Photography course: Close-up, macro & focus stacking

Learn the techniques and equipment (optical, lighting and support) needed to achieve sharply focused, well-exposed photographs of flowers, insects, water drops, miniatures, coins, jewellery and much more in this macro photography course in Sydney.

This hands-on macro photography workshop will show you how to get the most from your DSLR and how to enhance its macro capabilities in very affordable ways. In this macro photography course, you will learn every type of close-up shot, from wide-angle to extreme macro, and equipment ranging from macro and reversed lenses to close-up attachments and bellows. It also covers focus stacking techniques (including processing through Photoshop) as well as the software and equipment for extreme macro.

Learning outcomes

• What constitutes close-up and macro photography and what special equipment can help to get a sharp, well-exposed picture.

• Lighting and exposure: Understand the nature of light and how to control exposure to get the best colour, contrast and depth of field for c/u and macro.

• Focus and depth of field: Learn the best ways to get sharp focus with a range of lenses and attachments and under a wide range of lighting conditions.

• Close-up and macro: Learn how to photograph a range of small objects at different focal lengths and using a variety of attachments and light sources.

• Extreme macro and focus stacking: Photograph at greater than 1:1 magnification using a range of optical, lighting and stabilising equipment as well as focus stacking.

Course content

• Students evaluate their camera’s c/u and macro features. Gain hands-on experience with a wide range of macro equipment, from camera bodies to lenses, diopter lenses, bellows, lighting equipment, supports, attachments, clips and clamps.

• Students explore the relationship between shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Examine white balance and the advantage of RAW image format. Try different exposure meters built into cameras and the pros and cons of different light sources for c/u and macro. Use daylight, tungsten/LED, standard and macro flash. Balance subject/background lighting.

• Exploit depth of field and zone of focus to render sharp subjects and variously focused backgrounds. Find the “sweet spot” of a lens and avoid softening due to refraction. Holding the camera for sharp images at various shutter speeds. Using a tripod and macro rails at higher magnifications.

• Photograph flowers, insects (dead specimens provided), miniature models, coins, jewellery, fabrics, and small objects (eg. for selling on eBay). Copy photos and prints. Use a light tent to control reflections and diffuse light. Explore limits of hand-held macro and when to use tripods etc. Explore composition, colour and texture on a macro scale. Use flash to freeze action.

• Students photograph very small parts of insects, flowers, seeds etc using reversed lenses, bellows, extension tubes, stacked lenses and image stacking. Also, use different light sources and supports. Use focus rails for stacking, then process stacked images in Photoshop.