Close Encounters.

Little Tips On Shooting Macro Images

My first serious attempt in macro videography could at best be described as a big flop. At the time, I was using a top-of-the-line full-sized VHS camcorder with a set of three close-up filters that allowed me to focus on a tiny single flower. To get close to the snowdrop in the macro range, I had to lie on the ground with my shoulder-mounted video camera and peep through the monochrome viewfinder, while the dainty flower kept moving in and out of focus.

In those good old days (not even 20 years ago) before auto-focus and image stabilizers had been invented, you had to draw on your cinematographic skills in order to produce quality video footage. Predictably, my first macro footage suffered from severe camera shake, out-of-focus subject matter and even incorrect white balance. To make matters worse, while lying on the ground, I had ruined my best jacket and my new flared trousers. And, on top of that, I caught a bad chill that put me in bed for three days!

Perfect Tools

Today's modern camcorders make close encounters with flowers, insects and other tiny objects a breeze. The new breed of camcorders can focus automatically down to a fraction of an inch, and the built-in image stabilizer helps reduce camcorder shake. Unless you intend to videotape a flea circus, there is little need for auxiliary close-up lenses, as most new camcorders can focus on and fill the screen with even the tiniest daisy.

Fortunately, besides auto-focus operation, many camcorders also offer manual-focus overrides that are especially useful when you shoot in the macro range. And, while the auto white balance works perfectly well in most normal shooting situations, when you aim your lens, close range, at brightly colored flowers, their brilliant hues will often look quite different during playback.

Down To Earth