Lighting for Macro

[mortar]

What's the best way to light for shooting macro?

Get the Speed light away from the camera?

[canonloader]

I think it depends on the kind of macro your shooting. Bugs seem to require a flash, bracket and diffuser, cause well, they move. You have to move with them. But that's not the only kind of Macro. Still life can be done with any kind of light, since you can use longer shutter speeds to get the proper exposure. Your subject isn't going to walk away from you. :lol:

[Warl0rd]

I would say the more magnification the more artificial close light you'll need. for close up daylight should be enough, for 1:1 a flash can be useful, for >2:1 flash will be your main light source.

but of course if your shooting static subjects you can manage 15" ISO100 exposures.

[mortar]

So a bracket will get the speed light out and away from the lens enough to light something that is really close to the lens?

Do people shoot insects hand held?

[Warl0rd]

yes and yes. also getting the flash closer will allow you to use less power, which will speed up recycle times. also make the light softer.

[mortar]

Is there a certain type of bracket that works better for Macro?

Thanks!!!!!!

[canonloader]

Google it. Whatever you get, you need a bracket that will allow you to position the business end of the flash, the actual light emitter part, right out there near the end of the lens. I bought a bracket that had the flexible thing on the end, with a mount on it. That worked, but you had to handle the whole thing carefully, or the flash would move or change position at just the wrong time. A bracket with solid bars and screws to tighten in a certain position might be better. You will need an off camera shoe cord also.

[Warl0rd]

i use the Hakuba LH1, bought on ebay. it has a ballhead (not very strong) so you can fine tune the flash position.

[gregpphoto]

I use my paul c. buff cybersyncs to get off camera, then just put the flash(s) (modified or not) on my table where I'm shooting. I'm also forced to use a very bright flashlight to illuminate my subjects for focusing when I shoot at apertures of around f/7.1 or smaller with a reversed 17-40mm f/4L at 17mm (3-4x mah).

[mortar]

Do you hold the 17-40 up against the body manually?

[gregpphoto]

Do you hold the 17-40 up against the body manually?

Used to. I then got a reverse adapter ring for 6 or 7 bucks on ebay, much easier and safer for your equipment.

[Dalantech]

All of my insect macro is hand held.

You need to get the flash close to the subject to keep the flash duration as short as possible (freeze motion) and to get better diffusion. Apparent Light Size (http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/07/lighting-102-unit-21-apparent-light.html) <--Required reading... ;)

[canonloader]

Mortar, just curious, are you going to shoot bugs?

[mortar]

Not really sure what I'm going to try to shoot at this moment. Right now still life's probably

Weather's not great to shoot outside unless it's landscapes with a snow theme. :D

[canonloader]

I recently got a light tent, cause it's too cold to go out and I wanted to try something new. Today was the first day with it up and taking pictures. Perfect for stuff that doesn't crawl away, cause you don't need to hurry or even use flash, you can take long exposures in lower light. Check out the Still Life Forum. :)

[mortar]

Canonloader that tent idea looks like something that would be fun to toy with.

When using them are you shooting through the material and using the material as the diffuser?

[canonloader]

I have only had it up two days and shot maybe 15 objects in it. While I took maybe 75 shots. So far, not a single shot was bad. It's unreal. No, I did not keep most of them, I kept only the best of the best, but that does not mean the others were bad, just not exactly what I was looking for in the shot.

Short answer is, I shoot through the open front of the tent. I have left the front panel off, although it has a slit for the lens, I just haven't felt I needed it yet and haven't tried it. The two lights on stands are off to the side of the tent, and I can position them high, low, on the side or even shining into the front, for more sparkle.

But here is a thread I started a few days ago (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=801607).

Here is a post in that thread with pics of the box opening ceremony (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=9323549&postcount=36), the day it got here. :)

And this is the tent and light stands set up for use. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=9328906&postcount=39) The camera is set on a tripod, just like in that picture.

I remcommend a tent and lights. A great way to spend some time, and the pictures are great. Some of mine are in the Still Life Forum. :)