Digital Photographer - UK (2020-01)

Close-up photography is all about

capturing detail. Whether the image

is a macro shot of a plant in a natural

setting or a magnified product image, the goal

is the same – to show elements of the subject

that are not easily visible with the naked eye.

A characteristic feature of close-up images

is shallow depth of field, introduced by the

close focussing distances used. While this can

compliment some subjects, with commercial

product shots or scientific record images of

natural subjects this fall-off in sharpness is

often undesirable. For this image of a food

product, it was essential to render the front

item equally sharp across its surface. While it

is possible to extend DOF by stopping down

the aperture, the high f-number required would

compromise lens resolution through diffraction.

A tilt/shift lens is capable of adjusting the

angle of the focal plane so that it covers

more of the subject without stopping down

significantly. This enables us to utilise the

lens’s optimal aperture – in the case of this

Micro Nikkor 45mm f/2.8D ED that we’re

using, around f5.6, while still achieving required

depth. A macro tilt/shift optic is an incredibly

powerful tool, allowing high magnification, and

perspective and focus control. Inset

Limited focus

While shallow depth of field can often be

an attractive feature for product images,

the main subject is not sharp from front

to back at the lens’s optimum aperture

Integrate a tilt/shift lens into your close-up and

macro workflow to maximise depth of field

without the use of small apertures

Use tilt for close-up

1

Arrange the scene Set out your items,

staggering them for added interest.

Ensure there are no distractions. Here we

used a large soft light from behind and a

focussed strobe from the side.

4

Compose the shot Arrange the frame so that

the subject fills the composition, making

use of the lens’s macro capabilities. The angle

here has restricted context to suggest a bakery

setting, but with clear subject focus.

2

Set camera height While DOF is increased by

shooting at 90° to the subject, here it was

necessary to aim the camera down at around

45° to capture the top surface of the product.

This also controls background detail.

5

Rotate the lens For vertical tilt, first press the

rotate lock switch and twist the front lens

section to rotate it into the vertical position.

This will enable the tilt and shift mechanism to

move the lens up and down.

3

Calculate exposure Since we will be avoiding

small aperture settings, controlling

lighting is essential. Use Manual mode, set

an appropriate shutter speed and adjust the

strobe output accordingly if using flash.

All images © Peter Fenech

beFoRe

sharpness

shooting skills

Close-upphotographyisallabout

capturingdetail.Whethertheimage

isamacroshotofaplantinanatural

settingoramagnifiedproductimage,thegoal

isthesame–toshowelementsofthesubject

thatarenoteasilyvisiblewiththenakedeye.

Acharacteristicfeatureofclose-upimages

isshallowdepthoffield,introducedbythe

closefocussingdistancesused.Whilethiscan

complimentsomesubjects,withcommercial

productshotsorscientificrecordimagesof

naturalsubjectsthisfall-offinsharpnessis

oftenundesirable.Forthisimageofafood

product,itwasessentialtorenderthefront

itemequallysharpacrossitssurface.Whileit

ispossibletoextendDOFbystoppingdown

theaperture,thehighf-numberrequiredwould

compromiselensresolutionthroughdiffraction.

Atilt/shiftlensiscapableofadjustingthe

angleofthefocalplanesothatitcovers

moreofthesubjectwithoutstoppingdown

significantly.Thisenablesustoutilisethe

lens’soptimalaperture–inthecaseofthis

MicroNikkor45mmf/2.8DEDthatwe’re

using,aroundf5.6,whilestillachievingrequired

depth.Amacrotilt/shiftopticisanincredibly

powerfultool,allowinghighmagnification,and

perspectiveandfocuscontrol. Inset

Limitedfocus

Whileshallowdepth of field can often be

anattractivefeature for product images,

themainsubjectis not sharp from front

tobackatthelens’s optimum aperture

Integrateatilt/shiftlensintoyourclose-upand

macroworkflowtomaximisedepthoffield

withouttheuseofsmallapertures

Use tilt for close-up

1

ArrangethesceneSetoutyouritems,

staggeringthemforaddedinterest.

Ensuretherearenodistractions.Herewe

usedalargesoftlightfrombehindanda

focussedstrobefromtheside.

4

ComposetheshotArrangetheframesothat

thesubjectfillsthecomposition,making

useofthelens’smacrocapabilities.Theangle

herehasrestrictedcontexttosuggestabakery

setting,butwithclearsubjectfocus.

2

SetcameraheightWhileDOFisincreasedby

shootingat90°tothesubject,hereitwas

necessarytoaimthecameradownataround

45°tocapturethetopsurfaceoftheproduct.

Thisalsocontrolsbackgrounddetail.

5

RotatethelensFor vertical tilt, first press the

rotatelockswitch and twist the front lens

sectiontorotateitinto the vertical position.

Thiswillenablethe tilt and shift mechanism to

movethelensupand down.

3

CalculateexposureSincewewillbeavoiding

smallaperturesettings,controlling

lightingisessential.UseManualmode,set

anappropriateshutterspeedandadjustthe

strobeoutputaccordinglyifusingflash.

All images © Peter Fenech

beFoRe

sharpness

shooting skills