Simple in the Field Tips to Maximise Sharpness (And Improve Focus & Background)

Рет қаралды 13,093

Күн бұрын

How to Improve your Insect Photos: 6 Top Tips with Paul Miguel Photography. Learn how to photograph Insects in the field, hand-held in natural light. In this tutorial I look at how to approach insects and find the best angle; how to select an aperture and maximise depth of field for the subject and background; and the best focussing technique.
All photos shot with Canon 1DX camera and 100mm f/2.8 Macro Lens. Do you use any of these tips and techniques? Let me know in the Comments Box below!
My equipment: If you purchase any of these items, that I use and recommend, through the Amazon links I receive a small commission which is massively appreciated and it helps me to keep creating new videos.
Manfrotto MVH502AH Fluid Head: amzn.to/3sabeDP
Movo GH700 gimbal head: amzn.to/2y2ekCg
Canon 400mm f5.6 lens: amzn.to/2AnX8q8
Canon 1.4 extender: amzn.to/2JsrWvY
Canon 100mm f2.8: amzn.to/2t34Jp6
Photography Workshops: www.naturephotographycourses.c...
My Website: www.paulmiguel.co.uk
Friend Me: / paulmiguelphotography
Tweet Me: paulmiguelphoto?l...
Flickr Stream: www.flickr.com/photos/3277897...
This video was filmed with a Canon M50 and 15-45mm lens.
Equipment: Canon 1DX Mark i
Music:
Honey Bee by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/

Пікірлер: 70

@Moluminary 9 ай бұрын

"There's a Copper down there, a Butterfly, not the other kind!". Very entertaining and a lot of good tips. Thanks a lot Paul!

@PaulMiguelPhotography 9 ай бұрын

Lol. I don't even remember that!

@coolay11 Жыл бұрын

6Great TIPS

@jacobbakst8982 Жыл бұрын

I would take both shots then blend them in post so you end up with a sharp detailed butterfly and the out of focus background. Get the bezt of both worlds!

@pashedu_if Жыл бұрын

I have no choice with manual macro lens)) A couple from me: 1) block direct sunlight, insects tends to split light into nasty glares and flares; 2) try to use flash and diffuser and expose with the flash. It will help you to achieve several goals: you could use higher aperture - more DOF; lower ISO - more details and clearer picture; less motion blur. Hope it will help to someone ;)

@66xtopher Жыл бұрын

Some good advice from Paul. A good tip I received from an experienced photographer was to use the 100-400mm zoom. It’s not quite 1:1 ratio but it’s so sharp it allows you to get close without getting close and cropping the image. It also helps with the depth of field issue. Also using a speed light flash with diffuser on about 1/16 power is enough to light the insect and freeze the motion which helps on macro shots.

@kendalloei Жыл бұрын

Second that for the 100-400. Get great, totally smooth bokeh. Just have to shut down aperture as much as the light allows to get as much insect in focus as possible. Paul’s tip on how to approach the insect is a great one.

@digitalst0rm438 Жыл бұрын

I do own a 100mm macro lens, but I use a 100-400mm zoom for insects, set mainly at 400mm. The 400mm let's you stop a good way back, so less chance of disturbing the insect. I also tend to use an aperture of f16, so I get as much of the insect in focus as possible.

@guyjackson4143 Жыл бұрын

Welcome back Paul! I am a relatively new subscriber to your channel. Glad to see your still using dslr and haven't make the switch to mirrorless. I'm enjoying your tips and the sights you show in your videos. Keep up the good work. You've got a fan in the states.

@tridentroy Жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

@garymc8956 Жыл бұрын

Good overview coverage of wide range of information.

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Thanks Gary.

@roxammon5858 Жыл бұрын

It seems to me that the holy grail of insect photography is to fill the frame with the insect. More often than not it is better to have a smaller subject, but include much more of the surrounding habitat. This can be visually pleasing as well as adding more information about the eco-system surrounding the subject.

@SkylarkFields Жыл бұрын

I definitely agree with this!

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Great point. It totally depends on what you prefer, there's a place for both.

@perkyperky4276 Жыл бұрын

Great tips. I have used the back and forth technique quite frequently to good tesults.

@kendalloei Жыл бұрын

Great tips! Will give some of the ideas a try

@johanspanenburg9640 Жыл бұрын

Thanks

@soethan.1349 Жыл бұрын

Very interesting, I love micro photography. 👍

@ellenrawding280 Жыл бұрын

Great advice as always, Paul. Thanks

@catherinetremerryn Жыл бұрын

Some great tips, thank you.

@Monique.1709 Жыл бұрын

Great video again :-) I love macro photography, it really brings my mind to rest. I lately started to use a flash + diffuser and I think it makes a great difference in my photo's when I go for the very small bugs as you have to get closer to the insect to get it sharp and you loose a lot of light than.

@SteveHedgesPhotography Жыл бұрын

Hi Paul,great set of tips. My approach at the moment to get closer to my subjects is it put my waders on and get into the river. I'm getting so much closer to dragonflies and damselflies by taking this approach. Obviously safety comes first.

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Fantastic Steve! I imagine that would work well.

@EdwardKilner Жыл бұрын

Very valuable video. Highly likely to view it again.

@andrewreardon9400 Жыл бұрын

Hi very interesting will work on that. Some very handy tips.

@kathrynhall9920 Жыл бұрын

lots of helpful tips Paul. I had never thought of using AI Servo but will give it a try. Many Thanks.

@ianpawson1356 Жыл бұрын

Have learnt a lot from this video, I need to practice macro but only have some extension tubes rather than proper macro lens

@julioamaral4391 Жыл бұрын

Great tips, Paul! Thanks! Being a Dentist, I use the same lens as you in a 80D / 5DIV bodies. The 'pendulum' technique, in which I move back and forth, works pretty well,, even when I'm holding a mirror in my left hand. Use to get great results that way! Nice video, congratulations!

@paulbaldwin2290 Жыл бұрын

Good to see you back still learning alot from your great tips as always 👌getting them to stay still is another matter 😏🤔but still getting some good ones I like to use aperture mode Keep theese coming Paul 👏👏

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

It's always a challenge, no matter what!

@ellenrawding280 Жыл бұрын

Great advice as always!!

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Thanks very much.

@tonyturner7676 Жыл бұрын

I love photographing the insect world and found some of your tips, Paul, most useful. Especially liked your advice on manual focussing and the one about rocking backwards and forwards, after you had manually focussed, to get a sharp image most helpful. Thanks, excellent video.

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Hey Tony. It's great fun. Yes, that technique works for a lot of people. But it's whatever works for you!

@mickbear413 Жыл бұрын

Another interesting informative video. Absolutely love your channel. Cheers Paul 👍

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Many thanks Mick.

@clivewelch1025 Жыл бұрын

Hi Paul if I ever get a macro lens I'm sure these tips would come in very handy but one thing I would do is take the shot further back and crop after. Until next time take care and stay safe my friend

@steveandrews9859 Жыл бұрын

Another good video - thanks Paul. I've given up on my Nikon dslr+300mm lens - age is slowly taking its toll and keeping lens still is an issue. I now use a lighter sony rx10 iv for my butterfly, bee and dragonfly pictures. At 600mm equiv mfd is 57mm so good for 'macro' - although at those extremes the dof is a gnat's whisker!! Couple of metres is better then use a bit of cropping. I'm going to experiment with manual focus and rocking though👍🏻

@MrRobovision Жыл бұрын

6:50 - that's a new one, COMMNON Darter? 😆

@luisfigueroa3300 Жыл бұрын

I really like your videos. Thank you for taking the time to do them. Like always great information. Do you ever photo stack your macro pics?

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Thank you Luis. I don't stack macro shots no. I just don't enjoy it.. and I find it can look a bit unnatural maybe.

@stevemartin239 Жыл бұрын

Cracking informative tube as always Paul. I find a long lens (200-300mm) for butterflies & dragonflies can be beneficial. Thanks for sharing

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Yep. Longer lenses can be good, particularly if they a shorter minimum focus distance.

@ashstubbings2603 Жыл бұрын

Hi Paul! Great tips as usual! I got some quite nice shots the other day of a Common Blue Butterfly, and I think, an Orange Tip, but the problem I had was disturbing the insects as I tried to get closer. As I mentioned before, it's tricky in my mobility scooter. I'm surprised I manage at all to be honest, but that's where my shear determination comes into play!

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Great species both of those. Love the determination!

@roxammon5858 Жыл бұрын

I do tend to back off and crop later. It is much easier now with the detailed images from modern cameras. I start clicking as i approach the subject, rather than wait until i am in position because most of the time the subject flies away [butterflies usually].

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

I agree with that approach. Take some shots first then move in!

@Ericbjohnston5150 Жыл бұрын

Canon 5x macro. Only if critter is no longer with us.

@tomlee812 Жыл бұрын

Some sound advice. Butterflies (my favourite summer subject) can be very difficult to get everything in focus as they rarely settle with open wings flat. I find then that you need to move back a bit, if your camera has enough pixels to play with, and crop in. Closing the aperture down can help too, but be careful with diffraction. I also like my F/4 200mm macro lens which gives me greater working distance. I also find a monopod has been a great help with stability since I've become an OAP...

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Good advice Tom. 200mm macro would be fantastic. Working distance definitely helps.

@tomlee812 Жыл бұрын

@@PaulMiguelPhotography It wasn’t cheap though and I forgot there was import duty to pay (second hand from Japan). Don’t tell my wife!!

@blisteringbooks2428 Жыл бұрын

As a point of interest depth of field increases as sensor size decreases, so using a camera with a 1" sensor or smaller might be advantageous.

@stephenthompson1998 Жыл бұрын

Sony RX10 IV has such and I get some decent shots using A priority and automatic focus, biggest problem is the little swines don’t stay still long enough !

@blisteringbooks2428 Жыл бұрын

@@stephenthompson1998 early morning before they get very active, plant mist spray with cold water. Hypnotism!

@SkylarkFields Жыл бұрын

Excellent video as always! I do wildlife photography just as a hobby, nothing serious. My 100-400mm lens is glued to my camera for distant wildlife and birds, so it has to make do for insect images too. I admit I am a sloppy photographer 😁but I see that I do already use some of the tips you gave, and I do get some quite nice shots. Am just about to look at some humming bird hawk moth pics I took today in my garden. I will have to crop to 'bring them closer', and I like to sharpen them a bit too. Look forward to your next video!

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

The 100-400mm is a flexible lens. I know lots of people do use it for butterflies and dragonflies. Hope you got those beautiful humming bird hawk moths!

@SkylarkFields Жыл бұрын

@@PaulMiguelPhotography I did get one or two I was happy with! More practice is always good, though! 😁

@Rob.1340 Жыл бұрын

👍📷😎

@blisteringbooks2428 Жыл бұрын

I have been shooting at f11, you can always blur the background in post processing.

@rockymanilow5115 Жыл бұрын

Have you moved on to mirrorless cameras yet? You're still shooting with 1DX? Finally I've switched to R7 from 1DX.

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Still not. I planned to but there are other things to put money into. Still using the DX. However, I do have loan of a mirrorless camera which I'll be taking abroad and making a video about. Can't say more yet!

@streetlegal008 Жыл бұрын

Just a question on metering for macro. Would you always use spot metering for macro or might centre weighting be a better option here?

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

I just use evaluative metering for everything these days. Just the way I prefer to work

@ronwilson9855 10 ай бұрын

Have revisited this subject now you have a mirrorless camera?

@PaulMiguelPhotography 10 ай бұрын

Yes absolutely. The Canon R6 has been a big help in my insect photography. The electronic shutter and IBIS both help with stability. And it's lighter too!

@captinktm Жыл бұрын

Great video Paul, but I wonder why you even use a macro lens? Yes I had one and it was to put it technically it was a pain in the arse. You'er probably going to laugh at what I use now, but it works. I use a 150/600 sigma. Nooooooooo I hear you say. But here's why. dof is better, and you don't have to get so close to the subject (but do have to put up with min focus distance) Of course you also have the opportunity to photograph other wildlife without changing your lens. To be honest the results are as good as using a macro without a tripod for me. I also don't use my auto focus the same way as you describe. I use continuous focus but once focus I take my finger off so locking the focus, to stop hunting. Early morning light when the air is still cooler seems to help, as the critters don't move around quite so much. I have also use my 70/300 which also does a great job. Thanks for posting.

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

Hi Chris. Many people do the same - especially if primary target is larger wildlife. I don't find I get the same level of detail without a macro lens. But yes.. it can be a pain in the arse!

@silva-anderida7695 Жыл бұрын

The only criticism I would make is that,for anyone who has ever owned a horse or other livestock,Ragwort can never be an attractive image.Really interesting though.Cheers!

@PaulMiguelPhotography Жыл бұрын

I understand that.