The Manual of Close-Up and Macro Photography, Volume Two: High Magnification and Advanced Techniques

by Lester Lefkowitz

It’s a big 324 pages, over 750 photographs, full of gorgeous images and, most importantly, scores of photos that show how the images were created, that show the specific equipment used, and show variations ( lighting, aperture, focus, depth-of-field). The Manual of Close-Up and Macro Photography, Volume Two was designed to be the definitive reference in the field of advanced work. It’s for anyone who wants to photograph subjects that range from 125mm to about 1mm in width. The popular subjects of insects and flowers are illustrated throughout the book, but the information pertains to photography of any small subject, and there are examples in medicine, electronics, geology, biology, archaeology, mechanics, and even food. Techniques that take advantage of the latest hardware and software are given broad focus stacking (automated and manual), mirrorless cameras, modern macro lenses, microscope objectives, noise reduction, sharpening, and post-production enhancements. However, most of the techniques are based on best practices for macro work in general, and definitely are appropriate for older cameras and lenses, even for film aficionados. Numerous photos show the assembly of components used to make specific images, and there are over a dozen tables for depth-of-field, diffraction, focus stacking step size, magnification and working distance, etc. Though hardware is important and heavily covered, the best equipment can’t make great images if technique is lacking and imprecise. Therefore, emphasis is also placed on important issues such as accurate focus, depth-of-field, diffraction considerations, and subject and camera stability and positioning.

324 pages, Paperback

Published November 23, 2023