How to Capture Amazing Macro Photos at Home - Hands-on with Don Komarechka 

They're not SHARING squat. They're selling, they're a business. They're making money along with RU-vid off the viewers. What's all this sharing bullshit?

Absolutely! He makes it look so easy. The hardest part is truly creating a photo-worthy macro scene.

@@TheCameraStoreTV Completely agree

Shills

agree too 👍

and the girl doesn't

So glad you enjoyed, Lorraine! Thanks!

It's like a magic trick if you don't know how its done! Glad the "reveal" was appreciated. :)

There's an interesting channel you can look up called "Behind The Shot" and Don is a guest in a few of the episodes. Highly recommended.

thanks so much for the kind words!

So glad you agree, Matt! This isn't a technique that you can use in any other area of photography but it's one of the best ways to focus for macro work - with or without extension tubes at 1:1 magnification or higher. One of my favourite macro lenses, the Canon MP-E 65mm has no focusing mechanism at all, just a magnification adjustment ring. :)

Point taken - it's on my list of things to really pay attention to after my book is finished. :)

Good idea. We'll add a list to the description.

Thanks ♡ Yes, it's a great technique to practice at home on a rainy day.

Was just pure water, which is what I use in all my setups like this! When glycerine water dries it tends to resemble snail slime, which ruins the second purpose of purchasing flowers: a gift for my wife. While the change in viscosity might be beneficial in some scenarios, the proof is in the pudding - it's not needed.

The lens used was as inexpensive as you can get: Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. - coupled with a set of extension tubes from Kenko, you've got a macro lens! My current favourite macro lens on the MFT platform is the Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm f/2.8 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. Lens, but the point of the video was to showcase that you can be creative in this area with a minimal investment.

I may be out in Calgary again at some point, but I offer a variety of workshops that you can find here: www.donkom.ca/workshops/

We used plain and simple tap water, as I do for all of my water droplet images. As for insects, look up any natural insect pest control company near you. One local to me sells ladybugs by the hundreds or thousands, as well as Praying Mantis oothecas and more. A quick online search will find someone close to you! Support local businesses right now. :)

Don Komarechka Thanku

Well said!

A focusing rail can work! However, I almost always shoot such images handheld as it allows you to move the camera around the droplet as the center of rotation rather than the center of rotation being wherever the tripod mount is. This can be critical to getting proper alignment with the background. Yes, you can move both the droplets and the background to get this alignment as well, but then you'll find yourself going back to adjust focus on the rail, all the while your droplets are evaporating or maybe simply just flattening out (as they tend to do when placed on a flower petal). The idea is to work quickly with transient subjects, and a focusing rail will slow you down. If you can do it without it, it also makes the technique more approachable from a gear perspective. I use a focusing rail for very small but very stable subjects - grains of pollen with a microscope objective is something that comes to mind!

@@DonKomarechka Thank you for your comprehensive explanation. Now, I get it!

@@JulesMoyaert_photo happy to help! I take the same approach with subjects like snowflakes and freezing soap bubbles when timing is far more critical than carefully calculated movements. You get used to it. :)

Hah, thanks! There is definitely a lot of moving parts here and we illustrated what happens when they are all working together. If one thing is off, you'll have issues - but the point is to try different things and experiment, growing your own skills in this area from your experience practicing. I've spend countless hours tinkering away in my studio - originally my kitchen table - to end up making it look easy. :)