Phoneography Challenge, the Phone as Your Lens: Macro

09 September 2013

Lens:

I. Petals

1. Native Hibiscus, iPhone 4s, August 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

2. Native Hibiscus, iPhone 4s, August 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

3. Native Hibiscus iPhone 4s August 2103; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

II. Leaves

4. Leaves of Native Hibiscus, iPhone 4s, August 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

5. Leaf of Native Hibiscus, iPhone 4s, August 2013; © Sally W. Donatello and Lens and Pens by Sally, 2013

Let me know which is your favorite and why.

Pens:

If you’d like to join the fun, please click here for details. Also do visit Gracie at http://graciebinoya.com and Polly at http://watchingthephotoreels.com/

Macro photography is difficult enough with a DSLR, so the photographer must push the Smartphone’s technology to accomplish a decent image. Each generation of these super heroic cellphones improves our ability to freeze a moment. The introduction of newly-created apps can push the quality even further.

Apps not only give the editor the opportunity to add another dimension to the image, they do, in some cases, improve the photograph’s quality. Some apps allow the lens to stay open longer (Night Cap), allowing more light to move across the frame. Purists find that each shot is a test of acumen and effort; they rely on their own experimentation and experience: no apps for them.

Macro with a Smartphone takes an enormous amount of patience. Any movement of the phone will cause camera shake, and make the results less focused. But maybe that’s what the photographer aims to accomplish–an ethereal sweep across or in parts of the subject.

But the cellphone can be forgiving–that’s as long as you build a thick skin. The ideal is to get as close to the subject as possible. Never use the zoom but inch forward. Sometimes with optimum lighting I can get so close that I’m practically on top of the composition.

Macro can fill the entire frame, and give the viewer a surprising new relationship with the subject. With magnification comes nuances and maybe blur or distortions. But the full throttle close up can be so absorbing as to keep eyes fixed for longer than usual.

In the Lens section are variations on the theme: macro. The native hibiscus, which has just completed its summer run, is a stellar subject. Part One is where I parade petals in their brilliant orangey-red and soft silky patina. Part two is very showy leaves that immediately attract as they foreshadow blossoms that ultimately steal their thunder.

When accomplished, a macro shot can be a radiant expression of the photographer’s vision. When accomplished, the viewer receives a complete dialogue with the phoneographer’s viewpoint.

Tip of the Week: Some phoneographers are using additional equipment to improve the outcome of their macro shots. Some are using a magnifying glass or loupe (traditionally used for viewing negatives, slides and prints. Each will increase the magnification of the shot. I’m planning to find my old loupe and give it a try.

Loupe

View other entries submitted to this week’s challenge:

http://weliveinaflat.wordpress.com/2013/09/09/close-up-photo-dried-leaf-and-seed/

http://sustainabilitea.wordpress.com/2013/09/08/phoneography-challenge-macro-a-sci-fi-beauty/

http://streetsofsfphotos.com/2013/09/09/lemon-blossoms/

http://thepalladiantraveler.com/2013/09/09/phoneography-challenge-macro-macrolazione/

http://nwframeofmind.com/2013/09/09/iphoneography-monday-macro-9-9-13/

http://piecesofstarlight.wordpress.com/2013/09/09/phoneography-macro-image-of-my-favorite-hair-clip/

http://angelinem.wordpress.com/2013/09/09/phoneography-challenge-macro-2/

http://watchingthephotoreels.com/2013/09/09/macro-challenge/

http://completelydisappear.wordpress.com/2013/09/10/the-remedy/

http://waverider12.com/2013/09/09/the-phone-as-your-lens-macro/

http://blogagaini.com/2013/09/12/phoneography-monday-macro/

Note: As always I welcome any comment about this post or any part of my blog. Here’s a reminder of the monthly schedule with themes for upcoming Phoneography Challenges:      

1st Monday: Nature

2nd Monday: Macro

3rd Monday: Black-and-White

4th and 5th Mondays: Challenger’s Choice (Pick One: Abstraction, Architecture, Food Photography, Night Photography, Portraiture, Still Life, Street Photography, and Travel).

Advertisement