Capturing The Greening
There is no single season for Macro photography. The world of up close opens endless possibilities for fresh vision regardless of time or place, but early spring is one of my favorite times to slap on my 100mm Macro and start wandering about familiar places looking for new inspiration.
The Greening
We are currently in the middle of the surprising spring greening. At this time every year the leaves explode as if they knew that their preciously short time to gather sunlight has arrived. I love the variations of green that appear in the early spring, but, for me, the earliest part of the season is the best for macro photography. During the first few days of the awakening, the buds break open providing a wide variety of fragile and succulent projections that create opportunities for unusual micro compositions. I can usually find all the excitement I need by just wandering about my neighborhood, but his week I also stopped by Ashuelot River Park in Keene for additional opportunities.
Birth Spiral |
The Equipment
My usual lens for routine photographic explorations is the wonderfully capable Canon 24-105 f4 L Lens. It covers the
Spring Icon |
Pasture Cover |
Finding Focus
The key to striking spring macro images is to find the fresh buds in good light and at a time when the wind is not strong. Depth of
Shallow Focus |
The Light
Overcast weather is always preferred to capture the true colors in their full depth, but when shooting macros in bright sunlight the stark contrast can be reasonably managed with a small diffuser or by taking advantage of trans-illumination to light up the young foliage. A flash may also be used to fill the shadows, and a polarizing filter can help to hide the bright reflections and to bring out the rich colors.
The Background
One great thing about macro photography is that even terribly ordinary locations may hold magnificent treasures at the macro level. It is important to remember that the same rules of composition apply, and it is often easier to arrange small nearby elements in a pleasing fashion than it is when the elements to be arranged are trees and mountains. An ugly cluttered background can be reduced to a lovely backdrop with the soft Bokeh created by wide apertures. Distracting background elements can still be a problem, but can often be eliminated with small changes in composition.
The Restless Spring
The one inevitable truth about the New England spring is that it is always changing. Too soon the fascinating virginal buds will mature. The detail in the wanton spring flowers will continue to provide excellent subjects for macro shots and the young leaves will continue to hold their fascination for a couple of weeks before they take on the deeper fixed green of the languid summer. The attractions of the New England Spring are ever changing and always spectacular, so while you have a chance get out and enjoy the wonder of the awakening macro world.
Apple Blossom |
Jeffrey Newcomerp
partridgebrookreflections.com
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