Finding Macro Photos in the Forest

In this week's macro photography tutorial I show how I find my macro images in the forests of Scotland. I explain what I look out for, how I focus on textures and colour and how I use techniques like focus stacking to get sharp images. I also discuss how I compose my images and the settings I use for taking better macro photos.
Follow me on Instagram: / batteryhq
My gear includes (affiliate links):
Canon EOS R5: amzn.to/3Yn4inM
Canon RF 100mm 2.8 macro: amzn.to/3YsATZt
Canon 35mm macro: amzn.to/3Qz4wGR
Godox AD200 Pro flash: amzn.to/3DLArvP
Godox AD100 Pro flash: amzn.to/3OK0utA
Collapsible softbox for flash: amzn.to/3DKFT29
Godox X-Pro C trigger: amzn.to/3OMvnOn
Zhiyun Fiveray M40 LED: amzn.to/3DRjwbb
Gitzo Carbon Fiber tripod: amzn.to/3Yn7fou
OWC CF Express card: amzn.to/44Xix5s
Peak Design Slide camera strap: amzn.to/3OKvslt
MagMod MagSphere starter kit: amzn.to/3DMgcyo
PolarPro Boreal backpack: www.polarpro.com/products/bor...
Off-camera flash shoe cord: amzn.to/3PwKU43
Wireless flash triggers for any flash: amzn.to/3PwLvCP
Want more easy macro photography tutorials?
My essential macro tips: • Essential macro tips I...
Take creative macro at home: • This easy macro idea i...
Easy, creative macro tricks: • I LOVE these easy macr...
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:11 - Looking in the undergrowth
01:55 - Looking for foreground interest
02:16 - Finding a mushroom for macro photography
03:06 - Hand holding the camera to find composition
03:52 - Zoom in close for abstract image
04:40 - Focus bracketing settings
06:38 - 35mm wide angle macro lens
08:33 - Sun flare photo
11:28 - Hand held macro
12:50 - Focus stack lichen textures
14:25 - Tree bark for macro photography
21:33 - Close up bricks
#macro #photography #tutorial

[@BadSloucher]

I wasn't listening to anything you were saying. The visual video footage alone is gorgeous! Whatever color grading/editing you did is absolute eye candy!! 😍

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Thanks so much! I'm glad my extra efforts with this one paid off!

[@wongkenneth4005]

Very interesting topic, it clearly shows that a pair of observant eyes can turn simple objects into nice photos. Thanks for sharing, Andrew.

[@pat664422]

I really enjoyed you sharing your discovery process. I thought your compositions of the leaf in the moss and your brick shots in particular were excellent and inspiring. Thanks for sharing!

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Thank you so much for watching and for your kind words! I particularly liked the brick shots too, I love the story they tell of the area!

[@robintaylor7374]

another great vid. thanks

[@markbarkntrunk102]

Excellent thanks

[@fleetingmoments6762]

I love my 35mm F1.8 Macro lens also....shame the new L 35mm is not macro....don't think I'll get it. Thanks for the Blairadam location...we will visit soon....not too far across the bridge for us either.

[@paulorrmorais3697]

Wonderful photos and video! Bravo!!!

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Thank you!!

[@rosssayer6524]

Thank you Andrew for taking us through the woodlands looking for some great images, which of course you managed to capture. Weather close up or Macro one would not complain on what you achieved, I would love to learn how you blended those 2 images of the tree mushroom with the Sunstar, it was brilliant.

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Thanks for watching! It's a very easy process of just layering the two images in Photoshop, applying a layer mask to sunburst image and then just painting back just the area with the burst around the mushroom.

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

lovely video - right up my street that 🙂 my mobility is dead slow, so I really enjoy this type of slow-paced photography, particularly finding comps in fallen leaves, etc. that light at 1:10 looked really interesting with the warm orange and cool green vegetation

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Thank you! Do you find it helpful to be in forestry type places where there are likely to be more subjects in a small space? I was surprised to find three shots all within arm's reach of each other!

[@duringthemeanwhilst]

@@AndrewLanxonPhotography absolutely yes! I can't walk too far so always work in a small area. It means I have to work harder but I find that the less I actually try, the more images just seem to come to me. I tried Simon Booth's "3-shots in the same place" challenge a while back, but found when I was putting pressure on myself to get images I was less successful.

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Makes a lot of sense. Sometimes going in with the expectations of "I MUST get photos" ends up making you feel less creative. I have that problem quite often when I go out to film these videos knowing I need to get shots for this week's video. It's not always the best mindset. Simon's technique is a great one though, I always enjoy his channel, really talented bloke and lovely vibes in his videos.

[@kenhenley7599]

Fascinating video, thoroughly enjoyable viewing and some beautiful images. I really must get out and follow your lead. Random questions if I may.....approximately how many images did you take during this session and do you retain all of the images that you take?

[@derrickm9808]

Great photos !, I wish I had your motivation and patience. That is interesting how the wide macro shows the environment around and still gets a good macro shot, I might want to get a lens like that for Nikon Z mount.

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

I like that it gives that wider view, sometimes it feels a shame to zoom in so close to subjects when the whole environment around them looks just as amazing! I definitely recommend giving one a go. Thanks for watching!

[@shadowblack1987]

Nikon Z 105 MC is probably one of the best macro/portrait lens you can buy.

[@peterc2248]

Very inspirational as usual Andrew. I wish my little Sony had the auto bracket feature :-)

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Thank you Peter! You can still do it the manual way, it just saves a bit of time!

[@kevinscindian5454]

i love u cuz.. ty🔥

[@gary4739]

Now that I watched, I'm getting out of my recliner and go shoot. If you had to replace your backpack would you buy it again?

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

It's a great backpack when I have a lot of gear to carry. On this day I was taking a lot of extra equipment to film multiple videos so I took a much larger pack than usual. I'd definitely buy it again, but it's not the only one I use.

[@johnlangford7788]

Have you used the Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x lens?

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

I haven't but it looks a good lens. I'd be interested to try it at some point as its not especially cheap to buy second hand. Have you used it?

[@johnlangford7788]

@@AndrewLanxonPhotography no I haven't yet but does look good

[@mutebiivan1417]

I have found this awesome, the interactions only are so wow, I am just a beginner Macro photographer here in Uganda, can you please be my coach in this industry? Hope to hear from you. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@eimage123]

May I ask what camera was used to photograph yourself as well as the tripod?

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

I shot the video with the blackmagic cinema camera 6k pro. The tripod seen in the video is the Gitzo Legende. Thanks for watching

[@user-gr6cd8rc6g]

Merci à toi Andrew je suis des tutos avec un grand plaisir même si je ne comprend pas tout tes photos et vidéos traduisent bien.

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Merci d'avoir regardé ma vidéo!

[@scotskinner4350]

Anytime I've got the macro lens on the camera, it's a macro photo, even when I'm not at the lens' minimum focusing distance.

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

I also look often at the various macro fan pages on instagram and there's load of just general wildlife photography on there so I feel all of these here are fair game if that's where the line is!

[@Generale2006]

Perchà si continua a chiamare macro foto che sono solo close up???

[@colintraveller]

99% of facebook users wouldn't know or notice a stacked image . I never bother . imo it's a waste of time . I use the Laowa 100mm x2 .