Planning for an upcoming macro photography project but don’t know where to start? How do you decide on a subject to photograph and add your own style into it? As one of the more popular genres in photography today, you may find that there’s a lot of competition in macro photography or find it intimidating to even start.

Photo by Johann Schutte

To help you with taking your Macro Photography to the next level, check out these four guides written by professional photographers ready to share their insights and experiences on the topic.

If you’re ready to get creative when shooting macros, these free guides are a great way to get started! Let’s get stuck into it!

1. Guide to Better Macro Photography Images

Does equipment really matter when it comes to Macro Photography? Or how about the lenses – should you use short macro, standard macro, or tele-macro? What if you’re on a budget? Should you go extreme macro? What’s the most effective aperture? These are the few essential questions that you need answers for when it comes to this field of photography. Luckily, this guide offers helpful tips and will provide you with some practical advice to get you on the right track.Download here →

2. Macro Photography Lighting Options

Whether you have taken a macro photograph or not — there’s a unique level of wonder and appeal being able to capture an image of what the naked eye is incapable of seeing easily. As master macro photographer and author, Jason D. Little, describes it, “Macro Photography is like experiencing another dimension of reality.” In this guide, Jason touches on one of the most essential elements of a successful macro photograph — Lighting. You will learn some of the lighting options that you can play around with on your upcoming macro project. Download here →

3. How to Use Your Flash When Shooting Macro

This guide is intended specifically for those times when macro photography benefits from a more elaborate approach. When you want to produce a great macro image, you can’t just set out to photograph whatever subject you can get. You should always root for that “wow factor” in every output you make. Here, Jason D. Little, proposes that macro photographers adopt a portrait photographer’s mindset when doing a studio session. This guide covers utilizing flash lighting for your macro shots. Interested? Download here →

4. Photographing Flowers with a Macro Lens

When browsing through photos online, you are bound to see photographs of flowers. Flowers are one of the most common subjects when it comes to Macro Photography. There are a number of things to consider before you take a macro flower photo. How will you use the light to best capture a flower’s attributes? How does a narrow depth of field help you isolate your subject when shooting flower macros? This eBook will walk you through these questions and other things to consider in macro flower photography. Download here →

Looking to Improve Your Macro Photography?

We hope these guides help and inspire you in your macro photography pursuits. Still interested in learning more? Check out Photzy’s Essential Guide to Macro Lighting. This eBook will take you step-by-step to a practical understanding of macro lighting, for stand-out photography!

Filled with hands-on exercises and self check questions, this guide covers the “what”, “why” and “how” of macro lighting. With the Essential Guide to Macro Lighting, you will discover how to create mind-blowing macro photography. For more information on the Macro Lighting guide, click here.