TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT MACRO

There's so much more to macro photography than conventional photos of insects and flowers. In this feature we'll share some original and creative close-up projects that you can try at home using a few simple props

PROJECT 01
USE A LENSBABY MACRO
Macro isn't just about sharpness: soft and dreamy effects are cool too

It's true that the majority of macro photography involves the pursuit of maximum sharpness and detail, but subjects such as flowers can also work well with a softer, ethereal treatment. It's possible to get great impressionistic effects with just enough sharp features to enable the viewer to recognise the subject. The obvious way to create an image with limited sharpness is to use a wide aperture to restrict depth of field, and while this works very well, using a Lensbaby (www.lensbaby.com) can add an extra element. In essence a Lensbaby is like a tilt-shift lens, because it bends the path of light. But unlike a tilt-shift lens, which has a linear sharp zone, a Lensbaby has a sharp(ish) circle or sweet spot surrounded by blur, which can be moved around the image frame.

LENSBABY COMPOSER 
The easiest Lensbaby to use is the Composer, which has a ball-and-socket design. Unlike the concertina-style Muse Lensbaby, the sweet spot (which simply refers to the sharpest spot, in the middle of the lens) stays exactly where you position it.

All current Lensbabies consist of two parts: the barrel and the optical insert. There are a selection of optics available to achieve different effects, but we used the Double Glass Optic here because it has the sharpest sweet spot. Normally. the Lensbaby Composer's closest focus distance is around 46cm, but with the Macro kit this can be reduced to as little as 2.5cm. The kit consists of two screw-in close-up lenses (+4 and +10) with a diameter of 37mm, which may be used separately or together.