Talking Photography
Portrait and street photography may be the cool guys on the block but it was macro photography which initially drew my interest. I’m always impressed by a stacked studio shot, but I find it more satisfying to get into the undergrowth to search for interesting flowers, fungi and tiny monsters.
I shoot macro through a Nikon 105mm on a D7000 and it serves me well. In bright sunlight I might try to open up the aperture enough to have a broader depth of field, but I’ll generally either use a Sigma EM-140 or a Speedlight with a Flashbender on it. A faster shutter speed, smaller aperture and compensating flash will push the background into darkness, making the subject really pop out. The ring flash can be a bit clinical and I prefer the speedlight, but insects tend to get a bit edgy when you come at them with a foot of white canvas above the camera. The flashbender catches on branches and leaves too, which makes it even more difficult not to startle the mini-beasts but the light is spread around much more naturally.
For general stuff I shoot with a D750 and Sigma 24-105mm which is incredibly versatile. It’s a lovely set-up and means I’m ready for pretty much anything when I’m out and about. For portraits I use a Sigma 85mm which isolates the subject beautifully.
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