Photo Bio #7 - An Alien Utopia to Photograph In Your Own Backyard!

Back when got my first SLR, it came with the 18-55mm kit lens. I was excited to finally have a camera like the ones I had seen on TV, and all of a sudden I felt liberated because I now I could switch lenses without having to buy a whole new camera! The problem was that I didn’t have any money, and it became very obvious very quickly that I wouldn’t be able to afford any real glass any time soon.

While browsing through cheap Ebay listings I’d often see these screw on filters that would turn your kit lens into a macro lens. It’s like being able to get high resolution photographs while looking through a microscope. I quickly purchased a set, like the one you see above. There are several lenses, each of which add a bit of magnification to your kit lens, enabling you to get really close to the object you’re focusing on and snap away.

At this point of my life, I was eager to shoot, and more interested in finding things to photograph than come up with concepts. I began going into our very plain backyard and photographing bugs and insects up close. It seemed no matter how close that you got, much of the time it wouldn’t phase them. This was a great opportunity to learn the settings of my camera a bit better, learn how to compose images with living subjects, and get a closer look at alien like life. Forgive me, many of these shots were shot at max ISO. I hadn’t learned my settings yet, and for a short time I was under the impression that it made sense to always have your ISO at 1600, which is not the case. It made for many of my perfectly well lit shots wind up very grainy.

If you’re new to photography, and think that the place you live is boring, and there’s nothing interesting in photography. I encourage you to try getting a set of close-up macro screw on filters. You’d be amazed how beautiful some things are close up. From rust patterns, to snowflakes, to alien looking bugs there are always interesting shooting opportunities getting missed by just about everyone.