Fun with Macro Photography

A steady hand and an eye for the tiny is what makes Macro-photography fun. Unfortunately, very few of us have the right lenses or even the right settings to make Macro-photography fun. In many cases, getting as close as possible to the object and the correct f-stop setting along with the shutter speed will make all the difference.

This grasshopper decided to take a respite on the metal gate in front of my house and decided to take a shot. For the macro shots, I made use of the Canon kit lens IS II 18-55 mm lens so that I could get as close as possible to the grasshopper.

While telephoto zoom lenses might also be used to take Macro photographs, I have observed that wide-angle lenses or any lens that has a close focusing distance would be better for taking extreme close up snaps. That did not mean however that I stuck the lens right into the face of the bee in the next snap. I used the 18-55 mm lens in order to stay a safe distance from the bee below.

It goes without saying that the closer the lens is to the subject or object, the more the better. While using a tripod might add up to the quality, I somehow feel handicapped using a tripod as it limits movement. It would be great, though if you could use some kind of support to prevent excess camera shake.

While Macro Photography is interesting since it brings to the fore hidden features, there are times however when the dangers of getting too close to Arachnids might be a sobering thought. In some cases, spiders can leap at you and so, it might be prudent to keep your distance.

Dragonflies, a Grasshopper and a Kestrel

The greatest thrill about taking up photography as a hobby lies in being able to capture things one does not see in everyday life. Added to all this is that once you have taken your snaps, you can sit back and re-live the moment! Without saying more, allow me to present before you some of the photographs that I enjoy re-visting from time to time. Do have a look at them and leave a comment in the comment section!

Just hope the viewer enjoyed looking at these snaps. Each of the snaps tells a story, a story about how precious nature is and the need to preserve wildlife because it is priceless. All of these snaps were taken at the Sultanpur Bird Sancutuary close to Gurgaon. When I visited the bird sanctuary today along with my brothers, I was disappointed to see that we were the only visitors at the park. Moreover, there were fewer birds this time. I guess something must have happened to drive them away. Development, construction of residential buildings, a competition between different species, Asian Antelopes competing with Cattle, local varieties vying for space with migratory birds, shrinking spaces, and perhaps even climate change are responsible for the disappearance of migratory birds at the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary!