Macro & Close-up Photography July 9th & August 20th

This One Day Macro & Close-up Photography Courses is suitable for the experienced novice or intermediate photographer. Ideally you will have attended one of our beginners photography courses before taking this course as a good understanding of the menus and various camera settings will be required so you can concentrate on the subject at hand rather than the technicalities of setting your camera. You will require some specialist kit for this course so please see below for details and sample prices in the right hand column.

See pictures from the last Macro Photography Course

This course is limited to six students and it will specialise in taking sharp, well focused close-ups of insects, flowers and small objects such as coins and jewellery. We will also show you how to light objects correctly to bring out their detail.

A multitude of subjects will be provided but if you have something special you like to photograph then bring that along too.

Macro Photography Course 20th August £135 - Spaces

What Equipment You will Need

Exactly how close your lens will focus will govern how small an object you can photograph. Most 18-55mm standard zoom lenses will let you focus down to about 18" or 50cms. This really isn't close enough for most small objects so you have several options depending on your budget and commitment to close up photography and Macro photography. You will also require a tripod and remote release. If you have a separate flashgun this is useful but not essential.

Option One: A Dedicated Macro Lens. £ 300-£600

Macro lenses are specialist lenses which can focus down to just a few centimetres from an object. This is the most expensive option but will generally offer the very best quality and convieience.They are usually prime lenses with a fixed focal length of between 50mm and 100mm so they do not zoom. The good news is they usually have wider apertures, than an equivalent zooms lens, so they can be used in lower light conditions. The 90-100mm lenses also make excellent portrait lenses because the larger aperture will allow the background to go more out of focus.

The 90-100mm versions allow a greater focusing distance from the macro subject so it is less likely to cast its own shadow. Lighting extreme close-ups can be tricky but this will be covered on the course.

Option Two: Bellows or Extension Rings. From £50

These two options basically do the same job. As you focus closer the lens extends so macro lenses focus closer by extending more. Extension tubes or bellows fit behind your normal lens and extend the lens further away from the film plane (sensor) so the camera focuses closer. Bellows are adjustable and extension rings tend to come in three sizes. Extension tubes come in manual (about £10) and automatic (about £50-60) versions. It is highly recommended you choose the automatic versions as these work with the AF and Auto Exposure functions of the camera. The downside is you cannot focus on infinity again until the extension is removed. This is not a problem with Macro Lenses which have the full range of focus.

Option Three: Close-up Lenses. From £5

Close-up lenses look like a clear filter but work rather like a pair of reading glasses by allowing you to focus closer. Like reading glasses they come in different strengths, usually +1 to +10, so you can focus closer. They can be used in combinations so a +2 and +4 will provide a good close up focus range though they are unlikely to allow you to focus as closely as the dedicated macro lens or the extension tubes. The 10x options generally offer poor quality so are best avoided. The good news is they are by far the cheapest and lightest option and as they are very small they are a worthwhile addition to any camera bag.

The down side is you often require different filter sizes for different lens so it's best to choose your favourite lens and get that size. If you are new to macro photography then close-up lenses are the best option, because of their low cost and convenience, but the quality of close-up lenses can vary so don't buy the cheapest.

If macro photography is something you get really interested in then you can by a proper macro lens at a later time.

Tripods and Remote Releases

Ideally a good tripod should be sturdy, tall enough when extended but short when closed for ease of transportation. The sturdiest models tend to be heavy, but if you don't carry one with you it is pointless, so a more lightweight option is better. The very best ones are carbon fibre and silly prices.

Italian Style

I personally like the Manfrotto or Giotto models but they are fairly expensive. If you have a camera store nearby I would go and compare tripods for yourself. A good tripod will last a lifetime whereas the cheaper plastic models may only last a short time. My best advice is ensure you choose one with a metal head and a removable top plate. Plastic heads tend to break the first time you over tighten the grips and you will probably hear a crack as the internal treads snap. The tripod I have is over 30 years old and still going strong. We do have some spares of various shapes and sizes if you need to try before you buy.

A good starting price would be something in the region of £50 plus. My favourite is the Manfrotto 190BX Pro which is easy to use, very versatile and offers a good compromise between weight and stability at about £150 including the head.

Please Release Me (gently)

You should also have a remote release. These come as either infra-red, wireless remotes or cable remotes and are available from your local camera store or on eBay from a few £££s. All our photography courses start off with the absolute basics and progress, step by step, through to some of the more technical aspects. Each camera operation or photography lesson is followed by a demonstration then a practical session. After the camera theory and outdoor practical photography sessions we review the images and offer constructive feedback. This is followed by photo-editing tutorial where we will show you how to get the very best from your your photographs.

Please visit the Student Photo Galleries from the left hand navigation column to see picture from previous photography course students.

Nikon Camera Guide / Canon Camera Guide / Camera & Lens FAQs

Please Contact Us If You Have Any Questions

email - glen@digitalcameracourses.co.uk or call 0116 279 6906

Camera Course Timings

 

9.30 -10am Arrival, coffee & biscuits 10.00am camera settings & theory

12.30 -1.00pm light lunch (included)

1pm-3pm Practical photography

3pm-4pm Review photographs

4pm-5pm Photo-editing Demonstration

5pm Questions & course feedback

 

DSLR Course Requirements

 

Digital SLR Camera

Extra lenses - optional

External flashgun - optional

Fully charged battery and/or a spare

Empty memory card

Any other kit you need explaining

change of shoes if wet.

 

Please ensure you have a fully charged battery as we will be using your camera a lot and batteries do to tend to run out. For batteries and cards at huge discounts visit www.mymemory.co.uk

 

 

Paying by cheque

Our preferred payment method is online by PayPal or Credit Card using the secure payment method above. We do understand that some people might like to pay by cheque in which case you can confirm a booking by email and we reserve a space for five days. If you could write the card guarantee number on the back of the cheque it would be appreciated.You can download a course booking form here PDF / Word Cheques should be made out to Glen Tillyard and posted to:

Glen Tillyard
25 Westerby Lane
Smeeton Westerby
Leicestershire , LE8 0RA
Tel 0116 2796906

 

Paying by BACS transfer - Contact us for details.