Ok… So I thought I’d do something different… something different from the usual stale description of routine happenings…

Macro Photography and close-up photography are probably the two most confused-between-each-other terms in the arena of photography… Before going any further, let’s set things straight…

A random search of the term “macro” (in terms of photography) brings up lots of descriptions and definitions; however, to my knowledge, it can be defined as an image produced on a film (or a sensor, in the digital era) such that the size of the image is equal, or larger, than the object being photographed. Nowadays, the word is used by camera and lens makers to denote any lens which focuses at a sufficiently close distance. Note that not every lens with the “macro” label is a true macro lens, since it is (usually) not capable of taking photos according to the definition mentioned above.

The Universally Known Symbol for Macro Taken from Google Images

The idea of close-up photography is more general; photography of small objects, usually from a close distance. It can be said that macro photography is a subset of close-up photography. When you see this symbol on a camera, it reflects the ability to focus closely, perhaps 5cm or closer.

One might be inclined to say at this point, “Who cares?” I think it is better to understand the difference. Knowing the features and limitations of your equipment is one of the steps which can lead you to use your gear to its maximum potential…

The rest of this article will discuss basic techniques of close-up & macro photography. I will try my best to limit myself to the techniques I myself have used, or have witnessed firsthand. There are loads of people out there way more experienced regarding this topic than myself. Please do not hesitate to correct me, or offer suggestions or improvements…

Yeah… that was not a typo… using a Cell Phone Camera. Okay… I know, cell phone cameras are usually crappy, the better ones cost a fortune, such a tiny lens… yada, yada, yada… All true… But, the best tool for the job is the one you have with you (To tell you the truth, I don’t use a cell phone camera anymore, but that wasn’t always the case)

Chances are, your phone camera has a “macro” mode, time to use it! Activating this mode will allow your camera to focus closer than it usually does. Careful selection of subjects, along with a bit of patience can yield pretty decent results…

The following pictures were shot by my Sony Ericsson K750i, with the "macro" mode activated… The best part about the K750i (at least in those times) was that it had a fairly accurate auto-focus feature, something not very common in the camera phones in those days, when fixed focus lenses were the norm. Photography with this phone was done at a time when when words like “aperture”, “shutter speed” and “exposure” were still foreign, even unknown, to me... the acronyms DSLR and ISO unheard of...

Here is a photo of some unidentified berry-like things in my garden… They were really tiny, smaller than a one-rupee or a ten-cent coin…

The next one is a shot of a sort of flower or bud at the center of a random plant… also taken with the phone…

Back then, close-up usually meant plants and flowers... than I discovered that pets as interesting close-up subjects, and more challenging due to their unpredictable nature...

The next was a covert act... Not easy to go right up into a kitten's face without waking him up...

Looking through my old K750i photos, I am actually amazed at the amount of detail coming from a tiny 2MP sensor...

Make no mistake; these are simply close-up images, not true macros. The K750 did not match the quality and flexibility(in terms of control) provided by even the simplest of point & shoots. The point is, it can be done, with decent results.

Nowadays, most quality camera phones advertise quality cameras... as long as they have a sort of focus lock, you can easily achieve something equal or better than the picture seen above… Try it with your phone!

Note: After switching phones a couple of times, I realized my K750i was still better in terms of image quality, especially compared to the Nokia E51 and the Blackberry Curve 8520, both of which have pathetic cameras. The Nokia XpressMusic 5630 (probably old now) has decent quality; played a bit with one. Can't say much about others, feel free to share your experiences...

My "carry piece" has since been "upgraded" to a Panasonic Lumix FX-150, however, I sometimes miss the ease of carry and use of the cellphone as a image-making tool, since one rarely leaves home without it... even to take out the garbage, or check the mailbox...

Hope you like the photos!

Next Time: Close-up Shooting using Point & Shoots

Once again, please do not hesitate to leave any comments, corrections or suggestions that you may feel are worthy of sharing...

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