Instagram • How I Shoot: @moniqua's Macro Photos

How I Shoot: @moniqua’s Macro Photos

How I Shoot is a series where we ask Instagrammers to tell us about their photo-taking processes. This week, @moniqua shares her tips for taking close-up photos using a macro lens.

Camera: iPhone 4, with a macro lens

Vantage Point: Up close and personal. What I look for in a picture is detail. Macro pictures not only show small details, they show every detail.

Shooting: When I take a macro picture, I always use the basic camera app because it’s quick and simple. In order to get the perfect macro shot, I need to get down into positions that I’m not normally in. One thing that’s tricky about taking macro shots is that you need to maintain a steady hand when in the awkward positions you may find yourself in. Tripods do not allow you to get as close as you need, so to take macro shots, you need a lot of patience. For this picture, I was right next to the blueberry. My lens was practically touching the water. I was crouched over the table, very uncomfortable, but it got me the perfect shot. The great thing about the macro lens is that it gives me a shallow depth of field.

Editing: This picture in particular only needed the Amaro filter to bring out all the blue and purple tones.

Want to share your advice for taking photos? Reblog this post and let us know in the comments! Or include a tip in the caption on your Instagram photo and use the tag #howishoot