Step into the world of 35mm photography with the Photography Discussion Roundtable, heard every Monday evening at 7:00 PM ET on BrandMeister DMR Talkgroup 31266 — the MichiganOne Nets channel. This engaging net is your chance to explore the art and science of photography, ask questions, and sharpen your skills in a welcoming, knowledge-rich environment.
Hosted by James N8TMP, Bob KB8DQQ, Rick AD8KN, and Dave N8SBE, each brings a wealth of experience to the mic. Bob and James are seasoned wedding photographers, while Rick and Dave add deep technical insight and practical know-how. Together, they guide discussions on camera features, techniques, terminology, and everything from aperture to artistic vision.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your craft, tune in and join the conversation. Your next great shot starts here!
Previous and upcoming Photography Discussion Roundtable topics:
| Date | Topic |
| 8/11/2025 | What is Aperture in photography |
| 8/18/2025 | What is the Golden Triangle? |
| 8/25/2025 | Top photo editing software available in 2025 |
| 9/1/2025 | What is Depth of Field? |
| 9/8/2025 | What is Bokeh in photography? |
| 9/15/2025 | Understanding Lens Focal Length |
| 9/22/2025 | What are leading lines? |
| 9/29/2025 | What is Back-Button Focus? |
| 10/6/2025 | 5 important photography facts that I didn’t know when I started |
| 10/13/2025 | How to shoot in manual mode |
| 10/20/2025 | The different types of lenses |
| 10/27/2025 | All about camera filters |
| 11/3/2025 | On-camera flash vs off-camera flash |
| 11/10/2025 | How to use tripods and stabilizers |
| 11/17/2025 | What is ISO? |
| 11/24/2025 | Film vs digital? |
| 12/1/2025 | How to find and organize your photos in a logical manner |
| 12/8/2025 | Understanding long-exposure photography |
| 12/15/2025 | Enhancing the sky in your photos |
| 12/22/2025 | Where and how to learn more about photography techniques |
| 12/29/2025 | DSLR vs mirrorless cameras |
| 1/5/2026 | The exposure triangle |
| 1/12/2026 | How to develop your own personal photography style |
| 1/19/2026 | Color theory (histograms) in photography |
| 1/26/2026 | Photography ethics in the digital age |
| 2/2/2026 | The future of film and where the analog industry is going |
| 2/9/2026 | How to build a portfolio |
| 2/16/2026 | Photography hints and tips |
| 2/23/2026 | How to take action/motion photos |
| 3/2/2026 | Explaining photography terms |
| 3/9/2026 | Macro photography hints and tips |
| 3/16/2026 | Landscape photography hints and tips |
| 3/23/2026 | Portrait photography hints and tips |
| 3/30/2026 | Night photography hints and tips |
| 4/6/2026 | F-stops and how to use them |
| 4/13/2026 | What are the AE-L, AF-L, and *-buttons? What do they do? |
| 4/20/2026 | White balance explained |
| 4/27/2026 |
https://thediabeticham.com/previous-and-upcoming-photography-discussion-roundtable-topics/
Macro Photography Hints and Tips
Macro photography opens up a miniature world of details we usually walk right past: textures in a leaf, the facets of an insect’s eye, patterns in everyday objects. With a little technique and some patience, you can explore that world using almost any interchangeable‑lens camera and even many phones.
Getting Close: Gear Options
You don’t need to start with an expensive dedicated macro lens, though it does make life easier.
- Dedicated macro lens
- Designed to focus very close, often reaching 1:1 magnification (the subject is life‑size on the sensor).
- Usually very sharp and easier to handle than “work‑around” options.
- Extension tubes
- Hollow spacers that fit between your camera and a regular lens, letting it focus closer.
- Inexpensive way to experiment; you lose some light and the focus range is restricted.
- Close‑up filters (diopters)
- Screw onto the front of your lens like a regular filter, acting like a magnifying glass.
- Affordable and convenient, but optical quality varies—buy good ones if you can.
- Reversing rings / reversed lens setups
- Mounting a lens backward can give strong magnification on the cheap.
- Great for tinkering, but you’ll usually lose electronic control and work fully manual.
For phones, clip‑on macro lenses can be surprisingly effective; the same principles of light, focus, and stability still apply.
Focus and Depth of Field: Working with the Razor’s Edge
At macro distances, depth of field becomes extremely thin. Even at f/8 or f/11, only a sliver of your subject may be sharp.
- Choose your focus point intentionally
- Focus on the most important detail: for a flower, often the stamens; for an insect, the nearest eye.
- Use single‑point autofocus or manual focus to avoid the camera focusing on the wrong spot.
- Consider stopping down
- Try f/8, f/11, or f/16 when you want more of the subject in focus (e.g., product shots, detailed subjects).
- Be aware that very small apertures can soften the image slightly due to diffraction, so test your lens.
- Rock‑your‑body focusing
- Switch to manual focus, roughly set focus where you want it, then gently move your body forward and back until the critical detail snaps into focus.
- Fire short bursts as you sway through the focus point—one frame is often dead‑on.
- Focus stacking (advanced but powerful)
- Take a series of photos, shifting focus slightly each time to cover the whole subject from front to back.
- Combine the frames in software later to create one image that’s sharp throughout.
A good exercise: put a small object on a table (coin, screw, flower) and practice choosing one precise focus point, then compare how different choices change the feel of the image.
Stability and Shutter Speed
Because everything is magnified, even tiny movements cause blur. Stability matters more in macro than almost any other genre.
- Use a tripod when you can
- Helps eliminate camera shake and lets you fine‑tune composition without losing your framing.
- Add a remote release or use the self‑timer to avoid vibrations from pressing the shutter.
- Mind your shutter speed
- Handheld outdoors, start around 1/(2 × focal length) or faster as a rough rule (for a 100 mm lens, try 1/200 s or faster).
- If your subject moves (wind on flowers, insects), you may need even higher speeds.
- Use image stabilization intelligently
- In‑lens or in‑body stabilization helps a lot for handheld macro, especially in the 1:4 to 1:2 magnification range.
- On a tripod, consider turning stabilization off if your camera/lens manual recommends it.
If the subject is perfectly still and you’re on a tripod, don’t be afraid of slower shutter speeds like 1/4 s or 1 s—just be sure the environment isn’t moving (no wind, no vibrating table).
Light: Soft, Controlled, and Close
Macro subjects are small but often three‑dimensional, so light direction and quality make a huge difference.
- Use soft light
- Overcast days are ideal: the sky acts as a giant softbox.
- Indoors, window light with a white curtain or paper diffuser creates gentle shadows.
- Control harsh sunlight
- A small handheld diffuser over your subject (even white plastic or thin fabric) softens mid‑day sun.
- A simple reflector (white card, silver reflector) can fill in deep shadows from the opposite side.
- Flash for macro
- On‑camera flash alone tends to be harsh and flat at close distances.
- A small flash with a diffuser (homemade or commercial) close to the subject gives soft, directional light.
- Ring flashes and twin‑flash systems are popular because they bring light very close to the lens axis and subject.
- Watch specular highlights
- Shiny surfaces (bugs, water droplets, metal) can blow out easily.
- Underexpose slightly if needed and lift shadows in post rather than losing highlight detail.
An easy project: photograph the same small subject under bare flash, diffused flash, and window light, then compare how the textures and shadows change.
Backgrounds and Composition
In macro, the background is often just as important as the subject, because it fills so much of the frame.
- Increase subject–background distance
- Move your subject away from nearby clutter if possible (e.g., isolate a flower away from the rest).
- Change your shooting angle so the background becomes distant foliage, sky, or a smooth surface.
- Simplify and clean up
- Check the edges of the frame for bright spots, stray stems, random debris.
- Small changes in camera position, height, or rotation can eliminate distractions.
- Use shallow depth of field creatively
- Let the background melt into a wash of color; think of it as your “canvas” behind the subject.
- Color contrast (yellow subject against green background, red against blue) adds visual pop.
- Try different angles
- Shoot from the subject’s eye level, from below, or straight down. Each angle tells a different story.
- Rotating the camera slightly can turn simple lines into diagonals, adding more energy.
A fun challenge: choose a single flower or object and have everyone create three different compositions—front‑on, side view with strong background blur, and a top‑down graphic view.
Practical Field Tips
Macro sessions reward a bit of planning and patience.
- Work with the wind
- Early morning and evening are usually calmer and give better light.
- If things are moving too much, use a small clamp or “plant stake” to steady stems (gently, without harming the subject).
- Mind your breathing and stance
- When handholding, exhale slowly as you take the shot and brace your elbows against your body or a surface.
- Kneepads or a garden cushion make low‑angle work much more comfortable, which improves your steadiness.
- Start with cooperative subjects
- Practice on stationery objects: leaves, screws, coins, textures in wood and fabric.
- Move on to more demanding subjects like insects once your technique feels natural.
- Take lots of frames
- At high magnifications, the difference between “almost sharp” and “perfectly sharp” can be a millimeter of movement.
- Shoot sequences and expect to throw away a fair number of frames—that’s normal in macro.
Summary
Macro is perfect for shared learning because:
- Everyone can work with the same kind of small subjects at home.
- Settings and setups are easy to document and compare.
- Small improvements in technique are very visible in the results.
For the newsletter, you could:
- Include a “Macro Corner” with one member image, the shooting setup (lens, aperture, shutter, ISO, light), and one short tip that made the shot work.
- Run a month‑long challenge: “Everyday Macro” where members find abstract images in household objects, not just flowers and bugs.
- Use side‑by‑side examples—one soft/blurry, one sharp—with short captions explaining what changed (tripod, aperture, or focus method).
With a bit of experimentation, macro quickly shifts from frustrating to fascinating, and it’s one of the most accessible ways to practice deliberate control of focus, light, and composition.
Macro Photography Issues
- Soft Images and Missed Focus
The mistake:
- The subject looks almost sharp but not quite.
- Focus falls behind or in front of the critical detail (often the eye).
- Autofocus jumps to a nearby edge or background.
Fixes:
- Prioritize the critical detail: for insects and small critters, focus on the nearest eye; for flowers, often the stamens or strongest texture.
- Use manual focus and “rocking” your body: set focus roughly, then gently move forward/back while shooting short bursts as the sharp plane passes through the subject.
- Use focus aids when available: focus magnification and focus peaking (mirrorless) make it much easier to confirm sharpness.
- Review at 100% on the LCD occasionally to make sure you’re actually nailing focus, not just thinking you are.
-
Depth of Field Too Thin (or Too Much)
The mistake:
- At close distances, only a hair‑thin slice is sharp, and key parts of the subject fall out of focus.
- Or the aperture is stopped way down (f/22, f/32), and diffraction softens everything.
Fixes:
- Work in the “sweet spot”: often around f/8–f/11 on many lenses for a balance of depth and sharpness.
- Make the sensor more parallel to the subject: if the subject is flat (leaf, butterfly wings, coin), tilt the camera so the sensor plane matches it; you’ll maximize usable depth of field without changing the f‑stop.
- Use focus stacking when you truly need front‑to‑back sharpness: multiple frames at slightly different focus distances, combined later in software.
- Accept selective focus as a creative tool: sometimes letting only a small part be sharply defined makes a stronger image than trying to get everything sharp.
-
Motion Blur and Camera Shake
The mistake:
- Images look smeared rather than just out of focus, especially when you zoom in.
- Wind, shaky hands, or subject movement ruin otherwise good compositions.
Fixes:
- Use faster shutter speeds than you think you need: at macro distances, the “1/focal length” rule is optimistic. Don’t be afraid of 1/200–1/500 s or faster, even with a 100 mm lens.
- Raise ISO instead of sacrificing sharpness: a bit of noise is easier to live with (or fix) than motion blur.
- Stabilize everything: use a tripod or monopod when practical, brace elbows, lean on a tree or table, and use a self‑timer or remote release to avoid bumping the camera.
- Time your shots with the wind: shoot in early morning or in shade where air is calmer, and fire when the subject pauses between gusts.
-
Harsh Light and Ugly Highlights
The mistake:
- Shooting in bright midday sun gives harsh, contrasty light, blown highlights on shiny subjects, and deep, ugly shadows.
- Reflections on insects, water droplets, or metal are pure white blobs.
Fixes:
- Prefer soft light: overcast days, open shade, or diffused window light make macro much easier.
- Use a diffuser: a small translucent panel (or even white plastic or thin fabric) between the sun and subject softens the light dramatically.
- Underexpose slightly for shiny subjects: protect the highlights and lift shadows in post, rather than trying to rescue blown detail.
- If using flash, diffuse it heavily and bring it close: a small, bare on‑camera flash at close range is very harsh; a DIY diffuser or small softbox makes a huge difference.
-
Busy, Distracting Backgrounds
The mistake:
- The subject is lost in clutter: sticks, bright spots, and random shapes behind it compete for attention.
- Background tones jump abruptly from very dark to very bright.
Fixes:
- Change your angle: often a small shift up, down, or sideways replaces clutter with a cleaner backdrop (more distant foliage, sky, or a single color).
- Increase subject–background distance: if you can, move the subject or yourself so the background is farther away, helping it blur into a smooth wash.
- Simplify the scene: gently remove small distractions (dead leaves, stray blades) without harming the environment.
- Use aperture creatively: wider apertures (lower f‑numbers) can turn messy textures into pleasant blur, as long as your focus is precise.
-
Flat, Centered, “Record” Compositions
The mistake:
- Always centering the subject and filling the frame in the same way.
- Shots look more like “documentation” than photographs with intention.
Fixes:
- Move the subject off‑center: try rule‑of‑thirds placements or diagonals through the frame.
- Play with negative space: don’t always fill the frame; sometimes leaving space around the subject gives scale and mood.
- Vary perspective: shoot at subject eye level, from below, or top‑down; each perspective tells a different story.
- Look for lines and shapes: curves, spirals, and repeating patterns are common in macro subjects and can guide composition.
-
Working Too Slowly (and Missing the Shot)
The mistake:
- Spending so long tweaking settings and tripod position that insects and other live subjects simply leave.
- Constantly taking your eye from the viewfinder to hunt through menus.
Fixes:
- Learn your controls: practice changing aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and focus mode without looking away from the viewfinder.
- Pre‑set a “macro starting point”: for example, f/8, Auto ISO with a minimum shutter of 1/250 s, and manual focus, so you’re immediately “in the ballpark.”
- Keep the kit simple in the field: one lens, a diffuser, and a stable support can be enough; less fiddling equals more time watching behavior.
-
Ignoring Cleanliness and Subject Quality
The mistake:
- Photographing dirty, damaged, or dying subjects without realizing how clearly the flaws show at high magnification.
- Dust, lint, or sensor spots become painfully obvious.
Fixes:
- Inspect your subject closely: check for damage, dirt, or distracting blemishes; sometimes moving slightly finds a cleaner angle.
- Keep your gear clean: lens front elements and sensors should be reasonably dust‑free; macro magnifies every speck.
- Embrace “imperfect” subjects deliberately: if you include damage or decay, do it because it supports the story (e.g., “end of season,” “urban decay”), not by accident.
Here are subject ideas that make macro practice easier, more fun, and very doable
Easy, Anywhere Subjects at Home
These don’t move and are perfect for learning focus, depth of field, and lighting.
- Coins and paper money – Great for practicing edge‑to‑edge sharpness and showing texture in metal and paper.
- Textured objects – Wood grain, fabric, leather, rust, peeling paint, and old tools all reveal beautiful patterns up close.
- Utensils and kitchen gear – Forks, spoons, graters, sieves, and bottle caps make excellent graphic subjects with lines, reflections, and repeating shapes.
- Fruit and vegetables – Cross‑sections of citrus, kiwi, peppers, and onions look striking when lit from behind or the side.
- Feathers – Easy to arrange, with repeating patterns and color that look fantastic at high magnification.
These subjects are ideal for controlled experiments with aperture, background distance, and different light sources (window light vs. flash vs. LED).
Classic Nature Subjects
When you can get outside, there’s a whole macro world waiting in the yard or local park.
- Flowers and leaves – The go‑to macro subjects: petals, stamens, veins, and edges all offer different compositions. Fresh, dried, and even decaying flowers each have their own character.
- Dandelion seed heads – Common, forgiving, and very graphic; they’re great for playing with shallow depth of field and abstract patterns.
- Water droplets – Dew on grass or spider webs, raindrops on windows, or sprayed droplets on leaves or glass create beautiful refraction and sparkle.
- Bark, moss, and lichen – Stable subjects that let you practice composition and lighting without worrying about movement.
For a club exercise, you might set a “backyard macro scavenger hunt”: leaf veins, bark texture, water drops, and a seed head as required items.
Living Subjects (When You’re Ready)
These are more challenging but very rewarding once technique improves.
- Insects in the garden – Beetles, bees, and butterflies are classic macro subjects; early morning or cool weather slows them down and makes practice easier.
- Spiders and webs – Spiders tend to hold still more than many insects, and webs with dew or mist can be spectacular.
- Ants and other tiny critters – Ants, pill bugs, and other small creatures are surprisingly photogenic once you get down to their level.
- Pets and people details – Eyes, whiskers, paws, fur, hands, and wrinkles can all be turned into engaging macro portraits.
These subjects are great for practicing faster shutter speeds, timing, and careful approach.
Abstract and Creative Macro
These subjects encourage experimentation with color, shape, and blur rather than “what the thing is.”
- Water‑droplet refraction setups – Use a stem or glass surface, add droplets with a spray bottle, and place a colorful subject behind for refracted images in each droplet.
- Paint, ink, and food coloring – Swirled or dropped into water or on paper, they create abstract patterns and textures.
- Stringed instruments – Guitar or violin strings and hardware make strong lines and repeating patterns that look great with shallow depth of field.
- Household patterns – Fabrics, woven baskets, paper edges, and printed circuit boards all become abstract compositions when you move in close.
These lend themselves well to “before/after” demonstrations in the newsletter, showing the ordinary object and the macro abstraction side by side.
How to Turn Subjects into Practice Sessions
Here are a few short, focused exercises:
- One‑subject study: “Spend a week shooting the same coin/flower/feather under different light and angles.”
- Theme challenges: “Metal and reflections,” “Patterns in nature,” or “Everyday objects that don’t look like themselves up close.”
- Paired images: Ask members to share a normal view and a macro view of the same subject to show how perspective changes the story.
Because these subjects are easy to find year‑round, they’re ideal for ongoing macro practice.
