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Let’s start with the macro photo — that is, with extreme closeups. Of course, you can only take this type of picture if your lens has a macro mode. With macro, you’re focusing from a few inches! Many of today’s point-and-shoot models do have this type of capability.<\/p>\n
When we talk about what you see in your camera’s viewfinder, bear in mind that we’re thinking of the viewfinder in a single lens reflex (SLR) camera, where you see the image as the film or chip will see it – through the lens that takes the picture. The viewfinders on point-and-shoot cameras don’t work very well when you’re extremely close to your subject. That means with a digital point-and-shoot, you should use the camera’s LCD viewing panel to make certain the lens is pointed at your intended subject.<\/p>\n
When you take a macro photo, focus<\/em> is all-important. Your plane of focus is very shallow — just a fraction of an inch. So you have to make another decision: Exactly what part of the flower do you want to be in sharp focus? The pistil? The stamen? A petal? (We’ve run out of high-school biology terminology, but you get the idea.) Unless you’re a botanist, you will probably make this decision “on the fly” — that is, as you look through the viewfinder. When you see the image that you want, press the shutter!<\/p>\n While it is possible to take a good close-up photo handheld<\/em>, our advice is to use a tripod if at all possible. Particularly if the flower is swaying in the wind, changing the focal point every moment, you’re better off not adding the additional confusion of a swaying camera too. Use a tripod and be patient. Most often, the wind will die down from time to time and the flower will stand still and “pose” for an instant. That’s the instant to shoot!<\/p>\n While on the subject of wind, here are some other tips: If the wind is blowing hard and steady, the flower will probably sway incessantly and fast, so that you will be hard-pressed to get the shot. Consider waiting for another time — perhaps, the next day — when the wind has died down. If you must shoot during an unremitting wind, place a makeshift shelter around the flower to protect it from the wind. A few sheets of poster board may be sufficient. (Of course, keep the shelter out of the picture!) Or tie the flower stem to a thin post (the type you will find in any garden center).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How should you expose this shot? The easy way is to trust your meter. It will generally give a fairly accurate reading in this situation. For pinpoint exposure, however, we recommend that you use a gray card or take an incident reading. By using one of these alternative methods, you end up with an exposure that is precisely calibrated to the light, and is not affected by the color or reflectivity of the flower.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n