Close up photos and the use of Macro?

[Richard Harris]

I have a few questions I would like to ask to try and get the best out of my camera which is a Canon Power Shot SX40 HS.

Has anyone out there got any good tips of how to take close up photos indoors, is it best to use Macro?

I have used Macro in sunlight and the pictures seem to be pretty good (for me), but trying to replicate them indoors is impossible.

I obviously need some kind of light source but what kind? and where would be the best place to position such a light to try and reduce shadows?

Also I would like to have a plain background so that there is nothing to take your eye off the subject..but what is the best colour for a back ground or is it again dependant on the colour oof the subject being snapped?

Thankyou 

                    Rich

 

Edited By Richard Harris on 26/11/2012 22:28:00

[Tim Hooper]

Are you photographing model aircraft here Rich?

Big tip, if you're using natural light, is to use a tripod to eliminate camera shake. The low light levels will call for a longer exposure time, so hand-holding your camera is generally a no-no.

Using a normal light bulb can lead to a strong yellow/orange cast. You can buy 'daylight' bulbs which actually give a blue light which approximates to sunlight.

If you can diffuse the light (or use more than one light), you'll help to lose all those horrible dark shadows which a single light will cause. A simple sheet of tracing paper makes a reasonable diffuser - just don't let it get too hot!

As for the background, well, I use white. Nigel Hawes uses light blue. The Fenster uses medium blue. Peter Miller uses black in his work for RCMW. Avoid old bits of carpet, crumpled duvets, fence panels etc like the plague. Best have a chat with the editor.....

Edited By Tim Hooper on 26/11/2012 22:58:35

[WolstonFlyer]

I guess you are trying to use the built-in flash on the camera? If so then you will struggle because the light from that flash is much too harsh and far too close to the lense of the camera and the subject being photographed.

For indoor macro shots I tend to use my two external flash units Sony HVL-F58AM, (I have a Sony DSLR with wireless flash facility) but there are plenty of other flash systems available.

I have the flash units on light stands set about 2m from the subject with the flashes positioned to bounce into white photographic brollies to diffuse the light and remove shadows.

The large distance from the subject and the brollies give a very soft but bright light that "wraps" around the subject and helps to prevent shadows.

What you want to avoid using is domestic tungsten or energy saving bulbs, they are not "hot" enough in colour temperature and you will tend to get yellow or blue looking shots, your camera white balance detection has limitations so a much brighter light is needed at the right colour temperature (about 5000 - 6000 Kelvin)

I also use a piece of white card (or a colour depending what the subject is) inside a big cardboard box to create an infinity background, a bit like this shown below (this is not my setup just an example)

I then do quite a few test shots using a proper old school light meter to try and expose the shot correctly. To get a bright white "no background" look I try to ge the background lit so it is 1 f-stop brighter than the subject.

 

You could also setup you photograph near a window that has white paper stuck over it to diffuse the sunlight, then with the camera on a tripod use long exposure times like 4 seconds or more so that lots of light gets into the camera.

There are also loads of videos on YouTube

 

 

Edited By WolstonFlyer on 26/11/2012 23:14:49

[Danny Fenton]

I think Tim has covered just about everything. A multi light source is key I reckon. You can buy flash heads that will slave off your current flash (built in). This is what I use, the slave is bounced off a white brolly to diffuse the light.

Cheers

Danny

[Richard Harris]

Thanks for the ideas....I know nothing!

This was the best shot I managed, bit embarssing really....this was on a blue piece of card with an energy saving light directly above.

[Richard Harris]

Danny,

I cannot afford to buy anything expensive, I would have too use what I can make or borrow!

Rich

[WolstonFlyer]

That's not to bad at all really, you get shadows because the light is close but then to be further away you need much brighter lights.

That's why a nice bright window in the daytime is good. Covering the window with thin white paper will give a nice soft light. You can then use a bit of white card to "bounce" the light from the window onto the other side of the subject. See the video above.

Edited By WolstonFlyer on 26/11/2012 23:24:12

[Richard Harris]

Then things just got progressively worse!

To dark with the biggest shadw you are ever likely too see

Not to bad but still a big shadow

[Richard Harris]

WF,

Ok next attempt will be in daylight

[Danny Fenton]

You need more light.........

try using a sheet of depron at the front to bounce the downward light onto the front of the object.

Cheers

Danny

[Richard Harris]

Thanks Danny will give that ago....building is so much easier!

[WolstonFlyer]

At least with a digital camera you can take hundreds of practice shots. Like with anything, getting good results takes lots of practice.

[kc]

The answer is quite simple- use the telephoto end so you get further away this means the distance between the near part of the subject and the far part is rather less, so the light is a bit more equal. ( Look up the Inverse Square Law - 'light falls off at the square of the distance ' in a photo text book) There may be some points where you need Macro setting, some not. Using the telphoto end also gives greater depth of field because you are so much further away from the subject. ( longer lenses give less depth of field but in this case its the relative distance that counts. ( I will explain if you want! )

And, if your camera allows it, cut the flash output down. I keep my camera set at half output-always. Weak flash picks up more room light but still lights the subject with flash. Get all the room light you can and light walls too or reflectors. Dont worry about colour temperature of the lights - modern digital cameras adjust themselves if you leave them on the auto setting.

I found Slave flash units didnt work with my digital camera.

[John Cole]

You have a really nice "bridge" camera with very powerful zoom. I think kc's comment applies more to "normal" cameras. Your camera supports Canon slave light / flash units.

You need to use Macro if you need to get in close to fill the frame. You need to switch Macro on if you are nearer than 50 cm to the subject, in wide-angle mode. If you are too far away then you will not get the focus-lock icon. And Yes you should use a tripod and also you should user Timer mode so your shot is not blurred by pressing the button.

If you want both the near and far bit of the subject in focus then you need to set a narrow aperture and the camera will compensate by setting a slow exposure. Max is F8.

The editing capability of the supplied software is pretty basic. I recommend you get something more capable and spend time really learning how to use it. I use several programs; Photoshop Elements is good but a bit pricey. Paint.Net is free, and is quite useful if very slow. Once you really know how to use the software then you will find you can compensate for many of the issues raised by other people above, e.g. by colour-cast management and gamma compensation.

Edited By John Cole on 27/11/2012 11:03:50

[kc]

The most important thing is to know your camera and remember what produces the best results on that type of shot.

I have just done a series of test close up shots of an .60 engine with a couple of digital cameras. I found that 'Slow Synchro flash' ( on my wifes Canon A1300 running in 'Live' mode and Macro setting) produced the best result.and almost the same as a Canon A75 with the flash cut down to 1/3 power. What made the biggest difference on Auto settings was the background colour ( tone really ) I found that wood or orangey brown patterned Formica didnt fool the camera and gave a good unobtrusive background that made the subject stand out. Environment was the garage workshop with magnolia walls and flourescent tube light on white ceiling. Onviously you can use Manual settings if available to adjust if you want a different background. But its very difficult to beat Auto settings if you choose the right colour background once you have adjusted the camera to suit your preferences.

I think there is no need to even think about colour temperature with modern cameras if you set them to AWB ( auto white balance) Fluorescent tubes come out just about natural ( they were the worst before AWB giving a greenish tinge) Again you can fiddle about in Photoshop etc if you want to adjust anything but it's not necessary normally now. ( in years gone by we used special blue flashbulbs for colour or had to use artificial light film. I still have some of those blue flash bulbs unused- must be a museum item now)

As regards Slave flash I found that older ( not dedicated to camera ) Slave units with sensor in a Brolly reflector didnt seem to get triggered quickly enough to work properly with modern built into camera flash. Either the very short duration or very low output must be the cause. Not worth fiddling around with because a reflector or a lamp can be just as good for our type of photo. By that I mean the type of shot to illustrate something quickly --as an example my photos in Making Wing Ribs posted here yesterday.

Edited By kc on 27/11/2012 13:56:05

[Danny Fenton]

I think Richard is after shots better than shots to illustrate something quickly, I presume you are trying to get shots for a magazine piece Rich?

Cheers

Danny

[Ian Jones]

Have you been having trouble with the flash burning out detail and or dark background Richard?

All the previously mentioned reflectors, soft boxes, reduced flash power etc. apply, however sometimes a quick fix can be to use the flash in slow synchro mode. A tripod is required as this mode is for slow shutter speeds which allows the photocells to absorb some of the detail normally burnt out by the flash (it's not necessarily intended for this purpose but if it works and sometimes it does...).

If the results are not as sharp as you would hope you can try switching off the Image Stabilisation.

Would only take a short time to try.

Edited By Ian Jones on 28/11/2012 01:16:19

[Richard Harris]

Yes,

I am trying to take photos of small components maybe for the mag.

I have had a play this morning and it is still not very good.

The camera is positioned about 2 meters away from the subject on a tripod in my front room which is South facing.

The first is it's natural look

The second is with a sheet of depron positioned to the right of the plug, window is obviusly t the left.

And the 3rd is with the depron in position using the flash

Without doubt the extra light from the flash is making things sharper, though I still have a slight shadow.

What do you think? these were all taken in auto mode with Macro turned n.

Rich

[John Cole]

1. The glowplug is not in sharp focus. If you are using Macro mode then get to within 25 cm of it and choose Aperture priority and set it to F8.

2. I think the last one shows it off best. What's wrong with a shadow?

3. I copied that and made a few changes using a simple photo editor.

 

Edited By John Cole on 28/11/2012 12:53:50