Just starting with Macro

I am just starting to explore Macro Photography and purchased a Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Lens. Locally, we have Boyce Thompson Arboretum and it provides limitless subjects to work with. Here are a few of the shots that I took yesterday - C&C are most welcome. I am trying to work on the soft focus, getting rid of it I should say.

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Nice, and interesting, shots.

I am a beginner, but I assume that you see the depth of field situation as 'soft focus''? (where the camera can only focus on a small area).

If so, it is a large part of macro work is about making the most of DOF, or limiting the effects of it. The clever guys here manage to do just that. Some use focus stacking to make impossibly good shots.

One of the good things about the shots you posted is that the background is 'out of focus', and that makes the subject stand out, which makes the whole picture work. For people of my standard, that is the main aim, get the subject in focus and lit well enough to capture it.

If I misinterpreted your 'soft focus' comment then please ignore this response

Bas: your comments are spot on. I do see the dof as soft focus, but in my other shots which were not posted I have clear focus issues with the pictures. I do like that this is entirely different and gives me the opportunity to learn more. Thank you for your comments.

There will be a a reasonable amount of shots that are not perfectly in focus, it is part of the game. (I have to think that or I would feel really bad about myself!)

If you look at the likes of LordV and his work, you will see the 'impossible' shots where he can stack multiple images to get all the layers to be in focus, even though the individual shots would have the same depth of field as your or my pictures, the result can be wonderful pictures.

But equally some single shots can be wonderful because of the way (for example) the perfectly focused eyes of a fly stand out against the soft background. That blur is known as brokeh (another thing I have learned in my short time here).

Have fun, that is the best advice I can give.