A macro lens changes the way you see the ordinary. A pincushion protea on a Cape hillside, a beetle working its way across an aloe leaf, the seed head of a restio catching late afternoon light — all of it becomes worth photographing once you can fill the frame with it. This guide covers the two subjects most South African photographers reach for first, flowers and insects, and sets out what to look for when you buy your first macro lens.
What makes macro lens photography so rewarding?
Before getting into technique, it helps to understand what actually separates a macro lens from the rest of your kit. Once those differences are clear, the shooting decisions further down this article start to make a lot more sense.
What sets a macro lens apart
Two specifications define a macro lens: a high maximum magnification and a short minimum focusing distance. Together they let you work far closer to your subject than any standard lens allows, so a flower head that would sit lost in the middle of a
