How do you get so close?

[Transportithere]

I have maybe 20 macro shots for experience.
So many images posted here are so. Over the top, in my opinion.
How is it done? I need to get really close. albeit, what I use for my macro experience is very cost effective..

Yes, I will practice, practice, practice.. HINTS PLEASE!!

[LordV]

Whatever you are using - the main thing is as you say is to practice and learn to make the most of your setup. IMO you only need to upgrade when you feel you have exhausted the potential of what you have or feel limited by it.
Brian V.

[elysium]

Sometimes you got to remeber when people post macro's the shot may be cropped. Thats the only thing I did when I posted up some of my shots.

Crops at 100% with a 50mm and extension tubes got me stupidly close. That and practice.

[macro junkie]

i never crop..i get wicked shots because i have a good rig and i pratice lots,

[macro junkie]

Sometimes you got to remeber when people post macro's the shot may be cropped. Thats the only thing I did when I posted up some of my shots.

Crops at 100% with a 50mm and extension tubes got me stupidly close. That and practice.
thats ok if there not going to print.

[nwa2]

I have maybe 20 macro shots for experience.
So many images posted here are so. Over the top, in my opinion.
How is it done? I need to get really close. albeit, what I use for my macro experience is very cost effective..

Yes, I will practice, practice, practice.. HINTS PLEASE!!

Better to think in terms of greater "magnification" rather than getting closer when doing Macro. I use "Close-ups in nature" by John Shaw as my guide. Quite an old book now, it does not cover digital but I do not find that a problem as I know the advantages and limitations of digital already.

From what I have learned so far, getting magnifications above 1.5:1 is technically specialised work. I am practising in the range of 0.5:1 to 1:1 which John Shaw describes as "real close"!!! This can easily be transformed into the "damned close" range by cropping - with the usual caveats on restrictions ...

So when you look at macro images ask "what is the magnification" because the techniques become quite different above 1.5:1.

[elysium]

thats ok if there not going to print.
I never doubt your work. I rarely print just web use.

[MrEd]

thats ok if there not going to print.

one way round this is to upscale them in photoshop, that increases the pixel count. I do that when i crop images to make them back to the original pixel count, not noticed a quality issue yet, i think photoshop is quite clever lol :)

[macro junkie]

one way round this is to upscale them in photoshop, that increases the pixel count. I do that when i crop images to make them back to the original pixel count, not noticed a quality issue yet, i think photoshop is quite clever lol :)
yer i was reading somthing about that in scott kelbys book.

[macro junkie]

I never doubt your work. I rarely print just web use.
Do you save the original before you crop? if i was cropping all the time i think it would be best to save original also just in case it does go to print.

[elysium]

Do you save the original before you crop? if i was cropping all the time i think it would be best to save original also just in case it does go to print.
Origs get kept yes if I decide to change composition. Crops get saved on diff folders for just in cases. Need to get me a real macro lens now. 100 2.8 next month to start.

[Transportithere]

While experimenting with what I have to work with. My kit lense, electronicless tubes, magnification(macro attachments +1, +2, +4, +10), and my Quarntray lense. When working with my Kit lense. The more macro attachments I added. The closer to the subject. I needed to get. The lense was as close as one inch from the subject. That would make tracking a moving subject rather difficult.

With two macro attachment sets. Being able to stack +10 to a +10.. I found. If I were to crop. I really did not need and attachments..

Then I tried the Quarntray lense with the tubes.. What a differance... I could be three feet away.. I will try it outside tomorrow.. I might get lucky!!

Does my sumation fit your experience? Or have my attempts missed something..

I ask you at this time to look at what I am working with..

[Transportithere]

I will add to photos..
One is my kit lense with tubes.
the other is kit lense, tubes, +10 attachment.

Compare the two photos. Is there a difference?

When I crop out to 1600% there is a difference

[nw85887]

as mentioned above, they use a lens that is capable of magnifications higher than 1:1 (like a mpe-65 or 100mm, & usually with ext tubes).