Chapter 3: Going to Extremes
In This Chapter
Getting close to the macro lens
Stepping back from the telephoto lens
If you like to shake things up, this chapter is for you. In it, you’re exposed to two different types of lenses, both of which are practical and artistic: the macro lens, which specializes in close-ups, and the telephoto lens, which specializes in far-aways.
Macro lenses focus on nearby subjects. Although they don’t generally magnify, they appear to because the subjects look so much larger than normal. What they actually do is try to replicate subjects on the sensor the same size they are in real life (or thereabouts). Telephoto lenses, on the other hand, use their long focal lengths to magnify small or distant objects. They work just like microscopes and telescopes. You can be hundreds of feet away from subjects and a telephoto lens will enlarge them in your viewfinder. Both types of lenses are fun to work with and can create stunning photos.
Dancing with Macros
Macro photos tend to evoke “oohs” and “aahs” from people because they give us a vantage point we don’t normally see. Small bugs become huge. Hidden details become visible. The mundane becomes magical. You can literally see the hair on a fly’s backside.
The following sections define what macro photography ...
