Do your homework: How the Pro's get those stunning Macro Shots

Will Postlethwaite · Issue 2, Oct/Nov 2001 · pp. 34–35

Products mentioned: Nikon F90X, Subal housing, 60mm macro lens, Sea&Sea YS120, Sea&Sea YS90, Fuji Velvia

The received wisdom is that macro photography underwater is easy so why is it that you can’t get those stunning shots you see in the coffee table books and photo competitions? It does not take long to get to grips with focus and depth of field, aperture and strobe positioning for effect but if you are still struggling to get a shot with real impact then maybe you need to think more about your composition and, more importantly, choice of subject. This is where you need to do your homework. Photo courses will start you visualising good composition by talking about the ‘rule of thirds’ and subject positioning within the frame. If you sort your shots out into two piles where the first pile follows the rule of thirds, diagonals and has the subject positioned well in the frame facing in the general direction of your lens and in the second pile the rest. Your best shots will be in the first pil…