Macro photography on a budget part one: Photographing seashells with macro extension tubes
Macro photography on a budget is certainly possible if you use macro extension tubes. The tubes have the same attachment as your lens, so you can put them between your lens and your camera body.
They reduce the minimum focusing distance to your subject, allowing you to focus closer and shoot your subject at full size or larger.
The tubes are hollow without glass, so you maintain the full quality performance of your lens. In this video I use my 50mm lens because it doesn't have chromatic aberration, but just use the lens you have available.
What to look out for when buying macro extension tubes:
Look for tubes with an attachment that fits your type of camera. I have a Canon camera, so I have extension tubes with an EF mount.
Look for a set of three. They usually come in 12mm, 20mm, and 36mm but that can vary by brand.
Preferably buy extension tubes that have an aluminum attachment, which lasts longer than plastic.
Go for a set with electronic contact points that allow your lens to continue communicating with the camera so you can keep using settings like the aperture.
How do you work with it:
You can use one extension tube, or combine several. The more tubes you use, the closer you can focus on your subject.
A disadvantage: the more tubes you use, the more you loose light. I like to shoot at ISO 100 to avoid as much noise as possible, but by compensating for the loss of light, the shutter speed goes up.
In this video I used shutter speeds up to 6 seconds! So use a tripod whenever possible.
You can focus by moving your camera closer or further away. I therefore use a focus slider because it can be operated continuously and precisely from a tripod.
A focus slider is not necessary to have, but it is very handy!
With macro photography you also have a smaller depth of field than normal. You can compensate for that by using a smaller aperture, but beware: while many lenses can go up to f22, diffraction can occur at an extremely small aperture.
In my video I didn't go beyond f11, because in my case that's the "sweet spot" of the lens.
A solution for a shallow depth of field is focus stacking, but that is a completely different subject in itself.
Pros:
Cheap alternative to an expensive macro lens
You keep the same quality as usual, unlike filters that give a magnifying glass effect
Thanks to the electronic sensors, your lens functions, such as the aperture, continue to work
Cons:
You change your lens more often, so that dust can get on your sensor faster and you have a bit more work than with a regular macro lens
You lose light faster than with a regular macro lens so that shooting by hand can become more difficult
Tips for photographing shells:
Tip 1: Look for interesting shapes, colors and textures in your subject and use a matching background.
Tip 2: Try shooting from different angles, both from your camera and your subject.
Tip 3: Vary the magnification by combining several extension tubes, or use only one.
Tip 4: A focus slider is not necessary, but it makes your life a lot easier.
Tip 5: Work from a tripod, especially if you have a slow shutter speed.
Tip 6: Don't rely entirely on your live view, the screen of your camera may show a different exposure and depth of field than it actually is.
Don't hesitate to leave a message if I forgot to mention something, if you have any questions, or if you just want to say something nice!
Examples of where to buy the gear:
Extension tubes (for Canon!):
https://www.amazon.com/Extension-Vilt...
Focus slider:
https://www.amazon.com/Slider-Standar...
These buying links are not sponsored and may not be the best buy for you. Use your search engine to find (web)shops that will ship to your country, has the best price, and the right mount for your gear.
Instagram:
/ aw_art_and_photography
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:05 Gear for photographing with macro extension tubes
1:11 Photoshoot with seashells
3:29 Tips for photographing seashells
4:30 Outro
Music:
Sleepy Fish - no more fires https://chll.to/88a6bad8
SwuM - On The Moon https://chll.to/27845b1f
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