Regardless of whether you’re a big fan of photography or you’ve just decided to take it up as a hobby, there’s simply no denying that close-up pictures of snowflakes are nothing short of captivating.
If you’re interested in trying out some macro photography of your very own, it can certainly be easy to feel overwhelmed.
How are you supposed to get the camera to focus on a tiny little snowflake? Better yet, how do you capture all of the intricate details?
No matter how much experience you currently have as a photographer, this article is for you. Below, you will find a helpful guide that will contain all of the information that you need to take your macro photography to the very next level.
Whenever you’re ready, scroll down to discover how to master close-up pictures of snowflakes!
If you’re not too sure of what this term means, macro photography simply refers to a style of photography that takes close-up photos of a subject.
So, in order to take professional photos of snowflakes close-up, you’re going to want to make sure that you have all the right photography equipment to do so.
Let’s take a look at what you’re going to need to create your macro photography set-up:
Optimized camera lens: When it comes to macro photography, you’re going to need to make sure that you are using a lens that is between 2mm to 5mm. Though it’s not necessary to have this lens, it will help to achieve the best image quality.
Close-up filters: If you want to experiment with close filters, taking photos of snowflakes is a great way to do it. These filters will be able to improve the focus and quality of the images.
Set of extension tubes: If you’re going to be manually using the camera, extension tubes are another great way to improve focus and image quality.
Now that we’ve gotten an idea of what type of photography equipment you are going to need to take the best macro images of snowflakes and other subjects, we’re now going to be providing you with instructions on how to do it.
Step One: Choose the Snowflakes Carefully
Believe it or not, when it comes to taking the best images of snowflakes, you are going to want to make sure that you are taking the time to choose the best kind.
By doing so, you will help to ensure that you get the most professional macro images.
So, how do you choose the right snowflakes? Well, first things first, you are going to need to make sure that it is snowing outside.
Then, after you have done this, you should then go ahead and grab a mitten (or alternatively, another photography prop) and allow the flakes to begin to gather on the surface of the item.
After a few flakes have begun to gather on the surface, you can then take a closer look to inspect the snowflakes.
Ideally, you are going to want to make sure that the snowflakes are easy to make out, intricate and unique. What you don’t want is little balls of frozen ice!
Top Tip: Keep in mind that different types of snowfalls can produce different types of snowflakes.
Heavy snowfall tends to produce bigger snowflakes that are easier to distinguish than lighter ones, which is something to keep in mind when planning your snowflake photography session.
Step Two: Get the Timing Right!
This is another important step if you want to make sure that you are taking professional macro photography.
If you want to make sure that you get the best results, keep in mind that you are going to want to make sure that you are taking the snaps of the snowflakes during the snowfall, rather than after.
Due to this, as soon as you begin to see snowfall, you’re going to want to make sure that you get outside and begin taking macro images of the snowflakes immediately.
If you don’t do this and wait till after the snow has finished falling, it will be much harder to get separate individual snowflakes as they will have merged together to form a bed.
However, there might be a chance that you get lucky. If you have missed out on a photography opportunity during the snowfall, take a mitten and gently place it on top of the snow (see also “How To Photograph Snowflakes“). After doing so, pull it away and inspect for snowflakes.
If you can see snowflakes on the mitten, then you will be able to go ahead and take images of them.
Although, if all you can see is clumps of snow, then this means that the snow isn’t fresh enough to be separated, and you will need to wait until it snows again to get your close-up, professional macro snowflake images.
Step Three: Take Multiple Pictures
Our final piece of advice that we have to share with you when taking snowflake imagery is to try and capture as many pictures during the photography session as you possibly can.
Why? Well, by being able to capture a series of images, not only will you have a variety of images to choose from, but you will also be able to achieve something known as “focus stacking”.
If you’re not aware of the term, essentially, focus stacking refers to a technique that allows you to combine multiple images of the same subject into one single image.
This can allow for incredibly detailed, intricate images that you might not have been able to otherwise achieve with just one frame.
In Summary
Sure, even though there’s no denying that taking images of snowflakes can be a challenge, the results can be incredible.
Now that you have taken the time to read through our guide above, we hope that we have been able to show you how to take professional photos of snowflakes. Good luck, and bye for now!
Hey everyone, and welcome to LemonadeAndLenses.com. My name is Laura and I am the founder of this site!
For as long as I can remember, I have loved taking photographs. There is nothing I love more than looking back through old pictures, and having all of the memories come flooding back.
If you want to learn about how to take professional images, and to run your own photography business, then I can help you out, here at Lemonade And Lenses.
