All of these make top quality 10 stop ND filters, however they are very expensive and not the best value for money. There are alternative 10 stop ND filters, most of which are utter rubbish (they decrease the image quality to an extent where the photos are unusable) however there is one competitor that creates 10 stop ND filters that are just as good as the Lee, Hitech and Singh Ray filters but a fraction of the cost. This competitor is Zomei, and it is the brand of 10 stop ND filter I use for my landscape photography. The Zomei 10 stop ND filter is awesome and I can’t recommend it any more (for an honest and unbiased review take a look at “Review of the Zomei10 stop filter”).

If you’re on a budget or want a cheap 10 stop ND filter to test out before taking the plunge and spending more money on a good version you may wish to consider the Cokin filters. Cokin filters get a hard time from photographers and this is totally unfair. Okay, so Cokin filters leave a bit of a color cast (which is easily sorted out using some photo editing software) they get the effect and they are super cheap, i.e. great value for money. Cokin filters really aren’t that bad and may be something you want to consider, providing you ignore the negative reviews (of which you will find many) of course.

If you want to expand your landscape photography portfolio a 10 stop ND filter is a good way to go about this. You may wish to go down the screw in ND filter route which is fine, although I would suggest using the filter holder system and square filters every time. The filter system, whilst more expensive, is easier to use, more versatile and allows for a wider range of shots. 

Shot using the Zomei 10 stop ND filter

USING A TELE LENS FOR LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY

If I were to ask the question “What is the best lens for landscape photography?” I am sure most people would quickly respond with ‘wide angle lens’. Ninety percent of the time I would probably agree that a wide-angle lens is the most suitable lens for landscape photography, however there are times when there is a better option, and that is a tele lens.

Yep, there are times when instinctively reaching for the wide-angle lens is not the best thing to do, and instead a tele lens is the best lens choice.

A tele lens is ideal to pick out and focus on specific items a long way off in the distance and a tele lens is ideal for compressing a scene and giving it a different perspective.

The Canon 100 - 400L IS lens - awesome for landscapes

There are many tele lenses available, all of which are great for landscape photography so there is a lens for all, regardless of the brand of camera you shoot, the level at which you shoot and your budget. I shoot a Canon 6d and I use a Canon 100 – 400L IS lens for landscape photography. It is an awesome lens and I have managed to capture some great photos with it.

The Canon 100-400L IS lens is a big and heavy lens, so it is not ideal when I want or need to travel light. When weight and photography equipment is an issue I use a Canon 70-200 f4L IS lens for travelling light. This is another awesome lens that is more than capable of capturing some stunning landscape photos.

Canon 70 - 200f f4L IS for travelling light

You’ve probably already guessed that I am a fan of tele lenses for landscape photography (for certain scenarios of course) and I recommend all landscape photographers carry one in their lens bag. If you are sitting on the fence about this, and not totally convinced you may want to have a look at “Travelling light – Landscape photography” which may (or may not) make you change your mind.