Macro hibernation on a cold winter's day.....

Fact: the Canadian winter is long and cold. Many days are not too pleasant to step out of the house, so if one is to keep busy photographically, it is not a bad idea to start thinking and looking for SMALL things to explore. First reaction might be to head off out to purchase a dedicated macro lens. These do not come cheap ---even a second hand Nikon can set you back $500+. Ever respectful of dolly dollar, I decided to invest $30 on E-Bay for a set (3) of Neewer brand expansion rings---12/20 & 36 mm sizes, complete with built in auto focus connectors . The rings are totally low tech and have no mechanical parts being just a metal tube---no glass, that forces the lens forward from the sensor, creating magnification of the subject. Any two of the expansion rings can be combined, or all three used at the same time for full power magnification.
            To obtain sharpest results this close-up, the camera should be:  1) mounted on a sturdy tripod 2) built-in 2 or 10 second timer, or external shutter release cable employed, 3) shutter raised option used. A combination of all three steps should ensure that the camera is totally still and stable. Understand that  ANY camera vibration is magnified in macro. I have spent many happy hours this winter  peering into the centres of flowers, at vegetables, knife blades, lady's jewelry,  or at the ends of ball point pens etc, etc. Almost anything can be a subject for a macro photo session--- only limited by the photographer's creativity. Different textures and colours, of walls, clothing, food, tools that you discover, add to the experience.
           A few times, several cameras ago, I tried a $5 lens reversing ring. This a ring that is attached to the front of the camera and to which the lens is screwed on ---backwards--- so that the normal lenses connecting ring is away from the camera--ie: reversed. This technique worked, but in general, I found it to be less satisfactory than the expansion ring method.
          One of the challenges of macro photography is to adequately illuminate the subject. Even in a

well lit room, the camera is so near the target meaning that light where you need it, is blocked or greatly reduced. Using lens extension rings, a stronger light source is required than in normal daylight shooting situations in order to attain perfect macro exposure. I use a Godox V850 speed-lite that I clamp into the slot on top of the Nikon and onto the attached flash have constructed a loup to direct the flash directly onto my macro subject. Basically all that is required to build this very efficient lighting loup, is  30 minutes of your time, an empty paper chip tube and some industrial adhesive tape. See the pic for all the details.
           
           Looking forward to the hot days of summer when assorted creepy crawlies are in the garden pleading to have their portrait taken.

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