Skip to content
Tips to Take Better Thanksgiving Food Photography
Mon, Nov 25, 24
How to Use a Tamron Macro Lens
If you are someone who has struggled to find time for personal photo projects, one of the aspects of macro photography that may appeal to you is the opportunity to create compelling compositions with what you have nearby. Macro work allows you to be creative wherever you are, whenever you can find the time. Here are a few macro rules of thumb to to use with your Tamron Macro Lens to help you along the way.
Find Your Ideal Working Distance/Lens
When you’re shooting things on such a small scale, how close you can get to your subject matters a great deal depending on the subject you’re shooting. For still objects you can easily pick a lens with a shorter focal length, but if you’re contemplating shooting bugs and butterflies, you might want a lens that’s a bit on the longer side so you won’t spook your subject matter by getting your gear too close. Most macro photographers are a little bit more comfortable with a longer focal length lens for macro work.
Stabilization Matters
When you’re able to, shooting on a tripod gives you the ability to frame a shot without having to worry so much about your shutter speed. This gives you more flexibility on the depth of field you end up choosing to work with. In the instances when you don’t have a tripod handy, having the Vibration Compensation feature the Tamron Macro Lens offers is a lifesaver. With the VC on, you can handhold shots and get sharp results in situations where you would normally need some other method of stabilization. Use the camera’s self-timer feature, or a remote shutter release cable, to fire your shots because even the vibration from pressing the camera’s shutter button can cause image blur.
Wide Apertures may not be Your Best Bet
When you’re shooting at the minimum focusing distance with a Tamron macro lens wide open at f/2.8, your depth of field can be insanely narrow. At a focusing distance of several feet you may be used to getting several inches in focus wide open, but at the macro level you may only get a few millimeters of sharpness. Even at traditionally deep apertures of f/11 and smaller, you may never get more than a half an inch of sharpness in your shot. So depending on what kind of photo you’re looking to take, make sure you’re keeping an eye on your aperture and how much depth of field you’re achieving to get your desired results.
Lighting
Just like any other kind of photography, the most important part of a shot is finding and using the best light. One of the benefits of macro photography is that it lets you experiment with different types of lighting on a smaller scale which can produce dramatic results on the most limited of budgets. Whether you use small inexpensive LED panels, natural light, speed lights, or even homemade cardboard box light tents lit by desk lamps, you can create drama with directional light and shadows in your macro photos that will take them up another level.
If you’re looking to get into macro photography, the Tamron macro lenses from Beachcamera.com should definitely be the lenses on your wish list. These helpful tips will help you use your Tamron macro lens once you choose the one that is right for you!
Find Your Ideal Working Distance/Lens
When you’re shooting things on such a small scale, how close you can get to your subject matters a great deal depending on the subject you’re shooting. For still objects you can easily pick a lens with a shorter focal length, but if you’re contemplating shooting bugs and butterflies, you might want a lens that’s a bit on the longer side so you won’t spook your subject matter by getting your gear too close. Most macro photographers are a little bit more comfortable with a longer focal length lens for macro work.
Stabilization Matters
When you’re able to, shooting on a tripod gives you the ability to frame a shot without having to worry so much about your shutter speed. This gives you more flexibility on the depth of field you end up choosing to work with. In the instances when you don’t have a tripod handy, having the Vibration Compensation feature the Tamron Macro Lens offers is a lifesaver. With the VC on, you can handhold shots and get sharp results in situations where you would normally need some other method of stabilization. Use the camera’s self-timer feature, or a remote shutter release cable, to fire your shots because even the vibration from pressing the camera’s shutter button can cause image blur.
Wide Apertures may not be Your Best Bet
When you’re shooting at the minimum focusing distance with a Tamron macro lens wide open at f/2.8, your depth of field can be insanely narrow. At a focusing distance of several feet you may be used to getting several inches in focus wide open, but at the macro level you may only get a few millimeters of sharpness. Even at traditionally deep apertures of f/11 and smaller, you may never get more than a half an inch of sharpness in your shot. So depending on what kind of photo you’re looking to take, make sure you’re keeping an eye on your aperture and how much depth of field you’re achieving to get your desired results.
Lighting
Just like any other kind of photography, the most important part of a shot is finding and using the best light. One of the benefits of macro photography is that it lets you experiment with different types of lighting on a smaller scale which can produce dramatic results on the most limited of budgets. Whether you use small inexpensive LED panels, natural light, speed lights, or even homemade cardboard box light tents lit by desk lamps, you can create drama with directional light and shadows in your macro photos that will take them up another level.
If you’re looking to get into macro photography, the Tamron macro lenses from Beachcamera.com should definitely be the lenses on your wish list. These helpful tips will help you use your Tamron macro lens once you choose the one that is right for you!
