Zoom lenses are cheap, effective, and incredibly popular; they’re used by hordes of photographers around the globe. For many beginners, a nice kit zoom is an amazing way to get started with photography, and for many professionals, a high-quality zoom is pretty much always mounted to their camera.

But what actually is a zoom lens? And what advantages does a zoom offer over a prime? In this article, I share all the basics, from a simple zoom lens definition to a handful of reasons why you should add a nifty zoom to your camera bag.

So if you’re ready to become a zoom glass expert, then let’s get started!

What is a zoom lens?

A zoom lens refers to any lens that offers multiple focal lengths. In other words, when using a zoom lens, you can capture images with several different fields of view simply by twisting the zoom ring on the lens barrel.

An 18-200mm zoom lens, for instance, can capture photos at 18mm, at 200mm, and at any focal length in between.

A prime lens, on the other hand, only offers a single focal length, so if you want to adjust your image field of view while using a prime, you have to physically move forward or backward. An 18mm prime lens would allow you to capture wide-angle shots but not telephoto files, while a 200mm prime lens would allow you to capture telephoto shots but not wide-angle images.

While pretty much every camera manufacturer offers a variety of zoom lenses, here are a few common zoom focal lengths to keep in mind:

• 24-70mm
• 18-55mm
• 70-200mm
• 16-35mm
• 200-400mm
• 70-300mm
• 75-300mm

Note that some zooms offer far wider focal length ranges than others. A 12-24mm model, for instance, only offers ultra-wide and standard wide focal lengths, while an 18-300mm model boasts wide-angle, standard, telephoto, and even super-telephoto focal lengths. Of course, as I explore below, not all zoom lenses are equally effective, and their prices can vary wildly, too.

3 reasons to use a zoom lens

Zoom lenses come with a handful of key benefits, including:

1. Zooms are convenient

What’s the main reason photographers love zoom lenses? They’re unbelievably convenient.

Instead of carrying around a handful of primes in a big camera bag, you can mount a nice zoom lens onto your camera and literally never take it off. It saves you the hassle – and the danger – of changing lenses, which will in turn ensure that you never miss a shot because you were trying to switch to a different focal length.

Plus, if you like to take photos while traveling and space is limited, a zoom lens can be a lifesaver. You’ll manage to capture all the same shots, but without sacrificing tons of storage space and/or luggage weight bringing an array of primes.

Of course, depending on the type of photography you do, a single zoom lens may not be enough. And there may be times when you’ll need to switch to another lens, especially if you tend to shoot a mix of ultra-wide and super-telephoto images.

But in general, a zoom will dramatically decrease the weight and volume of your equipment, allowing you to travel and photograph with much greater freedom.

2. Zooms can save you money

As I mentioned above, zooms come at a range of price points. And as I discuss down below, you have to be careful when purchasing a zoom because optical quality isn’t always top-notch.

But if your goal is to cover a range of focal lengths and you buy a zoom, that means you won’t need to purchase a slew of primes. So while you may need to spend quite a bit to acquire a high-quality zoom lens – more than a single high-quality prime lens would cost – you’ll potentially save money in the long run because you can grab one lens rather than three, four, or five.

Imagine, for instance, you’re hoping to do portrait photography with a range of focal lengths, from a standard-wide 24mm all the way to a short-telephoto 60mm, 70mm, or 80mm.

A nice 24-70mm zoom lens will be a real investment. But it may end up costing less than the price of a 24mm lens, a 28mm lens, a 35mm lens, a 50mm lens, and an 85mm lens, all of which together will deliver the same range of focal lengths as the 24-70mm glass.

Note: This math will change depending on the focal lengths you hope to cover, the quality of the lenses, the maximum apertures, and so on. Always do a careful comparison before buying to make sure you’re marking the right choice!

3. Zooms can capture a variety of images

Some photographers prefer the simplicity of prime shooting, and they do have a point: Working with a single 50mm lens offers a certain wonderful straightforwardness that just isn’t present when shooting with a 24-70mm lens.

But what if you’re photographing a scene that features a wide array of subjects? When traveling in a national park, for instance, you might encounter distant wildlife, stunning vistas, and interesting close-up details. That 50mm prime lens won’t get you the shots you’re lens looking for, and unless you’re prepared to carry and swap multiple lenses – and unless you can do it all at high speeds – you’ll be forced to pick one type of subject and sacrifice the others.

With the right zoom, however, you can quickly adjust your focal length as you shoot, and you can capture everything: the distant deer, the nearby patterns in the rock walls, and the entire mountain landscape.

Zoom lens drawbacks

I’m a huge zoom lens fan, but these lenses are far from perfect. Here are a few reasons why you might want to avoid buying a zoom:

1. Optical quality is often lacking

It’s true: Zoom lenses tend to offer softer and more distorted images compared to their prime counterparts (especially when looking at primes versus zooms in the same price range).

Zoom lenses tend to be especially weak at the extreme ends of their range, and while there are plenty of zooms that avoid this problem and offer pro-level image quality, they can cost a significant sum. On the other hand, you can grab a very sharp prime lens for a few hundred dollars – and while you’ll lose significant flexibility, depending on the type of photography you do, that may not matter.

Before you reject zoom lenses due to image quality issues, however, it’s important to identify the purpose of your images and determine whether any reduced optical quality will really make a difference. Even cheap zoom lenses often create passably sharp images, and you can improve sharpness further by narrowing the lens aperture when shooting.

2. The maximum aperture can be variable (and narrow)

Many zoom lenses, especially zooms that are designed for beginners, feature a variable maximum aperture (often written like this: f/3.5-5.6). Therefore, as you extend the lens, the maximum aperture value will change. If you’re using an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, you’ll be able to use an aperture of f/3.5 at 18mm – but as you start to zoom in, the maximum aperture will change, until you’re forced to shoot at f/5.6 and narrower.

This may not matter at all if you like to use a narrow aperture to keep the entire frame sharp – but if you frequently work in low light or hope to capture files that boast gorgeous background bokeh, this aperture narrowing can be very frustrating.

Relatedly, even the best zooms don’t offer maximum apertures quite as wide as many primes. You can purchase a 24-70mm lens with an f/2.8 maximum aperture, but you can grab a 50mm lens with an f/1.8, f/1.4, or even an f/1.2 maximum aperture instead!

Who should buy a zoom?

I highly recommend purchasing a zoom lens if:

• You need to change focal lengths while shooting and don’t have time to switch lenses
• You aren’t too concerned about optical quality or you have the money to buy a pro-level lens
• You frequently travel and want to keep your gear size and weight to a minimum
• You plan to shoot casually and like the convenience that a zoom can provide

On the other hand, I’d recommend avoiding zoom lenses if:

• You want to maximize optical quality as much as possible
• You don’t mind changing lenses or working with a single focal length
• You work in low light and therefore need ultra-wide apertures

More specifically: If you plan to photograph events, landscapes, or travel scenes, a zoom could be a very good buy. But if you’re looking to capture products or portraits in low light, you may want to consider buying a prime (or three) instead.

Zoom lenses: final words

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know all about zoom lens photography – and you’ve hopefully determined whether a zoom is right for you.

At the end of the day, both zoom and prime lenses have their benefits, and it’s tough to go wrong with either. If you’re really struggling to decide, you can always rent a few different models and see what you think!

Now over to you:

Do you plan to buy a zoom lens? Why or why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Zoom Lenses: Your Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Looking back at this article from Jaymes, maybe all in one long post it can be a little overwhelming, what about if you were to write down the five points and then tackle them one at a time?

• Use minimalism to improve your compositions

• Add split toning to enhance the colors

• Decrease the depth of field for a softer look

• Look at the work of good photographers for inspiration

• Lengthen your shutter speeds for more abstract photos

Each of the points above are explained in detail below – one at a time, create a photograph employing the points above. Share a result or all five results in our private Facebook group!

Updated 2025 by Simon ?

Are you looking to create more artistic photos? Do you feel like your photos need a bit of an upgrade?

You’re not alone.

This type of struggle is one that most photographers feel at one point or another. I’ve felt it myself, which is why I developed several methods for increasing the artistry in my own photography.

And I’m going to share these methods with you today.

So if you’re looking to add a level of creative and artistic flair to your photos, keep reading.

300mm, 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200

1. Use minimalism to improve your compositions

Creating more artistic photos can start by changing up your compositions.

Because here’s the thing:

After doing photography for a bit, you start to fall into compositional patterns. You’ll take the same type of photo, over and over again. You may not even realize it.

So in order to take things to the next level…

…you should make a strong effort to break free of your compositional patterns.

One of my favorite ways to do that is with minimalism. Minimalism involves using lots of negative space, while also positioning your subject toward the edges of the frame.

400mm, 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400

For instance, a minimalistic photographer might take a single plant and place it down at the very top or bottom of the frame, while the rest of the scene stays primarily white:

100mm, 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320

Minimalism is great, and one of the things I love most about it is how it feels so different from normal compositional techniques. Once you start thinking minimalist, your whole outlook can change.

And your photos will start to look far more artistic.

2. Add split toning to enhance the colors

If you’re looking to increase the artistry in your photos, ask yourself:

How am I doing with color?

Because color is one of the most neglected aspects of photography, despite its important role in most photos.

Color adds contrast, creates harmony and disharmony, and evokes different moods.

(All in a wonderfully subtle way!)

Now, one aspect of improving the use of color in your photography involves looking for interesting color combinations when out shooting.

But you can also make changes after you’ve finished your photoshoots.

More specifically, split toning will allow you to add a bit of mood and contrast to your photos.

Here’s a photo with a bit of split toning to deepen the yellow highlights and the green shadows:

90mm, 1/160 sec, f/9.0, ISO 320

Basically, a split tone just involves putting one color cast in the highlights of your photo and one color cast in the shadows of your photo. Cold shadows and warm highlights are pretty common, so you could easily go with a blue/yellow split-tone combination. But you should also experiment with other possibilities to make things as artistic (and interesting!) as possible.

Note that pretty much every RAW photo editor offers split toning in one form or another. So no matter your preferred post-processing software, you’ll be able to add some color!

3. Decrease the depth of field for a softer look

This is one of my personal favorites for making photos more artistic:

Bringing down that depth of field.

With a shallow depth of field, you can create all sorts of interesting effects: Stunning background bokeh, soft subjects, and even abstract-type images.

50mm, 1/2000 sec, Freelensed, ISO 250

Now, to create a shallow depth of field look, you’ll need to use a lens with a wide maximum aperture (something in the area of f/1.2 to f/2.8 is best). You’ll also want a lens of at least 50mm, and you’ll want to get close to your subject, if possible. The closer you are to your subject, the better the soft-focus effect.

Note that it can be difficult to focus when working at such a wide aperture. So you may need to switch your lens over to manual, in order to ensure you nail focus every time.

To add additional interest, you might try positioning a light source in the background, so that you can create cool bokeh, like this:

90mm, 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320

I’d also recommend thinking about your subject a bit differently. Don’t envision the subject as a single entity; instead, look for shapes and lines that you can use for a more powerful composition. That way, you’ll be able to use the soft-focus effect for more artistic, abstract-style images.

4. Look at the work of good photographers for inspiration

If you’re the type of person who likes to get out and practice photography, you may grumble at this suggestion. After all, practice makes perfect, right?

But it’s important to realize that it’s hard to know what perfect would mean…

…if you haven’t ever seen it.

That’s why I urge you to look at the work of photographers you admire. Do it all the time. If you like, you can simply look at photographers in your favorite genres.

One of the photographers whose work I view over and over again is Jess Findlay. While he and I gravitate toward different subjects, his work serves as a constant inspiration to me.

Or you can expand your horizons, looking for photographers in many different areas.

(In fact, I like to look at work that’s not in my areas of interest; I find that it gives me fresh ideas that would’ve never occurred to me if I’d stuck to my preferred genres.)

When you look at photography that you like, ask yourself:

What is it that makes this work special? What is it that makes it so artistic?

Then come up with some ideas for incorporating that level of artistry into your own work. Don’t copy blindly, but try to pull out bits and pieces of wisdom that you can use to enhance your own photos.

For instance, if you notice that a photographer likes to shoot from a low angle, start shooting from a low angle yourself.

If you notice that a photographer loves to juxtapose two contrasting subjects, try juxtaposing some contrasting subjects yourself.

Just give it a try. My guess is that you’ll notice improvements in your own photos pretty quickly.

And then you won’t want to stop looking at other photos!

5. Lengthen your shutter speeds for more abstract photos

Here’s a final, practical tip for creating more artistic photos:

Use creatively long shutter speeds.

For instance, photograph moving a flower, but drop the shutter speed way down, so you get a cool blur effect.

And then move your camera around, even as you’re taking the photo. That’ll give you an even more interesting abstract:

100mm, 1/6 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250

Personally, I love doing handheld abstracts with long shutter speeds. Sure, they take a lot of experimentation, but they’re also very liberating. And they’re great for situations where the light is too low to get sharp shots handheld and you don’t want to use a tripod.

Now, to pull off this type of abstract image, you’ll need to put your camera in Manual mode (or Shutter Priority) and drop the shutter speed until it reaches 1/10s to 1s (or longer). Then, as you hit the shutter button, move your camera. I’d recommend aligning the movement with compositional elements in your scene (e.g., if there are trees in the scene, move the camera along the tree trunks).

You’ll end up with some very artistic blurs!

Five ways to make your photography more artistic: Conclusion

Hopefully, you now know a few easy ways to make your photos more artistic.

After all, capturing artistic photos doesn’t have to be hard…

…it just involves changing things up!

So try some of the ideas I’ve suggested, and see how things go. I bet you’ll like the result!

300mm, 1/400 sec, f/6.3, ISO 320

Do you have ideas for creating more artistic photos? Share them in the comments!

The post 5 Ways to Create More Artistic Photos (Fast!) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Talk to any macro photography expert, and they’ll likely give you a few handy rules that are designed to help you improve your shots as quickly as possible. These rules can be insanely helpful, especially if you’re just starting out – but they can also be restrictive, frustrating, and very problematic.

So while it pays to explore a handful of essential macro photography rules, it’s important that you also understand how to break them effectively. That way, you can take advantage of the rules when they suit your photos, and you can break them as needed, too.

In this article, I share five key rules of macro shooting. I explain what they are, how you can use them to level up your shots, and when you might want to deliberately ignore the rules for the best results. Note that I offer plenty of examples from my own work so you can see precisely how following – and breaking – different rules will affect your images.

Let’s dive right in!

1. Use the rule of thirds

Let’s dive into the most talked-about rule in photography – yes, it’s the one with “rule” in its name! Meet the rule of thirds, a simple yet powerful concept that is designed to keep your compositions both dynamic and balanced.

The rule of thirds is simple: Divide your viewfinder, screen, or LCD into both vertical and horizontal thirds. This creates a grid. The main elements of your composition – horizon lines, leading lines, faces, eyes -should lie somewhere along these lines. If they fall on one of the “power points” of the grid – the place where the lines intersect – that’s even better.

How does this apply to macro photography?

Often, you’ll be advised to position flower stems along the rule of thirds grid, and you’ll be told to place flower centers along the power points of the image. The same goes for insects and leaves.

It’s solid advice that has stood the test of time, yielding delightfully pleasing compositions. But sometimes it’s best to break out of this mold and get something a bit edgier, a bit more unique.

Let me tell you about two scenarios when I like to break the rule of thirds.

The first instance you should break the rule is when you have a symmetrical subject. Symmetry can be very powerful, and it’s usually best emphasized by putting the point of symmetry (the place around which the image is symmetrical) in the dead center of the image.

The second time you might choose to break the rule of thirds is when you want to have a more spacious, off-balance image.

I like to place my main subject at the very top or bottom of the image and leave tons of negative space throughout the rest of the composition. This can produce a minimalist feeling, one that I really love.

Now, don’t get me wrong. The rule of thirds is a tried-and-true technique that has elevated the visual arts for centuries. But don’t be afraid to move beyond the rule of thirds to create original photos!

2. Keep it simple

Another common macro photography rule? Keep your compositions simple.

In other words, you should have one point of focus, no distracting elements, and a clean and straightforward image. According to this rule, the best shots often contain a single subject and a uniform (often white or black) background.

Indeed, this is often a wise approach. Random chaos can take away from the main subject and cause the viewer to become confused.

However, controlled chaos might be just the thing you need to create a unique image.

I like to use controlled chaos when I’m faced with a complex scene, such as a field of many overlapping flowers. The key is to make sure there is a main subject that stands out and can be identified as the main point of focus by the viewer. (At the same time, it’s okay to let the background or foreground get a bit messy as long as it complements the main subject.)

Just make sure you choose your framing carefully to prevent the image from devolving into chaos, and make sure that the main subject is tack-sharp. It’s a fine line between having a complex but controlled image and making a big mess.

3. Have a single point of focus

Macro photographers are often told to compose with a single point of focus (i.e., a prominent area that the eye can focus on). It’s a great way to prevent the composition from becoming too chaotic (see the previous section), and it can provide an anchor point for the viewer as they appreciate the photo.

But while there is a time and a place for this rule, there are also scenarios when it should be broken.

For instance, when faced with a noticeable pattern among leaves, flowers, or ferns, it can be better to think less in terms of a point of focus and more in terms of the image as a whole. Try to emphasize the pattern so the eye can follow it through the image. You might even consider getting ultra-close or deliberately missing focus for an abstract effect.

You may not end up with a single point of focus, but assuming you frame the scene carefully, you’ll still end up with a pleasing shot!

4. Use a uniform background

Uniform backgrounds are very popular in macro photography. In fact, macro photographers will often shoot on a completely black or pure white backdrop in pursuit of background uniformity.

The rule emphasizing uniform backgrounds makes sense: the more uniform the background, the less distracting it’ll be. I use it often myself.

But it’s also a rule that I often break, and here’s why:

Uniform backgrounds can be…kind of boring. More colorful uniform backgrounds are better, but sometimes even they aren’t enough.

If you really want to take your macro photos to the next level, you may wish to consider moving beyond those simple backgrounds. Instead, look for backgrounds that are complementary. In other words, find backgrounds that offer a bit of substance while enhancing the main subject.

One trick is to place a second subject just behind the first. Choose an aperture that keeps the second subject slightly out of focus but still recognizable. That’s how I captured this shot, which features a background of blurry tulips:

Another trick is to shoot toward the sun so that you get creative flare effects and beautiful highlights:

But be careful: You don’t want to go from uniform to messy. The key word is “complementary.” Have fun with your macro backgrounds, but make sure you exhibit restraint!

5. Make sure the whole subject is sharp

“Keep the main subject sharp” is a foundational rule of macro photography. The idea is to ensure that your entire subject – and not just the front or back edge – is sharp; that way, it’ll offer beautiful, crisp, lifelike details.

According to the rule, if you’re shooting a butterfly, make sure that it is sharp from wingtip to wingtip. When you’re shooting a flower, make sure that it’s sharp from the tip of the front petal to the edge of the back petal.

Sometimes, it won’t be possible to get the entire subject sharp, in which case the rule advises you to get as much in focus as you can. (You do this by narrowing the aperture. It’s common for macro photographers to shoot at f/8 and beyond for this reason!)

But while an in-focus subject does tend to look nice, you can create wonderfully emotive shots by ensuring that very little of your subject is in focus. It’s a technique I use all the time, as you can see in the photos displayed throughout this article, and it can be a great way to produce more abstract, unique images.

How can you create such an effect? Simply dial in a wider aperture and get close to your subject. I often work at f/4, but you can achieve good results at a variety of different apertures; just experiment and see what you can create.

(One tip: Focus manually, and try to set the point of focus on a recognizable part of your subject, such as a leaf or the edge of a petal. Though most of the shot may be unrecognizably soft, you want to include an anchor point for the viewer.)

Macro photography rules: final words

Macro photography rules can certainly be helpful – and if you’re a beginner, I encourage you to memorize each and every rule listed above. I’d also recommend practicing incorporating each rule into your photos.

But remember: Macro photography isn’t just about following a set of rigid rules. It’s an art form, a way to express your unique perspective and unleash your creative spirit. So don’t be afraid to bend and break those rules when the moment calls for it.

Embrace the power of the rule of thirds, but don’t be bound by it. Sometimes, symmetrical subjects demand center stage, while other times, a little off-balance magic can create minimalist masterpieces.

And let’s not forget the beauty of simplicity. Keep it clean, keep it focused, but don’t be afraid to break free from the chains of predictability. Surprise your viewers with unexpected elements and unleash their imagination.

Now grab your camera, capture some macro shots, and think about different rules as you photograph. Rules are meant to be broken, and if you’re willing to think outside the box, you can end up with gorgeous images!

Now over to you:

Which of these rules do you like (or dislike)? Do you have any rules of your own that you like to break? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 5 Essential Macro Photography Rules (and When to Break Them) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Choosing the perfect autofocus mode can seem tough and even overwhelming (especially if you’re a beginner). But if you get the AF mode wrong, then you risk capturing consistently blurry shots.

Fortunately, there are only a few autofocus modes you need to keep in mind – and each of these modes has its own set of ideal scenarios. In this article, I explore these AF settings, and I explain precisely when you should use (or avoid) different options.

So if you’re ready to start consistently nailing focus in your photos, then let’s dive right in!

The three focus modes you should know

Most cameras are equipped with three key focus modes:

• AF-S, also known as One Shot
• AF-C, also known as AI Servo
• Manual (sometimes abbreviated as M)

Note that some cameras include an additional focus mode, known as AI Focus or AF-A. But because AI focus is so finicky and ineffective, I don’t use it myself, and I don’t recommend you use it, either. Instead, stick to the modes I’ve shared above.

So how do each of these key focus modes work? Assuming that you use the shutter button to activate focusing:

When set to AF-S, your camera will acquire focus as soon as you half-press the shutter button. That point of focus will then lock until you let go of the shutter button.

When set to AF-C, your camera will begin to acquire focus as soon as you half-press the shutter button. But it will continue to refocus as your subject moves (or as your camera moves). Depending on the AF area mode that you choose, a camera in AF-C may track a subject as it moves through the frame, it may continuously acquire focus at the center of the image, or it may do something else entirely (such as focus on the subject’s eye).

Finally, when set to manually focus, your camera won’t focus at all. You’ll have to do all the focusing work via the focus ring on your lens, which can be slow but is also very precise.

To recap:

• AF-S focuses and locks.
• AF-C focuses and keeps focusing, potentially even tracking a subject as they move.
• Manual leaves control over focus to you, the photographer.

How to choose the perfect focus mode for each scenario

So when should you use each of the focus modes discussed above? It depends on the scenario:

1. Use AF-S mode to photograph stationary subjects

AF-S focus mode is my go-to, and the mode I use most frequently. When first pulling out my camera, AF-S is my default pick. It has so many applications, from landscape photography to street photography to portraiture and more – and if you’re more of a still photographer (i.e., not an action/sports/wildlife shooter), I recommend you use it constantly.

Basically, whenever you’re shooting a non-moving subject, AF-S is a good choice. You can set the focus point to the center of the frame, half-press the shutter button to lock focus, and then compose the shot however you like. (This is often referred to as the focus and recompose technique.)

For instance, if you’re photographing a street scene, you can focus on a prominent element, such as an interesting poster. Then you can carefully compose the scene. As soon as all the elements come together (e.g., a person walks through the frame in just the right place), you can take the shot!

I’m also a fan of using AF-S for handheld landscape photography. I’ll often find myself wanting to put elements off-center, so I’ll lock focus in AF-S, then shift the composition slightly. Then, when I take the shot, it looks exactly the way I envisioned.

Bottom line: AF-S is an extremely useful mode, and it’s the setting I recommend you use whenever you’re shooting a motionless (or nearly motionless) scene.

2. Use AF-C mode to photograph action

AF-C mode allows you to focus and refocus, or focus and track a subject as it moves throughout the frame, which is what makes it such a great option for action photography.

This refocusing capability is invaluable when shooting sports, where players rarely stay still long enough to allow for easy focusing. And AF-C mode is great for wildlife and bird photography because you’re frequently faced with fast-moving subjects at high magnifications. (Many bird and wildlife shooters use AF-C mode almost exclusively; it’s the only way to keep feeding shorebirds, flying songbirds, running gazelle, and charging elephants in focus!)

You’ll probably even want to use AF-C mode if you’re an insect photographer, assuming you’re shooting an active subject such as a butterfly.

Pet, portrait, and street photographers can also profit from using AF-C a lot of the time, though I recommend switching between AF-C and AF-S depending on the situation. A sleeping dog certainly won’t require AF-C, but a jumping dog absolutely will!

You should also be aware that AF-C often offers quite a few useful AF Area modes (which are mostly used for tracking). These allow you to specify whether a subject should be tracked at a single autofocus point, by nearby surrounding points, or even across the entire frame.

So just remember: If you’re hoping to capture the action, pick AF-C.

3. Use manual focus to handle tricky situations

Manual focus is often an AF mode of last resort, and it’s the setting you should try when AF-S and AF-C fail. As I explained in a previous section, manual focus is extremely precise – after all, it lets you adjust the point of focus using the ring on your lens – but it’s also very slow. You often need to move the focus ring back until you get a sharp result, so it doesn’t work great when trying to photograph athletes or birds in flight.

That said, manual focus is the only mode that is consistently accurate – no matter the lighting, and no matter the size or color of your subject. You see, there are some situations where AF-C and AF-S just don’t work well:

• When the light is low
• When your subject is heavily backlit
• When your subject includes very little contrast
• When you’re working at very high magnifications

Whenever you’re confronted by these situations, your autofocus may hunt like crazy, and if you keep trying to nail focus using AF, you may end up with a slew of blurry photos.

Switch to manual focus, however, and your photoshoot will be smooth – albeit slow – sailing.

I do all of my macro photography in manual focus mode. My lenses just can’t handle focusing at such close distances, so if I were to use AF-C or AF-S, my camera would likely just try to focus forever.

I also do still life photography while focusing manually because I often work in dim light (with a couple of flashes). And I’ve even used manual focus when photographing backlit birds because my AF-S and AF-C modes struggle to lock onto silhouettes.

Note that manual focus can also be used to gain finer control over your point of focus. Many landscape photographers use manual focus mode for this very reason: It allows them to choose a point of focus that maximizes the depth of field, and it even allows for precise focus stacking.

So don’t think that manual focus is only designed for a few specialized genres of photography! It can be useful in a number of different situations, and it pays to practice frequently. That way, next time you’re in a situation where your autofocus isn’t working, you can quickly switch over to manual and nail the shot.

How to choose the perfect focus mode: final words

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know that choosing a focus mode doesn’t have to be overwhelming! Just follow the advice above, and pick the right settings for the right situation.

Also, don’t be afraid to use manual focus; it may be slow, but it’s highly effective!

Now over to you:

Which focus mode is your favorite? And how do plan to pick your focus modes? Let me know in the comments below!

The post Autofocus Modes in Photography: A Quick Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

If you’re struggling to capture consistently great images or you just want to hone your skills, then I highly recommend you try some simple photography exercises. Photo exercises aren’t difficult to do, yet spending a few minutes each day carrying out a handful of exercises can make a dramatic difference to your shots.

In this article, I share my favorite seven exercises, all of which are designed to enhance some part of your photographic practice (whether it’s your sense of lighting, composition, camera settings, or editing). There’s no need to go overboard and spend hours each day running through the entire list, but if you can find the time to do one or two on a regular basis, I guarantee you’ll see some major improvements to your images.

Ready to start leveling up your shots? Then let’s dive right in, starting with:

1. Shoot a single subject from nine different angles

Your first photography exercise – and my personal favorite – is to choose just one subject, then shoot it from at least nine different angles.

In searching for angles, you’ll be forced to stretch the boundaries of your creativity. You’ll be forced to start looking at your subjects in many different ways. The first five angles might be easy enough to find. But the last four will be a struggle – as they should be!

(Does it have to be nine specifically? No, though it’s important that you challenge yourself here; don’t just shoot from two angles and call it a day.)

A few excellent angles to try:

• Shoot on a level with your subject
• Shoot from directly above your subject (if you can)
• Get below your subject and shoot upward
• Walk around your subject until you have a completely different perspective

Then, once you’ve finished the exercise, pull up the photos on your computer. Take note of the different angles and how they gave your subject slightly different looks.

And the next time you’re doing photography, see if you can incorporate those new angles into your compositions!

2. Shoot a subject you normally avoid

This exercise is all about getting you out of your comfort zone. After all, if you don’t get out of your comfort zone, you’ll never grow as a photographer.

So here’s what you do:

Think about the subjects that you normally shoot. And then pick a subject that’s radically different. Photograph it instead!

So if you normally like to capture birds, shoot flowers for a day.

If you normally photograph landscapes, shoot wildlife.

If you normally shoot portraits, try capturing some cityscapes. Just pick something that you don’t normally photograph, then do your best to make it look amazing!

If you want to make this exercise extra useful, don’t just shoot another subject for a single outing. Instead, do it for a week (or even a month). You’ll be amazed by the tricks you pick up from learning another area of photography.

3. Bring just one lens into the field

When photographers go out for a photoshoot, they tend to take multiple lenses (and even multiple cameras). And while this will give you a lot of flexibility, it won’t force you to really work to find great compositions.

But I want you to think outside the box. I want you to consider new ways to capture photos. So the next time you go out to shoot, leave all your standard lenses behind.

Instead, bring just one lens. And (if you’re feeling adventurous) make sure it’s a lens that you don’t use very often. Prime lenses are generally best for this exercise, as they’ll force you to adapt to a single focal length. But you can also use a zoom (though if you do go this route, you might try restricting yourself to a single focal length).

This will force you to think about your compositions in new ways, and it’ll help you take photos that you would’ve never even considered.

4. Shoot a scene with four types of light

Photography is all about the light – so if you want to be a great photographer, it’s an element you must learn to master. You need to understand the theory (such as the difference between backlight, front light, and side light, as well as the different types of light and how they change depending on the source), but you also need to understand the practical effects of light. That’s what this exercise is designed to help you do.

You start by picking a scene. Then you photograph that scene with four types of light:

• Cloudy light
• Midday light
• Sunrise/Sunset light
• Shade

This will undoubtedly involve coming back several days in a row, and certain photoshoots might turn out to be a complete bust (because the sun gets blocked by clouds, for instance). But it’ll be worth it in the end.

Of course, once you’re done, you should look at all the photos you took. And note how the different types of light gave you different types of images!

5. Take both still shots and action shots of your subject

Oftentimes, we get in the habit of shooting the same type of subject over and over again. I’ve already given you one way of avoiding this problem (see Exercise 1). But another way is to keep shooting that same subject in a different way.

Specifically, try to take both still and action shots.

For those of you who shoot birds, wildlife, and events, this shouldn’t be too difficult. But if you’re a flower and landscape photographer? It’ll undoubtedly be challenging.

If you generally photograph still subjects, you may have to get creative. Try to take some intentional camera movement photos. Or see if you can get some sort of action to happen in the frame (e.g., flowers blowing in the wind, waves crashing on the beach).

And that’s it! It may seem simple, but the exercise will force you out of your comfort zone and get you taking some fresh photos!

6. Edit your favorite photo in five different ways

Post-processing is a significant part of capturing stunning photos. In fact, even small adjustments can go a long way.

So for this exercise, you should start thinking about different post-processing options. (You can always use Instagram for inspiration.) And edit your favorite image in five distinct ways.

You should experiment with edits in Lightroom, Photoshop, or another high-quality editing program. See what happens when you increase the saturation. See what happens when you drop the contrast.

And try to do some new edits – things you haven’t done before. For instance, try some yellow/blue split toning. Try playing with the HSL options. Try working with the tone curve. You might even try a black-and-white conversion!

Even if you regularly edit your images, when you take the time to really dig in and make adjustments, you might be amazed by what you can do!

7. Take a photo every single day for a month

This last exercise is a classic – but that doesn’t mean it’s any less useful! You see, one of the absolute best ways to improve your photography is to photograph constantly.

(Practice really does make perfect!)

If you take a photo every day, you’ll find that your mind starts to open up. You’ll see photography opportunities that you didn’t even know were there. Your skills will increase rapidly. And you’ll start to take consistently stunning images.

Note that you don’t have to dedicate hours and hours to photography every day. If you have 15 minutes to spare, it can make a big difference.

Photography exercises: final words

Now you know 7 great exercises that are designed to quickly improve your photography skills.

You don’t have to do them all at once. But try them out whenever you can. The more time you can dedicate to the exercises, the better the results.

And you’ll soon be capturing photos like a pro!

Now over to you:

Which of these photography exercises is your favorite? Which will you try first? And do you have any effective exercises of your own? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 7 Photography Exercises to Take Your Images to the Next Level appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Several years ago, I came across some absolutely breathtaking water drop photos on Flickr, and I immediately wanted to create similar images. After researching the process, I realized that water drop photography came with several major benefits: it could be done in a small space, it didn’t take much camera equipment, and it let you achieve absolutely magical images. 

Yet I decided that it just wasn’t worth pursuing. If I was looking to capture shots of water droplets as they splashed against a surface, then I would need to spend days or even weeks carefully building a drop station and preparing eye droppers – and then, even with a good setup, there would be a very low success rate, as I would need to manually fire my flash to coincide with the falling droplets. 

What I didn’t realize at the time was that water droplet photography doesn’t have to be done manually. Droplet kits are designed to automate the finicky parts of the droplet photography process so you can focus on the fun stuff (capturing artistic photos) instead of the tedious stuff (endlessly squeezing droppers and firing your camera flash).

The MIOPS Splash Water Drop Kit is one of the leading products on the market, but it wasn’t until recently that I actually got my hands on one. The folks at MIOPS sent me a kit to try, and over the last few weeks, I’ve been doing exactly that: testing the Splash Water Drop Kit so I can share my findings with the photography community. 

In this Splash Water Drop Kit review, I walk you through my own experiences with the product, including the setup, the ease of use, and, of course, its effectiveness. I also share some of the images I’ve taken while using the Splash Water Drop Kit. When the product first arrived in the mail, my hope was that I would be able to produce at least a couple of drop photos that were beautiful to look at. If you feel that I succeeded, it’s primarily a testament to MIOPS’s impressive design. And if you like my droplet photos, which I captured as an absolute beginner, then you can expect similar – or better – results of your own, especially if you persevere.

Ready to discover whether water drop photography can be transformed thanks to MIOPS’s little device? Then let’s dive (or drop?) right in!

What is MIOPS’s Splash Water Drop Kit?

As the name suggests, the Splash Water Drop Kit is built specifically to help water drop photographers achieve portfolio-worthy images. It does this by automating two key parts of the shooting process: the water drop(s) and the camera/flash firing.

You see, most of the amazing water drop art you can find online is a result of the same basic process:

1. First, you fill a container (e.g., a bowl, a cup, a tray) with liquid and place it on a flat surface (generally a table). For ease of discussion, I’ll refer to this as the “wet surface.”
2. Second, you set up your camera so it’s next to the wet surface, with your lens focused on a point just above the liquid.
3. Third, you hold a liquid-filled dropper over the wet surface, and you release one (or several) drops of liquid so that they splash down onto the surface.
4. Finally, just as the water droplets hit the surface, you fire a flash and take a photo. 

The difference between capturing a stunning image and a complete dud is mere milliseconds. If you fire your flash slightly too early, then you’ll end up with an empty frame because the water hasn’t yet splashed. And if you fire your flash slightly too late, then you’ll end up with an empty frame because the water has already splashed. 

It’s hard to overemphasize the importance of synchronization here. I did some experiments while testing the MIOPS Splash Water Drop Kit, and I found that a 5 millisecond adjustment was the difference between a decent shot and an outstanding shot. A 10-20 millisecond adjustment was the difference between a boring shot and an amazing one. 

Manually synchronizing this process, where you release the water from the dropper, wait a handful of milliseconds until the drops fall, and then fire the flash just as the drops hit the wet surface, is unbelievably difficult. 

And that’s where the MIOPS Splash Kit comes in handy. It includes:

• A flash sync cable
• A Splash device
• A Splash holder

The Splash device looks like this:

As you can see, there’s a tube along one side, which you fill with your splash liquid. 

You then mount the Splash device onto a light stand or tripod using the Splash holder, which is a jointed arm you can use to precisely position the device above your wet surface:

You power the Splash device using a USB connection, and you connect the device to your flash via the flash sync cable.

Note that you also have the option to connect the Splash device directly to your camera via the 2.5mm jack, though you’ll need to position the cord for this connection separately. When testing the MIOPS Splash Kit, I relied entirely on the flash sync cable, and it did the job beautifully. 

(For those looking for additional convenience, MIOPS also offers the Splash Pro Pack, which includes a camera connection cable and a two-meter-long extension cable. This allows you to place your camera in the perfect position more easily, building on top of the Splash pack’s content.)

The Splash device itself connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. To control the device, you’ll need the MIOPS app; this is entirely free and available for both Android and iOS devices. 

In the MIOPS app, you can configure your setup by adjusting the number of drops, the delay between the drops, the size of the drops, and whether the Splash device should trigger your camera or your flash (as well as the camera/flash delay). 

Then, when you’re ready to go, you press a button, the Splash device drops the liquid, and your camera or flash is fired at the pre-configured time. If you’ve done everything correctly, you’ll end up with an image like this:

Once you have the basic setup in place, each photo is very repeatable; since the Splash device is so precise, you can capture a near-identical shot over and over again, or you can make all sorts of adjustments to achieve different effects!

Ease of use and build quality

In the previous section, I explained how the MIOPS Splash Water Drop Kit worked. And I’ll admit: if you’ve never encountered this type of product before, it might sound complicated. But while the initial setup does take some time, once you understand the moving parts and have everything connected up, everything is very easy to use. 

The app, for instance, offers a simple interface so you never feel overwhelmed:

And when you actually go to configure a new drop “scenario,” the controls are extremely intuitive. You just press the Plus button to add drops:

And you simply tap and type to change the drop size and delay:

Actually triggering the drops is also done with the press of the orange button in the bottom right-hand corner: 

Configuring the hardware is also fairly straightforward. The Splash device includes three connections – one to supply power, one to connect to a flash, and one to connect to a camera – and each is clearly labeled.

The biggest difficulty I faced was deciding whether to trigger my camera or my flash. If I were to trigger my camera using the Splash device, I would need to independently connect it (either wired or wirelessly) to the flash, so that the Splash device would trigger my camera, which would in turn trigger the flash. Instead, I chose to trigger my flash using the Splash device, and to ensure that my camera captured the splash, I set the exposure to 1 second and manually tripped the camera shutter at the same time that I triggered the Splash device using the app.

Actually aligning the Splash device over the wet surface – and then ensuring that my lens was carefully focused on the spot where drops were falling – also took some time, but that had nothing to do with MIOPS’s hardware; it’s just the nature of water droplet photography. Since droplets are small, you have to work at high magnifications, which in turn requires very precise positioning to ensure that the photos are sharp.

I’ll also mention that I was consistently impressed by the Kit’s build quality. The Splash holder is flexible yet sturdy, and the Splash device, while made of plastic, is very robust. I don’t anticipate any of the hardware failing anytime soon, and since you’ll be shooting indoors, you shouldn’t have to worry about inclement weather, dust, and so on.

Performance

Now it’s time for the fun part: Evaluating the Splash Water Drop Kit’s performance. Was the Splash device able to deliver great results on a consistent basis? 

After hours of working with MIOPS’s product, I can say that the Splash Water Drop Kit does an amazing job of simplifying the water drop photography process. The Splash holder made it easy to position the Splash device exactly where I wanted it, and the app allowed me to play with all sorts of different settings so I could get a variety of photos. 

The Splash device was unerringly consistent, and I have zero complaints; it did its job, and it did it well. 

Of course, it’s important to acknowledge that, even with the Water Drop Kit, you can end up with bad images. You’ll need to configure the settings in the app to account for your particular setup and vision, and this can take some trial and error. 

The hardest task, at least for me, was determining the ideal delay between the drop and the flash, especially because it depends on several variables: the distance between the Splash device and the wet surface, the portion of the drop you wish to capture, and the type of liquid you use, to name just a few. Fortunately, MIOPS makes the testing process surprisingly easy thanks to an auto-adjustment feature, which automatically adjusts the delay setting by a customizable increment as you fire your camera over and over again. (I relied on the auto-adjustment feature a lot, and I recommend you do the same!)

I should acknowledge, though, that this experimentation is all part of the fun. By constantly tweaking my settings, I was able to capture a wide range of images, including classic drop shots, but also more abstract images like this:

And this:

I hadn’t expected the MIOPS app to include so many adjustable settings, but I’m very glad that it did. The more room for adjustment, the more you can play around and create unique art!

MIOPS Splash Water Drop Kit: verdict

As you can probably tell, I love the Water Drop Kit, and it’s a product that I wholeheartedly recommend. It does a fantastic job of making water drop photography accessible, and I was pleasantly surprised by the level of customizability included in the app.

Who should buy it? Anyone who’s interested in taking great water drop photos! For the beginner, MIOPS’s kit makes it easy to take eye-catching splash shots without much work – and serious water drop photographers will appreciate how much time and effort it saves, not to mention the various drops and splashes that it’ll help you achieve!

So don’t wait; head over to the MIOPS website and get a copy of your own!

MIOPS is a paid partner of dPS.

The post MIOPS Splash Review: The Essential Device for Stunning Water Drop Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

Macro photography is a huge passion of mine, in part because it’s so accessible; if I want to find interesting close-up subjects, I don’t need to travel to an exotic location or spend $4000+ on a specialist camera or lens. (Sure, some close-up lenses cost a lot, but you can also grab a high-quality macro lens for cheap!)

What if you want to go beyond the basics to produce more creative, eye-catching images? A lot of macro professionals use expensive lighting equipment and other studio gear to achieve breathtaking effects (such as pure black backgrounds and stunning bokeh). I’m not against such methods, but I do think that it’s possible to get equally outstanding macro images by taking a DIY approach – which will save you a lot of money (even if it requires a bit more up-front effort).

In my time as a photographer, I’ve tested and refined a number of DIY macro photography hacks that’ll net you great photos without breaking the bank. And in this article, I share my top five for consistently gorgeous images.

Sound good?

Let’s dive right in, starting with:

1. Use a board for a stunning macro photography background

One of the first lessons I learned as a macro photographer is that the background matters almost as much as the main subject. The background is what makes your main subject stand out – it’s what pushes the viewer’s attention away from irrelevant details and toward the flower, insect, or object that you’re photographing.

One of my favorite backgrounds is a solid, uniform color: Dark black. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to create a black-background effect so I can produce somber, moodier macro photography like this:

Now, achieving a natural black background without studio lighting and a storebought backdrop can be tough, which is why this DIY hack is so valuable. You can use it to create a deep black background on a consistent basis. Here’s what you do:

Step 1: Go to your local hardware store and purchase a plywood board. I’d suggest something ultra-thin (because wood can get heavy, fast). I’d also go for a decent size; I generally use boards that are 2′ x 2′, though 2′ x 4′ will give you a bit more room to experiment with more complex compositions.

Step 2: Purchase black paint and primer. I recommend getting a sample paint pot (one should be more than enough). These are cheap and work just fine. The primer is to prevent the wood from tainting the color.

Step 3: Add the primer and paint the board. I’d recommend two coats of black paint for that ultra-dark look.

Step 4: Let the board dry.

Now comes the fun part: Actually taking the photos!

You should choose a main subject that’s fairly light (e.g., yellow and white flowers). Position your main subject so that it’s in the sun, with the black board in the shade, a foot or so behind it. You want to create as much contrast as possible between the board and your subject. That is, you want a light subject on a dark board.

The goal is to lose absolutely all detail in the background. If you don’t fully achieve this in-camera, you can use an editing program to drop the blacks in your images.

You can still make this work with diffused (i.e., cloudy) light. But you’ll need to do a bit more work in post-processing to bring down the blacks.

Bottom line? You can work some serious magic with just a board and some paint. I encourage you to try it for yourself!

2. Use a lightbox for a stunning high-key, transparent look

Have you ever wanted to capture macro photos that look bright and high-key? Maybe even transparent? With this DIY hack, you can!

All you need is a basic lightbox, often used by artists for tracing. You can purchase one for around 20 dollars on Amazon. While a bigger lightbox is generally better, anything A4 and above should work fine. (The lightbox I used to take the photos displayed in this section cost me nothing at all since I checked it out from my local library. These days, a lot of libraries seem to have all sorts of interesting gadgets and tools, so I encourage you to have a look!)

Once you have your lightbox, you’ll need to choose a main subject. Flowers with translucent petals work best. And the flatter the flower, the better.

You’ll want to work in a room that has only diffused ambient light. You want your flowers to have a soft, even look.

Then turn on the lightboard, and place your flowers on top of it.

I recommend shooting parallel to the lightbox from above. While you can do everything handheld, I don’t recommend this, especially if your flowers are more three-dimensional. Instead, mount your camera on a tripod and use a narrow aperture (i.e., f/8 and above) to ensure perfect sharpness.

Once you have your shots, you’ll probably need to do a bit of post-processing. I recommend increasing the whites, to give a slightly brighter, airier look.

3. Shoot with one flower in a vase for powerful compositions

There’s no doubt about it: The way that flowers are positioned can make a macro shot look amazing…or terrible. If several flowers are overlapping, your photo may fall flat.

But if you can isolate a single flower, that’s when things start to look really compelling.

Now, when you’re shooting in nature, you don’t have much control over this. You have to work with what you’ve got.

But if you use this DIY macro photography hack, you can capture a gorgeous set of macro flower photos, guaranteed!

Here’s how it works:

Go to your local grocery store, and purchase a bouquet of your favorite flowers. I like to work with tulips, but you can really use anything!

When you get home, check over the flowers for blemishes and other issues. Find the biggest, best-looking flowers of the bunch. And then put them all in separate vases (or cups).

Note: You want the flowers to extend pretty far over the top of the vase, which is why I suggest you avoid taller vases.

The next time the light is good, take all the vases outside. Place them in front of a gorgeous background. (I often use an orange sky at sunset, though for the two images displayed here, I used a late-afternoon sky; since the sun was low, the area behind the flower was bright and I was able to get a nice glow effect.)

And then photograph all the flowers, individually. Because they’re in separate vases, they’ll all be perfectly isolated. This will allow you to easily capture powerful compositions:

4. Detach your lens for an artistic macro look

If you’re bored of getting the same macro look over and over again, then this DIY macro photography hack is for you. It’ll help you capture photos with brilliant light leaks, like this:

If you’re familiar with the concept of freelensing, it’s like that, but with a twist.

Here’s how you do it:

Choose a backup camera body and a cheap camera lens in the 50mm range. (There’s a slight risk of exposing your camera sensor to dirt.) Focus your lens to infinity. Then turn off your camera, and detach the lens.

Next, turn the camera back on, and pull the lens just slightly away from the camera (it should still be detached!). This will actually magnify your subject, while also giving you some amazingly artistic light leaks.

And while the technique may require a bit of experimentation, you’ll get the hang of it pretty quick, and you’ll capture some gorgeous macro photos.

5. Use fairy lights for amazing background bokeh

Here’s your final DIY macro photography hack (and it’s one of my favorites):

Use fairy lights for gorgeous macro backgrounds. They’ll get you photos like this:

To start, grab a set of fairy lights on Amazon (for around 10 dollars). I recommend a neutral or warmer color.

Go out to shoot around dusk, when the light is really starting to fade.

Find a nice subject, and position the fairy lights directly behind it. You can dangle them from surrounding vegetation, or you can hold them with your left hand.

Now, you don’t want to position the fairy lights too close, or else you’ll capture the wiring in your photos. Instead, you want them to show some nice bright light without being prominently featured.

You should also make sure to use a shallow aperture, in the area of f/2.8 to f/5.6. That way, the fairy lights will be fully blurred, creating some stunning bokeh.

The trick is an easy one, but it’ll get you amazing macro photos!

DIY macro photography hacks for stunning macro images: final words

You’ve now discovered five DIY macro photography hacks.

And you can use them for stunning macro photos all the time.

So go ahead and start. Make your black board. Grab yourself some fairy lights.

And take some amazing macro photos!

Do you have any DIY hacks of your own for beautiful macro shots? Share them in the comments!

The post 5 DIY Hacks for Stunning Macro Photos (on a Budget) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

This article was updated in June 2024 with contributions from Jaymes Dempsey and Charlie Moss.

The best abstract images of flowers can stop you in your tracks. But unfortunately, when it comes to abstract flower photography, you probably don’t know where to start. What equipment do you need? What techniques do you use?

The world of abstract flower photography often seems difficult. But in my view, it’s no harder than any other genre of photography. It can be a lot more rewarding, though! You just need to know how to get started.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn the fundamentals of abstract flower photography. You’ll learn about the required equipment, as well as several key techniques for getting powerful abstract images. When you finish, you’ll be ready to go out and start applying these tips immediately.

Sound good? Read on.

What is abstract flower photography?

Abstract flower photography is all about capturing flowers as you don’t normally see them. It’s about photographing flowers in a way that the viewer doesn’t immediately recognize the flower.

In other words, abstract floral focuses not so much on the flower itself, but on parts of the flower: the curve of the petals, the color of the flower center, the play of light on the stamens.

To do powerful abstract flower photography, you have to stop thinking in terms of flowers, and start thinking in terms of shape, color, and light. This isn’t complicated. It’s easy to do, once you get the hang of it. The tips I share below will help you to do just that!

The best equipment for abstract flower photos

To get beautiful abstract flower images, you need two things: a camera and a close-focusing lens.

The type of camera doesn’t matter. These days, essentially all cameras are capable of capturing stunning images. In abstract flower photography, it’s the lens that counts.

So what lens do you need?

Any sort of macro lens will do. I’ve taken excellent abstract flower images with cheap, sub-300 dollar lenses. I’ve also used my much more expensive Canon 100mm f/2.8L lens.

And if you don’t already own a macro lens and you don’t want to invest in one, you can always grab close-up filters, which allow you to capture high-magnification images using the lenses you already own.

(What are close-up filters? They’re essentially a magnifying glass that screws into the filter thread on the front of your lens. Note: When you buy a set of close-up filters, you need to know what lens you’re going to use them on. This is because you buy them according to the filter size of that lens. I suggest picking either a standard zoom or a prime lens in the 50mm to 100mm range and purchasing your filters for the thread size of that particular lens.)

The thing is, abstract flower photography isn’t really about sharpness and perfectly rendered detail. It’s about composition, light, and color.

A tip worth mentioning is that the shorter the focal length of a macro lens, the closer you need to be to your subject to get life-size images. So, for instance, 60mm macro lenses can be a problem when you’re trying to get a close-up of a rose and you keep casting your shadow on the petals by accident.

You may have also heard that for abstract flower photography, you need a tripod.

I would disagree. I don’t use a tripod for abstract flower photography because I find that it’s too limiting. I need to explore the flower through the lens, change my composition, take a few photographs, and change my composition again. You can’t do that with a tripod.

Tips for creating beautiful abstract florals

Have you got your camera and a close-focusing lens? If so, you’re ready for some quick and easy tips for stunning abstract flower photography.

1. Shoot on cloudy days

If you’ve done natural light macro photography before, you’ll know that you can get beautiful macro photographs at a few different times of the day. First, when it’s cloudy. Second, during the golden hours: just after sunrise and just before sunset.

For abstract photography, I recommend that you only shoot on cloudy days.

On cloudy days, the light is even, resulting in colorful, deeply saturated images. And in abstract photography, color is key. In fact, out of all the images featured in this article, all but one were taken on a cloudy day.

Once you become a more experienced abstract flower photographer, you can start to experiment with other types of light. But until then, stick to cloudy days. Your results will speak for themselves.

2. Get close. Really, really close!

In abstract flower photography, you cannot just take a snapshot of your subject. Your goal must be to show the viewer something new, something unexpected.

The way to do this is to get close. Really, really close.

As I said above, you must think in terms of shapes, color, and light. The way to start is to magnify your subject.

Take that macro lens and crank it up to its highest magnification setting (which should be 1:1, if you have a true macro lens). Then get close to a flower. Look through the viewfinder of your camera, and just move the lens around.

What do you see?

You probably won’t immediately notice a stunning composition. I spend a lot of time looking through my lens without taking any pictures. There’s a lot of experimentation involved, and that’s okay. Which brings us to my next tip:

3. Use a shallow depth of field

The depth of field is the amount of an image that is actually in focus.

Images with only a small amount of the subject in focus have a shallow depth of field. Images with a large amount of the subject in focus have a deep depth of field.

Depth of field is controlled by your camera’s aperture setting, also known as an f-stop. A low f-stop (f/1.4 to f/5.6) gives you a nice, shallow depth of field.

On most cameras, you will be able to choose your f-stop. For abstract flower photography, I usually keep it in the f/2.8-3.5 range but feel free to experiment a bit depending on your creative vision. Just keep that depth of field nice and shallow.

Why do I recommend having so little of the image in focus?

In abstract photography, you must photograph flowers so that the viewer doesn’t immediately see the flower. You must work in terms of light, color, and shapes.

By using a shallow depth of field, you emphasize those elements and take the focus off the flower itself. You shift the focus to the shape of the flower, the color of it, and the light falling on the flower.

4. Composition is key

Since abstract photography often takes a subject and then makes it unrecognizable, all you have left is the composition and colors. That means you need to start thinking about how to mix shape, lines, form, textures, and colors to express emotions or tell stories. You cannot rely on recognizable and familiar objects anymore.

There are many compositional rules out there to study and put into practice. I have always found it helpful to spend as much time as possible looking at other people’s art (both in galleries and online) and trying to understand what makes a composition pleasing. You don’t have to know all of the rules of composition by name. But having a sense of how the position of elements in the frame and the color wheel work together to create interesting compositions can be a huge help when shooting abstracts.

If you are shooting digital, don’t be afraid to capture multiple images of the same scene. Test out different compositions; for instance, try placing the main focus on different parts of the image (including blurry foreground elements) and see how different aperture settings look.

5. Look at the shape of the flower

As I mentioned above, it’s essential that you think about light, color, and shape.

Out of these three elements, I think that shape is most important in abstract flower photography. This is because flowers have naturally interesting shapes: sinuous curves, perfect circles, radiating lines.

The photographs are there. You just have to find them.

For instance, flowers tend to have beautiful, soft petals. You can use these to your advantage in your photography. Think about the petals, not as parts of a flower, but as twisting lines. Try to see these shapes moving about through the flower.

Carefully set up a composition that uses these lines. Keep it simple; one or two lines are all you need.

Only once you’ve composed deliberately, keeping the shape of the flower at the forefront of your mind, should you take the image.

6. Use manual focus

Finally, I recommend turning your autofocus off. Assuming you shoot at high magnifications, you’re going to be working with a very shallow depth of field, and that means your camera will often lock the focus in the wrong place.

Instead, with your lens set to manual focus, you can focus on the right portion of your subject by turning the focus ring on the lens barrel. My recommendation, however, is to use your body to move the subject in and out of focus. Carefully lean a fraction closer or further away, and you’ll see different parts of the images go in and out of focus. It takes some practice to get the hang of this, but after a while, it’ll feel really natural.

If you’re a little unsteady and struggle to get the right part of the image in focus, try shooting a burst of three or five images and select the best one later on. You can also use a tripod if you want to (assuming that it’s a very still day with no wind). However, as I mentioned above, I don’t like to use tripods; I find that a tripod can often hinder creativity when you’re trying to think fast and look for new and fascinating angles and compositions.

Abstract flower photography: final words

Capturing beautiful abstract photographs can be an intensely rewarding experience.

Make sure you have the right equipment. Then, if you shoot on cloudy days, get super close, use a shallow depth of field, and above all, think about the composition, you’ll be well on your way to taking stunning abstract flower photographs.

Have any more tips for abstract flower photography? Share them in the comments!

The post A Beginner’s Guide to Abstract Flower Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

If you take portrait photos, and you want your images to have the kind of polished, refined look worthy of a professional portfolio, then retouching is an art that you must learn. This is true whether you’re an expert or beginner, a hobbyist or a seasoned pro. 

Here’s the bad news: Retouching, when done with conventional editing software, comes with a significant learning curve. To make matters worse, it’s time-consuming and tedious. It often involves carefully masking your subject’s face and various features, brushing in subtle exposure adjustments, smoothing skin, healing blemishes, and more – and with all that complete, you’ll restart the process with the next image, and the next, and the next. 

Fortunately, Anthropics’ PortraitPro software is far from conventional. As I explained in my review of PortraitPro 23, the editor is designed to help photographers do pro-level retouching at astonishingly high speeds while remaining accessible to portraitists of all levels. In other words, it’s the type of editor that every portrait shooter should try, simply to understand just how effectively it can shortcut a standard retouching workflow. 

I was (and still remain!) a big fan of PortraitPro 23. However, in March of this year, Anthropics launched PortraitPro 24 – a dramatically upgraded program that promises to revolutionize portrait retouching workflows yet again thanks to a slew of powerful additions, some of which incorporate cutting-edge generative AI technology.

I recently got my hands on the new program, and I’ve spent the last couple of weeks putting it through its paces. In this article, I offer my thoughts on PortraitPro 24; I walk you through the new features, explain why the program is so useful for portrait shooters, and close with a discussion of whether the latest version is worth the price.

So if you’re ready to discover the transformative power of PortraitPro 24, then let’s dive right in!

What’s new in PortraitPro 24?

Anthropics PortraitPro 24 contains all the time-saving portrait-editing features of its predecessor, such as the intelligent face masking, Lighting & Coloring tools, the Skin Smoothing tools, the Makeup tools (the list goes on). 

But PortraitPro 24 also boasts an impressive list of upgrades, including several new tools that draw on generative AI to take portrait retouching to the next level. Let’s take a closer look: 

Mouth and teeth inpainting 

As pretty much every portrait photographer knows, mouths and teeth rarely look ideal straight out of camera, yet they’re a real struggle to edit effectively. 

Past versions of PortraitPro have offered tools for whitening teeth, adjusting lip shape, and the like, and those certainly helped address the problem. But PortraitPro 24’s new AI-powered Mouth & Teeth inpainting tool goes above and beyond by using targeted generative AI to enhance your subject’s lips and teeth.   

Here’s how it works: 

First, you make sure that your subject’s mouth is accurately masked by the program’s auto-masking software. 

Next, you open the Mouth & Teeth tool in the Inpainting panel. 

Finally, you can then click through the dropdown menu and watch as PortraitPro 24 generates realistic new teeth and lips to eliminate any problematic areas.

What really sells the tool, at least for me, is the control and finesse that it offers. In addition to generating five new AI mouth “versions” for each subject, you get a series of sliders that target each mouth feature separately, which you can adjust to create a realistic blend of the subject’s original mouth with the new mouth.  

For photographers that do a lot of tighter portraits – headshots, half-body shots, etc – this is bound to be a game-changer. Instead of fiddling around with brushes, masks, and teeth whitening presets, you can use the Mouth & Teeth Inpainting tool to rapidly generate an improved mouth, then blend it with the original in a couple of seconds. And it’s so easy to work with; just activate the tool, scroll through your options, and then move the sliders until you like the result.   

Obviously, as with any generative AI tool, the results won’t be perfect one-hundred percent of the time. But you have five AI options to choose from, plus you have the sliders to ensure the final image looks natural. 

Glasses reflection reducer 

For most of my life, I’ve worn glasses. Same with everyone in my family. So trust me when I say that dealing with glasses reflections has been a thorn in my side for a long time. Sure, you can ask your subject to take their glasses off, but that’s not always desirable or practical. And yes, you can adjust your lighting to minimize reflections, but when you’re shooting fast-paced events or candid photos, there’s not a whole lot you can do. 

Therefore, when I heard that PortraitPro 24 included a new tool designed to automatically reduce glasses glare using generative AI, I was extremely excited to try it out – and I’m happy to share that it didn’t disappoint!

Like the Mouth & Teeth tool discussed above, you can find the reflection reducer in the Inpainting panel (it’s labeled as Reduce Reflections in Glasses).

Open the tool, then click the View/Edit Reflections Mask and use the brush to paint over any pesky glasses reflections while avoiding the frames and the subject’s face. (You can also use the Automatic Reflections Mask slider to tell PortraitPro to mask the reflections on its own; however, if you go this route, I recommend manually checking the mask to make sure it matches the reflections exactly.)

All that’s left to do is scroll through the different generative AI options and then – if needed – use the Strength sliders to refine the result.

I was impressed by the ease and speed with which I was able to dial back reflections in my tests, and it really is fantastic to finally have a tool that can dramatically reduce glasses reflections in a couple of clicks. I can imagine a wide variety of use cases here – after all, most portrait and event photographers point their camera at glasses-wearers on the regular – but I expect that headshot photographers, especially those that do fast-paced corporate portraits, will constantly take advantage of this tool.   

Face recovery

Face Recovery is the third tool in the generative AI trio added in PortraitPro 24, but instead of targeting specific portrait features – such as mouths or glasses – the Face Recovery tool works more broadly. It’s designed for those scenarios where you snap a photo of your subject, only to find that it suffers from image-quality issues, such as motion blur or missed focus. 

Normally, blurry portraits are (and should be) relegated to the recycling bin. After all, a bit of blur will ruin a portrait, and there’s no way to fix image blur…right? 

With PortraitPro’s Face Recovery tool, there is! Simply open your portrait for editing, choose Inpainting>Face Recovery, then check the Enable box. PortraitPro’s generative AI model will get to work recovering the details on your subject’s face, and after a few seconds, you’ll have an improved result. 

Truthfully, out of all the new generative AI tools, I found this one’s results to be the most mixed. While the “recovered” faces in my tests were sharper than before, they weren’t quite as realistic as I’d want for personal printing or delivery to clients – but different photographers have different needs and preferences, and after trying the tool, you may find yourself completely satisfied.  

Regardless, what I like about the Face Recovery tool, as with the other PortraitPro generative AI tools, is the customizability. You’re not just stuck with one AI-generated face; instead, you can choose from a variety of recovery options across a variety of features. When using Face Recovery, the eyes, nose, and mouth can each be regenerated five different times, and you can also apply the Unsharp Mask slider for a more seamless blend. 

Workflow enhancements and other improvements

Each new version of PortraitPro seems more streamlined and just all-around usable than the last, and PortraitPro 24 is no exception. Once again, the developers have included a list of handy workflow improvements, and the resulting program is a joy to use, both for beginners and professionals.

For instance, retouching individuals in group shots is far smoother thanks to a set of features that let you move back and forth between selected faces without missing a beat. 

Previous versions of PortraitPro offer great collections of built-in retouching presets, but actually finding the presets you’re after can take a frustrating amount of digging. For PortraitPro 24, that won’t be an issue; you now have a preset search bar, which you can use to quickly locate the preset you need. 

In fact, when it comes to preset upgrades, Anthropics pulled out all the stops; not only do you get a search bar, but you also have the option to export presets for easy sharing, and – if you purchase the most advanced version of the program, Studio Max – you can apply several presets in conjunction for an even more sophisticated edit (and an even faster workflow!)

PortraitPro 24 also boasts other noteworthy enhancements, including upgraded gender and age detection (which ensures more effective, realistic edits from the get-go), expanded options for saving image files, as well as the option to save skin and hair masks as separate TIFF channels (which you can then use for additional editing in Photoshop). 

And Studio Max subscribers gain access to an upgraded Batch Mode, which offers even faster editing of multiple photos at once.   

Ease of use and performance

As I’ve emphasized throughout this article, PortraitPro 24 is a highly accessible program. That holds true even for absolute beginners, so even if you’re intimidated by the phrase “portrait-retouching software,” you shouldn’t have much trouble diving into – and developing a full-fledged workflow in – PortraitPro 24. 

To get started with PortraitPro 24, head over to the Anthropics website, follow the prompts to download and install the program. Launch the software, then choose Open Single Image on the home screen. (If you purchased the Studio Max version, you can also select the Open Image Batch option, which will give you a batch processing dialog instead.)

Once you select an image, you’ll be taken to the main PortraitPro interface, which looks like this: 

As you can see, the interface layout is easy to understand. You have your image at the center and a couple of tools and view options along the top menu, but the bulk of your retouching work will take place in the set of panels on the right-hand side: 

That’s where you’ll find your various editing controls:

An array of customizable presets: 

And tools for “snapshotting” specific edits and reverting your photos back to their original state: 

When you load an image in PortraitPro 24, the software automatically detects faces and identifies specific features:

In my experience, PortraitPro 24’s facial-feature detection is pretty accurate, but you do have the option to manually tweak the overlay lines.  

This overlay will then be used for targeted edits. For instance, if you wish to adjust the saturation of your subject’s lips, all you have to do is open the Mouth & Nose panel, then boost the Lip Darken slider. 

Most PortraitPro 24 adjustments proceed this way; you simply find the relevant tools panel, then boost the corresponding sliders, which is both quick and intuitive. At first, you might find yourself searching through the panels to find the exact slider that you’re after, but the tools are well-categorized, and you’ll get the hang of it after a few minutes.

Occasionally, you’ll have the option to use a different type of tool, such as the lighting positioner in the Lighting & Coloring panel: 

But even these more unusual tools are easy to grasp, even for beginners. 

In terms of software performance, I have no complaints. The sliders are responsive and the corresponding edits were visible in real time. In fact, the only time I noticed any lag was when running the processor-intensive generative AI tools, and the delay was still insignificant. 

Editing capabilities

When it comes to portrait retouching, PortraitPro 24 excels. 

I wish I could give you a rundown of the various editing features available, but that would require a whole book; the program boasts literally hundreds of different portrait-editing tools, each offering its own handy adjustment capabilities. 

For instance, there’s the Shape panel, which is filled with sliders dedicated solely to adjusting the shape of different facial features: eyes, nose, mouth, expression, hair volume, neck & shoulders, and more. And the Skin Smoothing panel (located just below it), lets you retouch skin with extreme precision by separately targeting eye bags, wrinkles, pores, grease, mouth-adjacent skin, and more. 

Then there are effect-specific panels, such as Lighting & Coloring (where you can relight your subject with astonishing precision) and Inpainting (where you can find the new generative AI tools I discussed above). There are even feature-specific panels, such as Eye and Hair, which offer fine-grained control over colors, texture, catchlights, and more. 

All these panels contain the tools for subtle adjustments to ensure your subject looks their best, but in contrast to a program such as Photoshop, you don’t have to spend annoying amounts of time carefully masking specific features. Just identify the adjustment that the image needs, find the right tool, tweak the sliders, and – voila! – you’re done. 

One of PortraitPro 24’s main strengths is the speed with which you can retouch an image. If you were to only use the editing controls, you would undoubtedly save a lot of time. But the software also offers two features for speeding up your workflow even more. 

First, PortraitPro 24 is packed with presets that allow for high-quality editing with a single click. Unlike conventional presets, however, PortraitPro’s presets take into account the initial analysis of your subject’s face. That way, a skin smoothing preset isn’t applied uniformly from image to image but is instead customized to fit each new subject for a seamless result. 

For portrait and wedding photographers who handle a large volume of images with different poses and/or subjects, this is a huge deal. If you find a preset you like – or if you make a preset of your own – you can apply it across poses and subjects, and you won’t need to make frequent (or even occasional) tweaks.  

The second feature for turbocharging your retouching workflow is arguably even more useful: batch mode. With batch mode, you can select multiple images, and then quickly apply presets to the entire set. Not only are these presets applied to your files intelligently so that the result is tailored to each individual image, but you can designate in advance whether you want different presets to be applied to males, females, and children, even within the same photo. And if you don’t love the results, the batch mode interface lets you tweak individual photos in the set with incredible ease. 

I’m a huge fan of editing in batch mode, myself; it just makes the retouching process so fast, especially once you get a sense of the different presets and how they affect your images. As with the preset options discussed above, batch mode is a must-have feature for any portrait or wedding shooters who need to edit a lot of photos in a short amount of time. Just bear in mind that you can only access the full-fledged batch mode if you purchase the Studio Max version of PortraitPro 24.   

Price

PortraitPro 24 is available in three editions, each with its own lifetime license. 

PortraitPro 24 Standard is the most basic of the three editions and is usually available for $120, though you can currently buy it for just $59.95. Note the Standard edition offers all the PortraitPro 24 core features, though it lacks RAW support, and it cannot be used as a Photoshop plugin. Additionally, PortraitPro 24 Standard doesn’t offer batch processing in any form. 

Next is PortraitPro 24 Studio, which includes all the Standard edition features as well as RAW support, Photoshop/Lightroom integration, and some batch editing capabilities. You can normally purchase PortraitPro 24 Studio for around $160, though the current sale price is just $89.95.

Finally, we have the PortraitPro 24 Studio Max, which boasts everything I’ve discussed throughout this article: full batch mode, RAW support, integration with Photoshop as a plugin, and more. The price reflects these extra capabilities; you can grab PortraitPro 24 Studio Max for $179.95 (though the program usually goes for around $360). 

The PortraitPro 24 list prices are pretty reasonable, especially when you consider what you get. And when you add the 50% discount, even the Studio Max version starts to seem like a bargain! 

(I’ll also note here that dPS readers can enter the code DPS10424 at checkout for an extra 15% off their purchase!)

Is Anthropics PortraitPro 24 right for you? 

To my mind, it’s tough to overstate the value of PortraitPro 24 for portrait-focused photographers. Whether you shoot weddings, engagement sessions, senior portraits, family portraits, or something else, you’ll benefit from the software’s time-saving features, and you’ll love how easy it is to produce a good final edit. 

Even if you’re delving into portraiture for the first time, a bit of tweaking with PortraitPro will dramatically elevate your results and give your photos a polished, professional look. 

The program offers a nice balance of basic and advanced retouching tools, which means that beginners have plenty of room to grow, while experts can complete an entire retouching workflow without ever leaving the PortraitPro 24 interface. (Though, for those who need it, PortraitPro 24 works great as a Photoshop plugin!)

So assuming that you are indeed a portrait photographer, the real question is which edition of PortraitPro 24 you should buy.

The lack of RAW support in the Standard version is a major drawback, so unless you already use a RAW editor and simply want to incorporate PortraitPro 24 into your broader workflow, I’d recommend at least purchasing the Studio version. Plus, the Studio version includes easy integration with Lightroom and Photoshop, which can come in handy for those of you who already enjoy working with these programs. 

And what about the Studio Max version? Here’s what I’d say: If you do a lot of portrait editing, then the full batch mode in PortraitPro 24 Studio Max will save you significant time and is likely worth the cost. Otherwise, the Studio version is probably the better choice!

So go ahead and purchase your copy of PortraitPro 24 right here. (Remember to use your code DPS10424 at checkout for an exclusive 15% dPS discount!) And if you’re unsure about which version to buy or you’re still on the fence about the software, you can download a free trial (with printing and saving disabled).

PortraitPro 24 is a one-of-a-kind program – and given the current 50%-off sale, you should take advantage while you still can!

Anthropics is a paid partner of dPS.

The post PortraitPro 24 Review: Retouch Your Photos in Seconds (With the Power of AI) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

When I first became interested in macro photography, I knew that my main lens at the time – a telephoto zoom – wasn’t going to get me close enough to capture the level of detail I was after. I also knew that camera manufacturers offered specialized macro lenses, which would allow me to magnify my subject and highlight all those beautiful details.

In other words, I knew that I needed a macro lens.

But when it came to choosing the best macro lens for the job, I was lost. I ultimately decided on an old 60mm f/2.8 lens that I purchased on eBay, not because I thought it was perfect for my purposes, but because I didn’t have much money to spend and the price was palatable.

It’s been a long time since I bought that first lens. I’ve since upgraded, upgraded again, and upgraded some more. In fact, over the years, I’ve used countless macro lenses from several different camera brands. I now have a much better perspective on what makes a “perfect” macro lens, and in this article, I break it down for you.

What is the best macro lens?

This seems like a simple question, but the answer is pretty complex. It depends on a number of factors, including:

• Physical requirements (i.e., do you want a smaller, more handholdable lens, or are you willing to use a huge lens that requires a tripod?)
• Your budget
• Your preferred subject matter (the macro genre spans a number of subjects, each with its own challenges; for instance, photographing insects is very different from photographing flowers!)
• Your preferred style (if you want to capture impressionistic, near-abstract macro photos, you’ll want to choose a different lens than if you want to capture photos that are sharp throughout)

In other words, there is no one ideal macro lens. However, there are a few basic guidelines you can use to choose the ideal macro lens for your needs, and today, I concentrate on three main considerations: image quality, focal length, and price.

Macro lenses and image quality

When it comes to choosing lenses, photographers often focus on image quality, especially sharpness.

But I’m happy to tell you that, for macro photography, this is generally less of an issue.

Why? Macro lenses are incredibly sharp. Even lenses on the lower end of the price spectrum offer professional-level sharpness, especially when stopped down slightly. I have used plenty of macro lenses over the course of my photography career, and I have never been dissatisfied with the level of sharpness. One of my macro lenses even had fungus on one of the glass elements, and it was still extremely sharp.

However, this does not mean that low-end macro lenses are indistinguishable from the pricier options. Expensive macro lenses do often provide better sharpness; it’s just that the starting point is a lot better. More expensive lenses also tend to produce better bokeh, which matters a great deal for certain types of macro photography (such as the shallow depth-of-field macro shots that I love and that are displayed throughout this article).

Furthermore, low-end macro lenses sometimes have problems with chromatic aberration (generally purple and yellow fringing that occurs in the high-contrast parts of images). One of the cheapest macro lenses that I purchased suffered from chromatic aberration, though the problem was less frustrating than it sounds; I was able to reduce the CA by stopping down slightly, and I was also able to remove it in post-processing.

That said, I do prefer to avoid chromatic aberration whenever I can. So when I discuss different lenses below, I note any chromatic aberration problems that I’ve experienced.

Macro lens focal lengths

I will center this discussion around focal length; it’s an easy way of narrowing down potential macro lenses because focal length often determines and limits your macro photography options.

Macro lenses can be classified into three focal-length categories: short (35-60mm), midrange (80-105mm), and long (150-200mm).

The short macro lens (35-60mm)

• Pros: Lightweight and inexpensive
• Cons: Less impressive bokeh, shorter working distance (bad for insects)

Short macro lenses tend to be used for more casual macro outings, or as “all-purpose lenses” that you switch to macro when needed. They’re easy to store, easy to carry, and pretty inexpensive. They’re also easier to hand-hold because of their small size.

However, a big drawback with short macro lenses is the reduced working distance. Working distance refers to the distance from the end of the lens to the subject. In order to do high-magnification photography with, say, a 60mm macro lens, the subject has to be extremely close to the lens. This can cause problems. First of all, insects generally require a bit of distance when photographed, so getting close often isn’t an option.

Additionally, your head (or your camera) might cast an unwanted shadow onto the subject, depending on the lighting conditions. Shorter lenses also tend to have less pleasing bokeh.

However, if you are looking to do casual macro photography with more portable equipment and strong image quality, then a shorter macro lens might be just the thing for you. My first macro lens had a 60mm focal length, and while I did need to get in close to capture high-magnification images, it did the job well. These days, a short macro lens wouldn’t be my top choice for flower or insect macro photography, but it’s a great inexpensive option for a beginner. Plus, as I noted above, you can use a shorter macro lens for more than just macro photography; these lenses also tend to be great for portrait photography, street photography, travel photography, still-life photography, and more.

So which short macro lens is best? The current phase-out of DSLR systems and expansion of mirrorless systems makes quick recommendations more complicated, but here are my thoughts:

If you’re a Canon DSLR shooter, you should look at the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM, which is a great all-around lens that also offers excellent macro capabilities. (Note, however, that it is designed for APS-C cameras, not full-frame models!) You’ll likely need to buy it on the used market, and prices can fluctuate pretty substantially, but if you’re patient, you can get a good deal.

Canon mirrorless users should consider the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS, which offers good optics for a decent price, plus the image stabilization can be useful for handheld macro photography. The biggest drawback to this lens is the lack of true macro magnifications, but the 1:2 magnification ratio will still get you close enough to capture lots of hidden details.

Nikon DSLR photographers might look at the Nikon 40mm f/2.8G, which is compatible with both full-frame and APS-C cameras, boasts true macro magnifications, and is available for a fantastically low price.

If you’re a Nikon DSLR photographer with a bit more to spend, you should consider the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G, which gives you a bit more reach; it’s also available on the used market for a significant price reduction. Nikon mirrorless users can work with Nikon F-mount (i.e., DSLR) lenses via the FTZ adapter, but I’d encourage you to also look at the Nikon Z MC 50mm f/2.8 lens, which offers great optics, a sleek build, and 1:1 focusing, even if it’s a bit pricier than the lenses mentioned above.

I also want to briefly mention the Nikon 60mm f/2.8D, which is near and dear to my heart because it was the first macro lens I ever purchased. At this point, the lens is only available on the used market, but that can work in your favor, as you can purchase it for ultra-low prices. I was always quite impressed by its sharpness. It is worth noting that the autofocus is quite slow, but I always use manual focus when shooting macro (and you probably should, too!), so this was not a problem.

If you’re a Sony shooter, your macro options are perhaps a bit more limited, but you still have some good short macro lenses to consider. There’s the Sony 30mm f/3.5; it’s quite short for most macro work, and you’ll have a hard time using it to photograph subjects such as insects, but as an all-purpose budget lens that also close-focuses, it’s a good buy. For more dedicated Sony macro photography, the Sony 50mm f/2.8 lens is my recommendation thanks to its greater working distance, wider maximum aperture, and solid build.

The midrange macro lens (80-105mm)

• Pros: Larger working distance, somewhat inexpensive, very good bokeh, lightweight, lots of options
• Cons: Working distance is still fairly short; higher-end midrange macro lenses can be quite expensive

Midrange macro lenses are my personal favorite among the macro options. They are a great option for flower photography, especially more abstract level flower photography like I tend to do. Why?

First of all, these lenses are relatively lightweight, which means that I can hand-hold them without much trouble at all, even in low light. This allows for much greater flexibility.

Second, a midrange macro lens offers a perfect working distance for flower photography. I like to get a midrange distance from the flowers that I am photographing – not so close that I am nearly touching the flower, but not so far away that other flowers, leaves, and branches get in the way.

Third, these lenses offer high-quality optics yet can often be found at reasonably low prices, especially if you’re willing to buy from a third-party manufacturer. For example, Tamron offers an array of excellent 90mm macro lenses, and you can generally find them for $400 or less.

If you want to do insect photography, or if you often photograph with a tripod and want plenty of working distance, I would recommend looking at a longer macro lens. However, if you are interested in doing handheld flower photography or if you’re on a budget but want a more dedicated macro lens, I recommend a midrange model.

First among the less expensive options are the aforementioned Tamron 90mm macro lenses. For a long time, I used this Tamron 90mm f/2.8 lens, which is available for both Nikon and Canon. While I had occasional issues with chromatic aberration, the sharpness, bokeh quality, and price more than made up for it. Another option around this price point is the Tokina 100mm f/2.8 for Canon and for Nikon.

Looking toward medium-level prices: Canon mirrorless users should consider the RF 85mm f/2, which offers very nice optics and an unusually wide maximum aperture (for a macro lens, anyway). I do wish it reached true macro 1:1 magnifications – instead of the slightly less impressive 1:2 – but the close-focusing performance is still very solid.

I also like the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM. You’ll likely need to buy it used, but you can find some very reasonably priced models, and the 1:1 magnification capabilities plus the 100mm reach are fantastic for nature close-ups.

Sigma also offers the 105mm f/2.8 Macro for Canon and for Nikon, which I’ve used extensively and loved. The build quality is phenomenal, and while the autofocusing isn’t especially fast, if you work with manual focus (which I recommend), it’ll do just fine.

Finally, on the pricier side, we have two DSLR lenses: the Nikon 105mm f/2.8G VR and the Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS. The Nikon 105mm is tough to find new, but if you can find a good used copy, you may end up with a pro-level lens for a bargain price.

If you’re a Canon mirrorless user, you also have the option to purchase the Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L IS. It’s expensive, but it includes all the features of the original Canon 100mm f/2.8L IS as well as some fantastic new features, such as 1.4x magnification capabilities and a spherical aberration control ring for even greater control over the bokeh quality.

And Nikon mirrorless users should grab the Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S, which is an amazing midrange macro lens that’s ideal for macro professionals and serious enthusiasts.

Finally, no rundown of the best midrange macro lenses would be complete without mentioning the Sony 90mm f/2.8. Yes, it’s expensive, but the build quality is outstanding, and the sharpness and bokeh are great for pro-quality macro images.

The long macro lens (150-200mm)

• Pros: Amazing working distance, generally excellent bokeh and image quality.
• Cons: Heavy, often very expensive, not much selection

Longer macro lenses tend to have astonishingly good image quality, though for a (generally) steep price. I’ve spent a lot of time shooting with the Sigma 150mm f/2.8, for instance, and I was always very impressed by both the bokeh quality and the sharpness.

These longer macro lenses also offer the best working distance of the bunch, which is often essential for insect photography.

Another advantage of the longer working distance is the ease with which you can use a popular creative macro technique: shooting through out-of-focus flowers.

Yet these lenses are quite heavy, which makes hand-holding for long periods difficult, and doing so in low light nearly impossible. You’ll want to consider these lenses if you wish to do high-level insect photography, or if you desire top-notch image quality and don’t mind the weight or price.

My list of recommended long macro lenses includes the reasonably priced Sigma 150mm (available for both Canon and Nikon DSLRs). Like some of the other DSLR lenses on this list, it’s a bit harder to find, but it offers excellent image quality and is built like a tank. For a long time, I kept it as a backup macro lens for flower photography (my Canon 100mm f/2.8L is my main lens), and I turned to it when I wanted a bit more working distance. (Eventually, I realized I enjoyed the flexibility of midrange macro lenses a little too much, so I sold my Sigma 150mm, but I do sometimes miss it!)

Next, we have the newer Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro, which is available for Nikon F-mount cameras, Canon EF-mount cameras, and Sony E-mount cameras. I personally like Irix lenses, and this one offers excellent reach for a great price, but it’s important to bear in mind that the Irix 150mm Macro includes no autofocusing capabilities whatsoever. Therefore, while it performs well as a manual-focus macro lens, you probably won’t find yourself using it for any other purposes.

And then, offering stunning image quality with a high price tag, are the Nikon 200mm f/4 and the Canon 180mm f/3.5L. Both of these models are designed for DSLR cameras, though mirrorless photographers shouldn’t have a problem using them via the corresponding DSLR-mount to mirrorless-mount adapters. These two lenses are fabulous for long-range macro photography, and if you’re serious about the macro genre and you desire a greater working distance than a midrange macro lens can provide, you may find them worth the price.

Choosing the perfect macro lens: final words

While most macro lenses allow for high-quality images, different ones will meet certain needs better than others.

To summarize:

• If you are looking for a more general-purpose lens for casual macro shooting, choose one of the short-range lenses.
• But if you are looking for a more serious macro photography lens and prefer to shoot handheld with greater flexibility, go with one of the midrange lenses.
• Finally, if you want to shoot insects or want perfect image quality, choose a long macro lens.

Still uncertain about which lens to purchase? Ask your questions in the comments section below, and I will do my best to help!

The post How to Choose the Perfect Macro Lens appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.