donkomarechka

Nature and macro photographer Don Komarechka made this 4-minute video tutorial in which he shares how you can make and photograph frozen soap bubbles (if you live somewhere cold enough).

Late last year, macro photographers rejoiced at the announcement of a worthy competitor to the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1x-5x macro lens, which has been heralded as the best high-magnification macro lens since its release in 1999. The Mitakon 85mm f/2.8 1x-5x lens held a lot of promise, but it was immediately apparent that something was wrong.

For a long time, there weren’t many options for high magnification macro photography without resorting to solutions like lens coupling and reversals. The only lens on most photographer’s radar was the Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1x-5x Macro. There were also other options, however, so let’s take a look at how the MP-E 65 compares to more modern and vintage lenses to put to 5:1 magnification and beyond – using a butterfly wing.

Dropping colored milk into water and photographing the effects is nothing new – these experiments have existed for decades and can yield some very interesting abstract images. The technique can be brought into the “mad scientist” realm by switching gears slightly – using UV flashlights and fluorescing ink, we can make it glow!

Macro photographers learn over time that this genre of photography can break rules you’d always follow in other areas like landscape or portrait photography. It’s a different world to explore, and taking a different approach is an asset when mixing science with art.

Like tiny crystal balls, water droplets can add a magical element to macro photographs. There are a number of moving parts to consider, but the basic concept is simple: a spherical droplet can act like a lens, refracting light from whatever is behind it.

It was mid-2011, and I was looking for a way to capitalize on my newfound love of photographing snowflakes. I had thrown the idea to numerous magazine, agencies, and business to see if they would bite. One publication responded favorably, asking me to write an article on spec. If they liked it, they’d consider publishing it. There was immediate excitement and immediate pressure. This could be a huge break for me in the industry.

This short film, titled "Winter's Magic" and shot by photographer Don Komarechka, is a mesmerizing 2.5-minute look at the beauty of how bubbles freeze.

Macro photography has always been a passion of mine, and exploring the universe at our feet can be almost magical. As beautiful as this genre of photography is, it really comes to life when you literally add an extra dimension to it. If you’ve never attempted to see a stereo 3D image before, you’re about to go down the rabbit hole.

Want to improve your macro photography game? Here's a great 12-minute DPReview TV episode in which master macro shooter Don Komarechka demonstrates some simple techniques and setups you can use to capture better outdoor shots.

Having photographed snowflakes for nearly a decade as a large component to my career as a photographer, I’ve had the joy of encountering mysteries in the snow and the enthusiasm to sort out the physics behind it. No mystery captivated me more than the first time I saw a ring of color in the center of a snowflake.

Snowflakes have become an obsession of mine as an extreme macro photographer, but I never thought I would be able to take it this far: 2,500 hours of work across 5 years, all presented as a single composite photo titled “The Snowflake”: