Using dew drops for macro shots
You can use the drops to give creative perspective to your photos, writes Zanariah Salam
TAKING macro photos can be addicted if you know how to manipulate your smartphone’s capability. Have you noticed that most of the stunning flower photos are captured in dew drops or covered with water droplets? It makes the photos come to life. Besides that, water droplets resting on the flower or hanging on the leaf also give that fresh feel to the photos.
Let’s take a look at how we can get these kind of photos.
Zooming in to the tiny droplets of water can be explored with these five simple tips.
1. Find a clear background:
The background of all shots are important as they either add to or distract from the shot. Find a solid colour or blurred background or that isn’t too complicated which will help the water droplets themselves to stand out and be the feature of the shot.
2. look For Perfect light:
Morning light is the easiest to work with. Gently move your body or smartphone to decrease the shadow of the subject if the sunlight is too bright. This also will create stunning effects on the background if you are in the right position.
3. Find the reflection:
It may seem old school, but catching reflections of other objects in the water droplets can be interesting. Use water droplets that show the reflection of subjects nearby. This will give a unique view of the subjects encapsulated in the dew drops. But be careful not to bump into the flower or you might lose your selected droplets. You may need to crop the photo as to get the image up close. 4. Figure out the mixing patterns and textures: The non-linear veining on leaves or petals provide a stark contrast with the clear, shiny water drops. It would induce the eyes to look at the patterns and textures and then move on to the subject. This can be really interesting if you can find stunning patterns and textures.
5. alternatives: Drops of water can be found everywhere. They may be on the car, windows or on unused discs. The formations of drops create interesting patterns which make for great abstract images.
* All of the photos were shot using smartphone with a macro lens dedicated for phones attached to it. A tripod is a must.
*Do not forget to bring a small spray bottle of water as it will help in adding more droplets on your subject.