8 | MACRO
Now’s the perfect time to get down to the woods and capture spring in all its glory, says Chris Rutter, who explains how to use atelephoto lens for macro results
Few things encapsulate spring like the sight of bluebells carpeting a woodland floor.These beautiful and iconic flowers normally appear in April or May, depending on the weather and location. These seasonal displays can be shortlived, so you’ll need to keep a close watch on likely locations to give you the chance to capture them in their full glory.
There are many ways that you can shoot these colourful displays, depending on the type of location, the background and the lighting you encounter. The classic wide-angle view is great if there is a large, colourful display, with a suitable background, but that’s not always the case. For smaller displays, you’ll get better results by using a longer focal length lens, such as 70-200mm, and isolating specific areas of flowers. Using these lenses, it’s also easier to isolate the flowers and any bright green leaves in the same location as the blooms by using a wide aperture, such as f/2.8 or f/4, and blurring the background.
For either, it’s suggested that you shoot in bright, overcast conditions, and have the sun behind you. This is great for capturing as much detail as possible but can result in flat, dull-looking results. Try shooting early or late on a sunny day, and face towards the light for a more dramatic backlighting effect.
As with any wildlife photography, you should respect the environment. Don’t walk across other flowers just to get the shot that you want
