I would like to show some tips on taking pictures up close and personal to better help people that need to share close up shots to help with sexing and other problems.

Using Macro settings will take close up pictures. For most cameras the Macro icon looks like this



Zooming in with the cameras zoom feature will blur the picture. You want to get the lens as close to the subject as you can, almost touching the subject.



For the photo above the lens was about 1/2 inch away from the lighter.

Provide as much light as you can without using the flash, the flash will be too close to the subject and somtimes not make it down to the subject.
Use the auto feature on the camera with the flash turned off and the Macro turned on. The auto feature will tell the lens to stay open longer to let more light in. The downside of this is blur so you might want to secure the camera to stop the motion blur. A tripod will do fine or just provide the light.

Picture with flash


Notice the dark area where the detail is lost.

Notice in the picture below that one side of the wheel is more detailed than the other side. using Marco will limit the focus area but will give great detail where needed.



I would practice on many different subjects using the Macro setting. Practice on high and low light pictures and realy get to know your camera.

wow dude thanx, i have no idea regular digital camera can do that.

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Smoke Responsibly

Waffles.

Good advice. I will also add that using one of those natural color incandescent bulbs in a crook neck desk lamp as a cheapo spot light can work wonders indoors. Also, if you buy a piece of white and black or dark blue muslin-like material to use as a backdrop you can really accentuate contrasts and save on the cost of more costly equipment. Open a book, lean the vertical part of the book on something stable to form an "L", then throw the cloth over the whole works. You then have a nice staging are for small items.

A tripod is a real help. Manual focus, if available on your camera, is essential to really subperb macro work. Some of the less sophisticated cameras these days don't even have manual focus anymore and require moving closer and farther from the subject when the auto focus is disengaged. Also if you can change f stops on your camera (depth of field adjustment) you will be even more satisifed and it is well worth the half hour or so to learn about f stops and makes the hours spent experimenting with f stop bracketing that much more enjoyable. That said, even very low end digital cameras can take decent pictures in macro mode. Believe me, the next time someone says their pictures suck because of thier camera, probably just doesn't know how to use it. Pays to know your camrea, as the OP says.

Another of the reasons I am looking forward to my first harvest is to indulge my other hobby. Plan to employ my Nikon D200 and macro lens to take closeups - seeds to buds. Always even more fun to photographs when you have a pleasing subject!

OK, bottom line for my reason to post here is that I have been asking all sorts of no doubt annoying newbie questions lately. I have very much appreciated the help in return and am happy to find an area in which I can return the favor.

Nice pic. I don't think my crappy camera has a macro setting...let me check again....

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Buds,Buds, and more Buds: Purps + White Russian

good post i got a sony dsc w100 8.1 megapixel and i was comparing my pic with your and damn your is wayyyyy better close up what do you got

its weird when I use the macro option on my 4 mp camera its just dark as flash isnt even avialiable in this mode.Just blurry and dark using macro.Damn sony lol

same here right now my gurl who knoes more on how to work the damn thing i saw that when macro off it took clear pics

thxs,,i wondered what that lil frikkin flower was for

Keep on Growin

HoLE

The camera I used for the shot is a canon a710. 7.1 mp

Keep the flash off and provide good light to the subject and hold camera very close to the subject and still. If the picture comes out blurry start moving back from the subject in small amounts. just look at the camera screen push the button but not all the way. this will to activate the auto focus.

thanks for the tip,really,now i know what that macro sighn was for ,my bud plants!lolthanks again!!!