My identify is Joshua Coogler, and I’m twenty-two years outdated. I really like all types of images, however one in every of my favorites is macro. I’ve been doing macro images for about seven years however solely began to get extra severe with it within the final two.
I obtained into images by borrowing my sister’s outdated iPod Contact and photographing any bugs I might discover; that’s what began my love for macro.
Most important Gear Speak
My gear has modified fairly a bit over time in changing into extra particular in what I need to {photograph}; my gear displays what I do. I really like utilizing my Mitutoyo 10x goal to get actually near tiny bugs, and I really like going exterior and photographing bugs and spiders and exploring their surroundings.
I don’t carry an excessive amount of gear after I exit, often solely what I intend to make use of. If I’m going out to do macro, I solely deliver my macro stuff, so simply what I can maintain in my fingers. It might restrict me, however I believe it makes the entire expertise much more stress-free and makes it simpler to concentrate on what I’m doing.
Cameras
Nikon D7500 – I selected this digicam as a result of I wanted one thing that was good for various kinds of images. I do macro, however I additionally do wildlife and astrophotography, so I wanted one thing that will take images rapidly when I’m photographing animals in motion but additionally one thing small that was straightforward to carry for shut macro photographs.
Lenses
Nikon 105mm F/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro – I purchased this as my first severe macro lens. It’s versatile sufficient that I can take images of butterflies flying away whereas additionally taking images of insect faces up shut. It’s a terrific lens if you need a whole lot of choices.
Venus Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5X Extremely Macro Lens – that is my “area” macro lens. I exploit it when I’m exterior photographing issues reminiscent of ants or spiders.
It’s extraordinarily small and simple to carry, and at a most magnification of 5x, it’s good for some extraordinarily shut macro images. I like to make use of it when the 10x Mitutoyo is just too shut, an ideal center possibility for ready bugs reminiscent of bigger ants.
10x Mitutoyo Plan Apo Infinity Corrected Lengthy WD Goal – this final one is my favourite but additionally essentially the most limiting. It is a microscope goal I exploit with my digicam to {photograph} the smallest bugs I can discover, typically virtually too small to see with the attention. It’s good for taking portraits of tiny issues like hearth ants or mites.
Lights/Triggers
Meike MK-GT620 – mixed with the Meike MK-R200, this set off, and twin flash combo is ideal for macro. The dual flash helps to attain good lighting that will in any other case be totally different from one single flash. It actually helps the topic stand out from the background and illuminates it completely.
FotoPro DMM-903s – I exploit these arms to carry my twin flashes. They let me experiment with the lighting, and I can transfer it round as I want.
I really like how a lot management I’ve over the lighting, which I believe is among the most necessary components of the picture.
Baggage/Straps
USA GEAR TrueShot Digicam Strap – I selected this strap as a result of it was cheap and really snug. It’s straightforward to take away after I don’t want it, and it takes no time to reattach.
It’s simply a very simple and comfy strap to make use of, particularly after I examine it to the outdated strap my digicam got here with, which was much more troublesome to take off, and it additionally damage my neck if I used it for too lengthy.
{Hardware} & Software program
For my excessive macro images, I exploit a few totally different packages. I exploit Zerene to stack up the photographs; a few of my images might be as much as 300 particular person photographs. Zerene combines the in-focus portion of every picture.
I then take the output picture and course of it in Photoshop by often including a excessive cross filter to sharpen, after which I do some fundamental enhancing like bringing down the highlights and messing with the tone curve till I’m proud of it.
Ultimate Phrases
I believe that it’s so necessary to not fear about what everybody else is doing with their images. Do what you need to do.
Once I began taking these macro images, I didn’t know if folks would even like them, and I had by no means seen folks photographing ants and mites and all these creepy crawlies.
I really like doing it, and I like with the ability to take a peek into their world.
Deal with what you get pleasure from doing; even higher, if it’s not a sort of images that everybody else does, that simply makes it extra attention-grabbing!
