Nature Photography How To

If you still haven’t pulled out your macro lens for a day of close-up photography, it’s time to get going because this is the perfect time of year. The video below will get you inspired, with beautiful images, technical tips, and ideas for creative images.

British pro Andrew Lanxon is a close-up photography expert, and in this behind-the scenes tutorial you’ll watch him work some macro magic while exploring a lush location in Scotland’s Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. He demonstrates a number of straightforward techniques to help you up your game in a hurry.

The great thing about macro photography is you don’t have to travel to exotic locations to capture compelling images. If you have a forest or nature center nearby, that’s great. But really all you have to do is explore your backyard to find a number of interesting subjects.

Another nice aspect to shooting macro images is you don’t need to carry a bag full of gear. A camera and a close-focusing lens is all you need. As you’ll see, Lanxon makes beautiful images with his Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and a 100mm macro lens.

The subjects you choose will depend upon your location, and likely include flowers, interesting leaves, and a variety of creepy crawlies from insects and butterflies, to lizards and other small living things. Lanxon concentrates on lichens, mosses, and pinecones during his forest excursion, but the tips he provides are appropriate for just about anything you shoot outdoors.

One goal most of us have, regardless of the type of photography we do, is capturing images that stand out from the crowd. With this in mind, Lanxon demonstrates what he calls a simple  “creative trick” for giving macro photos a unique artistic flair.

You can find much more on macro photography and other interesting topics on Lanxon’s YouTube channel, so be sure and pay a visit and subscribe.

You should also check out the tutorial we posted from another pro recently, explaining several composition mistakes to avoid for better nature photographs.