Lynsey, you will have a blast with macro photography, When shooting in really close with a macro lens, the depth of field can be minute. So we have to get into the higher f/stop numbers to increase the depth of field. You see the flower shot I posted, that was shot at f/16. Any image you see on my website, where the subject is in focus from top to bottom and side to side were shot at f/22 or higher. When shooting a flower portrait or bug portrait where you want the whole subject in focus and blurred background, that is only possible when you find a subject with a background quite a distances away from the subject, and then shooting in the f/8 to f/11 ranges. I’ve shoot flower portrait and had blurred background shooting as high as f/22, but in those cases I was in open fields with background 100 feet away.
Hi. I’m not sure how all of this works with the online workshops. I’m Just learning about the online photography programs out there.
I do some nature photography. I use my macro lens most of the time. I mostly do black and white. Some color.
This is an example.
“ Come to Stillness”
Max, I never use focus stacking as I can get plenty of dof shooting in the higher f/stop ranges, which works great for all my close-ups. Now if you are shooting true macro photography in 1:1 ranges or higher magnifications, then your dof drops of dramatically. In that case focus stacking would work great, but only if you have a very still subject, which is not always easy when shooting outside. I have done a little focus stacking when it first came out, and only used the program helicon focus for the stacking.
I agree Brenda, I spend a lot of time on all the different social media platforms, and only so many hours in the day. NPN has always had great people running it and Dave has implemented a lot of new feature here. Thanks again.
Very nice image, did you have a question you need answered?
Hi Mike, thanks for doing this “ask me anything” session with NPN. I just wondering what, if any, post processing you do? And if you do, what programs are your favorites? Thanks.
Hey Linda, in the last couple years I have mainly used a program called Smart Photo Editor. It has over 7,000 creative filters. I also use Vivesa from Nik Software, and a little from Topaz. My cloning is all done in Photoshop Elements.
Hi Mike. For many years in NPN I have admired your splendid photos becoming more and more beautiful. What I love more in your images is your ability to marry naturalness and creativity. Sometimes I would try to do the same but I can’t. Do you have an answer or an advise for this too?
Well that explains how you “make it look so easy” and beautiful. Thank you for these notes. I will keep them with me as I keep practicing. I also walk with a cane so find it really difficult to hand hold. I think it’s time to start try using my tripod from now on too. Thank you for taking your time to teach us.
Have a really good weekend Mike.
Thank you Giuseppe for you kind comments. I think it is in your thought process when you are are shooting. When I’m shooting a subject, I try and think of all the ways I’ve seen that subject composed by other photographers, and try and come up with a different way to present that subject, and that helps to set my images apart. I also try and find subjects that have something unique within that subject, that sets it apart from all the other subjects within that same species. Hope that helps a little.
Hi Mike - I checked out your website. Truly stunning images! Do you offer prints for sale? JT
Thanks Mike for the suggestions.
Hi Mike, Thanks very much for this opportunity to thank you for being open to questions. I have been shooting two gardens over the past 5 + years - Nikon (D7000 and D810) with 105 mm micro lens. I am creating a guidebook for the Stanford garden and will make cards and probably prints available for the that garden and one in Palo Alto. I have been thinking about getting an Epson or Canon printer to print the cards and supply them in boxes. The prints I will have done by a west coast pro lab. The guidebook publisher is yet to be determined - hope to get it out in a year or so, COVID-19 has delayed somewhat. I would love to have any suggestions. BTW - always natural light (sometimes with diffusers to avoid harsh light, and always a tripod. Thank you.
Thank you JT. I don’t print anymore, but there is a company that sells my images, Here is a link to that company where my images are available. https://www.greatbigcanvas.com/category/moats-mike/
Thanks Mike. I’ll check it out. JT
Hey Greg, I have always had the best luck with Epson printers. Had issue with Canon and HP printer, but not saying those are not decent printer, just my experience has been the Epson’s did the best for me. I hope you have great success with your cards and publishing’s.
Hi Mike been following your work for many yrs and enjoy it very much. I have two macro lenses, an older Sigma 150mm f2.8 and a Zeiss 50mm f2. Do you have a workhorse lens that is your go to? Since I got the Zeiss I find I get better results, more dof than the sigma due to the wider focal length but it is not a 1:1 so cropping is necessary. Any advice for get more dof with the sigma other than smaller aperture? Thanks and best wishes.
Bruce, I shoot all the time at the highest f/stop to get max depth of field when I need it. The sigma 150 is an excellent lens, and that is the one I would be shooting with. Don’t let people worry you about diffraction when shooting at the highest f/stops. Any slight softness you get when shooting in the higher f/stops can be sharpened with any of the programs offered for sharpening your images. Most of the time when people tell me their images don’t look sharp, it’s usually they are just not using enough sharpening in post.
Mike, Shoot with a Nikon D7100 and AF Micro Nikkor 105mm 1:2.8 lens. I find it very difficult to get in extremely close AND get get a sufficient DOF. Is that my technique, or the nature of the equipment or should I learn focus stacking (which I have never tried)? Thank you!
--Jeff
I love that there are many styles of macro photography. My macro work tends to be shot wide open with little depth of field. But I love your macro work with all of the detail.
I will geek out a bit here and ask what is in your macro toolbox? And also do you branch out into more set up macro imagery at all?
