Macro Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots

8. Adding Light on the Close-Up

ISO 100 • 1/5 sec. • f/11 • 12mm lens (APS-C)

Sometimes you need to bring your own light

Light may be basic to photography, but nature doesn’t always cooperate to give us the best light for our close-up work. It can be too dim, too dull, or simply inappropriate for the subject and for our needs for the photograph. That’s when we need to add some light.

There are two types of light that can be used, flash or a continuous light source. Flash is a great resource because it is highly portable and has a color temperature (white balance) that balances with daylight. Continuous light can come from any light source ...