Patience
Last year I traded in my 100mm 2.0 lens for a 100mm 2.8 macro lens, because I wanted the ability to get very close to my subject while filming. I hadn’t really thought much of using the lens for macro photography.
I always thought of macro photography as a niche occupied by very patient, very calm nature-loving photographers, who were willing to sit very still and wait for that perfect moment that a bee would alight on a flower to indulge in some nectar. Remote release in hand, camera on tripod, just waiting for that one moment to open the shutter.
Yeah, that wasn’t for me. I’m not very patient and I cannot sit still for very long. It’s different in film, even though stability, a steady hand, remains an issue. Here’s a clip of some footage from a music video I was shooting a couple of years ago, that sadly never got finished:
Inspiration
Since I like to electrify my images by rubbing them against the rug of Science Fiction and push post-processing to the point where the images alienate even myself, I didn’t believe it would fit with my style. Then around the same time I traded in my lens a friend of mine started doing nothing but macro.
As I watched his images come by in feeds on 500px.com and Facebook, I saw something there that piqued my interest. His name is Gijs Musters (500px profile and his portfolio) and here are three examples of his work:
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Gijs Musters Photography
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Gijs Musters Photography
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Gijs Musters Photography
Going Macro
Gijs managed to capture a mood that was miles away from the stuffy macrophotography of my preconceptions. So this Fridaynight, whilst standing in the doorway of my apartment trying to cool off a bit, I noticed a bug sitting on the light outside my door. I decided to try my hand at capturing the little bugger with my macro lens.
I discovered that some of my preconceptions are true, you do need patience, a steady hand, a willing subject, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought. I think I even managed to create a look in post that comes close to my preferred style of sci-fi inspired moods. Well, you be the judge (click to enlarge):
Macro Mosquito
Oh and don’t forget, you have until midnight Sunday July 6th to cast your vote for which photos I should exhibit in Times Square this summer!