Nature Photography How To

Macro photography offers a unique way to explore the small world around us—often while traveling no further than the backyard. So if you have a lonely close-up lens lurking in the back of a cabinet, and are unsure about the necessary techniques, look no further than the beginners guide below.

Instructor Trey is an expert are capturing tiny subjects that often go unnoticed, and he's sympathetic to the plight of new photographers who find the genre confusing. He summarizes today's episode like this: "I'm going to explain some tips and concepts to consider and provide you with a better understanding of macro photography and its challenges."

Trey covers a wide range of topics from where to find the "best bugs" to composition and focusing. There's also a description of the most appropriate camera settings to use and the equipment he recommends. The only problem you may have after watching this 12-minute primer is that macro photography is so much fun that it's difficult to stop.

This behind-the-scenes lesson does more than bring you up to speed on the necessary tips, tools, and techniques because Trey illustrates his advice with images that are both beautiful inspirational. So take a close look, dust off your macro lens, and get out there and create some close-up magic of your own.

Once you're done watching, head over to the Xx7trey YouTube channel where there and many how-to videos to be found for macro photographers of all skill levels.

And on a related note, don't miss the tutorial we featured earlier with another accomplished pro who explains how combining your camera's Shutter Priority and ISO modes can be a gamechanger for when shooting photographs with movement.