Another 'late' blog update. I had a long day yesterday driving on northern Los Angeles County and southern Kern County looking for wildflowers. I was partially successful. You can visit my Places Page on my website or my FlickR PhotoStream to see some of the images I created including this one of my new jeep (which I used to kill an hour driving down part of the unmaintained Old Ridge Route only to hit a locked gate). That day in the field might become the subject of another blog update.
This week I am highlighting macro images found on FlickR. Paraphrasing from Wikipedia, a macrophotograph is a photograph where the captured image is larger than the life size of the subject. Macrophotographs are created using a macro lens. A macro lens is a 'long' barreled lens designed for close-up focusing. When photographing objects up close using a macro lens, the depth of field becomes very shallow. This shallow DOF is one of the challenges in macrophotography but it is also one of the tools applied in creating the final image. Because the DOF is so shallow, the photographer must make decisions on what will be in focus (and hence the subject of the image) and what will be out of focus (also called bokeh, which helps accentuate the subject of the image).
Macrophotographers will use tools like a tripod, off-camera flash and a cable release to create the image. Depending on the subject they may have to use other tools including clamps or wire and sticks to hold the subject steady while composing the image. When you search on FlickR for macrophotographs you will find that two subjects dominate: insects and flowers. Obviously, the photographer is not using clamps to hold the insects steady but when you see some of the incredible images created, you will wonder where the photographer got the patience it must take to get the final image.
As I said, two subjects dominate (insects and flowers) but they not the only interesting subjects for macrophotography. Other natural objects make outstanding subjects as do man made objects. Here are five of my favorite macrophotographs from FlickR.
I hope you enjoy this weeks selection from FlickR. Feel free to visit my website, like my Facebook fan page, follow me on Twitter or add me to a circle on Google+.
