Macro photography Facts for Kids

This tiny spider is only about 4 millimeters long!

Macro photography is a special type of photography. It's all about taking super close-up pictures of small things. Imagine taking a photo of a tiny insect, a flower petal, or even a drop of water, and seeing every amazing detail!

In classic macro photography, the picture you get is almost as big as the real object. This means if you photograph a small coin, the image of the coin on your camera's sensor (or old-fashioned film) will be nearly the same size as the actual coin.

The most common way to do this is by using a special macro lens. These lenses are designed to focus very clearly on tiny subjects that are very close to the camera. Many macro lenses can take pictures where the image is the same size as the object (this is called a 1:1 ratio). Some can even make the image half the size (1:2 ratio). Macro lenses are best at these close-up distances.

In recent years, the word macro has also been used for cameras that can focus close enough to make a regular print (like a 6x4 inch photo) show the object as life-size or bigger. Digital cameras often just tell you how close they can focus, which is helpful for beginners.

People often use macro photography to capture amazing details of things like flowers, insects, jewelry, or small household items. It can show you a whole new world that you can't easily see with just your eyes!

How to Take Macro Photos
Challenges in Macro Photography
- Shallow Depth of Field
- Getting Enough Light
Images for kids
See also

How to Take Macro Photos

There are several cool ways to get those super close-up shots:

Using a Special Macro Lens

These lenses are made just for macro photography.
They come in different sizes (called focal lengths). Some are good for very close subjects, while others let you stand a bit further away.
They often give you a 1:2 or 1:1 reproduction ratio, meaning the image is half the size or the same size as the real object.

Using Regular Lenses with a Macro Setting

Some normal camera lenses have a special macro position.
These usually offer a reproduction ratio around 1:4, which means the image is a quarter of the size of the real object. It's a good start for close-ups!

Adding Extension Tubes

Extension tubes are hollow rings that fit between your camera and your lens.
They move the lens further away from the camera, which helps you focus much closer.
This increases the magnification, but it can also make the picture a bit darker.
A special type of extension tube that can change its length is called a bellows.

Using a Close-Up Lens

A close-up lens is like a magnifying glass that you screw onto the front of your regular camera lens.
It helps your lens focus closer, making small things appear bigger.

Using a Telephoto Extender

A telephoto extender is another attachment that changes your lens's focal length.
It makes your subject appear larger in the picture, helping with macro shots.

Challenges in Macro Photography

Macro photography can be a bit tricky, but it's very rewarding! Here are two main challenges:

Shallow Depth of Field

When you focus very close, only a tiny part of your subject might be in sharp focus.
This is called a "shallow depth of field." It means that parts of the object just a tiny bit closer or farther away can look blurry.
You need to be very precise with your focus!

Getting Enough Light

The closer you get and the more magnified your image is, the more light you need.
It can be hard to get enough light to make your photos bright and clear.
Some photographers use special ring flashes that attach to the lens to light up the subject evenly.
Using a telephoto macro lens can help, as it lets you stand further away from your subject while still getting a close-up shot. This makes it easier to light your subject.

Images for kids

A close-up photo of a common yellow dung fly. This was taken with a 1:1 macro lens, making the fly appear very large on screen.
A detailed headshot of a dragonfly. This was taken using two lenses together for extra magnification.
A macro photograph of an ant, showing its tiny hairs and body parts.
A close-up of a fern sorus, which are clusters of spores on the underside of fern leaves.
A Canon MP-E 65 mm macro lens. Notice how small the front lens elements are, which is common for macro lenses.
Extension tubes used with cameras. These tubes don't have lenses inside; they just move your camera's lens further away.
Bellows attached to a camera and a reversed lens. Bellows let you change the distance between the lens and the camera smoothly.
A typical close-up lens, which screws onto the front of your camera lens like a filter.
A wide-angle lens used in reverse in front of a macro lens for even greater magnification.
A Minolta zoom lens with markings that show its reproduction ratio at different zoom levels.
This image shows how different cameras and lenses can achieve similar close-up results. The top photo is from a full-frame camera, and the bottom is from a smaller sensor camera, both showing the same subject size.
Two close-up photos of a columbine flower, taken with different camera setups but resulting in very similar images.
A housefly on a leaf, photographed with a very shallow depth of field. Notice how the background and parts of the fly's wing are blurry.
A diagram showing how close-up macro photography works optically.
A diagram showing the optical setup for reversed-lens macro photography.
A diagram illustrating macro photography using a reversed lens combined with a telephoto lens.
A diagram showing the optical setup for macro photography using an extension tube.