I took up photography seriously in 2013, partly inspired by an old friend who had since departed. Failure after failure had me almost given up on photography altogether. My conclusion at that time was that I just did not have the artistic touch of a photographer. It was his words of encouragement when he commented on my Facebook postings that kept me going.

I later discovered that there is no one formula to define a good photograph. As long as the photograph tells a story and instill an emotion, it is a good photograph. The scientific part of the photography can be learned, but the artistic part must come from the heart of the one holding the camera. Very often, when you press on the shuttle release, you already know you have nailed a good shot because the emotion flows right through the camera lens, like a gush of warm summer breeze and warms your heart. The satisfaction is just beyond words.

Once I read an article by a famous photographer, he mentioned that macro-photography and portraiture are two most difficult types of photography to attempt. I am glad I did not read his article earlier. I fall in love with macro-photography at the early stage of my exploration into photography. It practically opens up a whole new world right through the camera lenses. The beauty and gracefulness of these tiny creatures fascinate me in every single shot.

My first attempt on macro was through the use of macro filters. I bought the cheapest available set through an online store. It amazed me but the sharpness and image quality were just not up to my satisfaction. Being tight on budget at that time, the extension tubes were my next attempt. The tubes did improve the quality overall, but the desire to chase for better quality pushed me further. Finally, after saving enough money, I bought my first macro lens, which was the Tamron SP90 to pair with my Nikon D7000. That wonderful lens brought so much fun to my life. It stayed with me until I decided to migrate to Sony camera system in 2016, buying my first brand new camera, Sony A6000. The mirror less system of A6000 is small, light and with flip screen. That really helps in framing the shot at odd angles during macro shooting.

Once I switched to Sony A6000, I realised that the Sony lenses are incredibly expensive. I resorted back to using the extension tube for a while but was just not happy with the result. As suggested by another friend, I bought the more expensive filter called Raynox DCR250. Honest speaking, it is one grade better than those screw on filters that mount in front of the lens but can never compare to dedicated macro lens. The vignetting on certain lens really affect the composition. I waited for a cheaper macro lens.

A lot of people stay away from third party lenses but I am one that fully support good quality lenses, with reasonable pricing, regardless of brand. in 2019, the Chinese manufacturer Venus Optics launched a series of macro lenses, under the brand Laowa, caught my attention. Not only they are of high optical quality, but also at a very attractive price range. They even come with a maximum of 2 : 1 macro, which is rare compared to other manufacturers. Despite being a manual lens, its overall performance is ideal for macro photography. I finally bought the Laowa 65mm F2.8 lens for APSC (E Mount). It pairs perfectly with my A6000, small and light weight, which makes one-hand operation possible. I was told by the distributor that I was the first in my country to have that lens. Right after receiving the lens, COVID-10 pandemic hit us hard. We went into a nation-wide lockdown. That was the period that I had all the time to try on various macro-shots. The lens came in handy.

Llighting is important in this type of photography due to the proximity of the subject from the front of the lens. The normal flash light does not provide enough light to the tiny subject so close to the lens. I made a diffuser using cardboard and tracing paper for a start. Later I also bought a diffuser from one of my friend who is very much into macro-photography. It proved to be too cumbersome after mounting onto a full size flash unit. Eventually, I settled down with a piece of translucent packing material tied in front of my tiny Meike MK320 flash. The difusser costs nothing but it works wonder. All we need is just enough diffused light source to light up that tiny subject inches from the lens.

My intention of setting up a website is to share the experience with those of you having the same interest. I find calm and serenity through the camera lens and I hope you will find yours too.

DK