Eye on the fly

08 January 2009



Macro photography is a lot of fun. Everyday subjects—such as this fly—look very different up close. I've taken many interesting close-up* in my backyard using a three-year-old Panasonic laimix DMC-FZ20. With the lens racked out to maximum zoom. I snap on a Raynox DCR-250 2.5X Super Macro Lens ($60, street) using a Raynos lens holder ($24, street). I find this much more practical than the usual ultra-close macros. With the Raynox, the maximum magnification occurs with (he camera still several inches away from the subject, litis way, the subject isn't shaded by the lens, and there's enough room for light to reach it. I can even use the on-camera flash, which I diffuse with a piece of milk-colored plastic. I photographed this fly at ISO 80, exposing 1/60 sec at f/8. I didn't use a tripod—I just leaned against a tree to steady myself. Try it, you'll find that the most ordinary things suddenly become very strange and beautiful.

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