Macro Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots

7. Light on the Close-Up

ISO 400 • 1/1000 sec. • f/4 • 200mm lens (MFT)

Great possibilities for light up close

Light is basic to all photography, but up close, things change. As noted in Chapter 5, light can be a challenge for wide-angle close-ups, which can restrict the light you can use. In that sense, light up close can be a problem.

But in another way, light up close gives you more possibilities than you could ever have with bigger subjects. If you are photographing wildlife, say a moose, and the moose is not getting the right light, there is not much you can do. You can’t move the moose to better light, nor can you easily move around ...