An Introduction to High-Magnification Macro Photography

Sabse pehle, thanks to my dear friend and photographer Harshal Thakkar, jisne ek video share kiya tha on spiders by the photographer par excellence Thomas Shahan. Jab maine woh video dekha, main literally zapped ho gaya — spiders itne stunning detail mein capture kiye gaye the ke 8 minutes ke baad maine decide kar liya ki mujhe bhi is super macroworld ko explore karna hai. Big thanks to Harshal for this spark.

Pehle jab maine 50mm lens with reverse ring try kiya tha, to experience thoda different tha. Reverse ring aperture aur shutter ko lock kar deti hai aur us waqt subject ko literally torch se light karna padta tha. Bas itna hi knowledge tha mere paas us time pe about 50mm reverse ring photography. Lekin Thomas Shahan jaise master photographer ne jo dikhaya, usne sab kuch itna easy bana diya. Especially his spider and insect shots — magic lagte hain. Unhone apna pura setup video mein dikhaya, lekin ek cheez missing thi: kaise woh aperture aur shutter ko alive rakhte hain aur focus karte hain subject par, wo clear nahi hua. Aur extension tubes — 12mm, 20mm, 36mm, ya combinations? Video mein lag raha tha 2 tubes hain, par exact kaunse woh nahi pata chala.

Iske baad meri Harshal ke saath lambi baatein hui. Humne discuss kiya insects shooting, unke close-ups, aur spiders ke shots. Fir mainne Saritha se baat ki, jinhone mujhe is subject par ek treasure of knowledge share kiya. Dono se baat karke mera learning mode aur research aur deepen ho gaya.

Sabse important discovery yeh hui ki jab aap 50mm lens reverse ring par use karte ho, to aapko aperture ring unlock karna zaroori hota hai. Agar unlocked hai, to aap shutter aur aperture dono ko normally use kar sakte ho. Yeh mujhe 2 saal pehle pata hota, to shayad mera earlier reverse ring series itna tedious na hota. Tab shots ache the, lekin har ek frame lene mein bahut waqt lagta tha.

Aur ek cheez jo maine seekha: focus stacking. Spiders ya insects ke shots mein aap alag-alag shots le sakte ho — ek mein eyes focus mein, doosre mein nose, aur fir merge karke ek perfectly sharp balanced picture bana sakte ho. Kyunki movement bahut zyada nahi hoti, FS yahan easily possible hai.

Phir maine decide kiya ki mujhe apna setup banana chahiye. Gaya VT (Central Camera Lane, Mumbai) aur wahan se kuch zaroori cheezein purchase ki, jaise ek umbrella stand jo mere macro setup ka base banega.

Umbrella Stand 

TTL Cord for Nikon

Flash Soft box 

Phir jab mera base setup ready ho gaya, maine apna SB-900 flash, 50mm lens, aur reverse ring nikala. In sab ke saath, jo naye accessories maine kharide the — extension tubes (12mm, 24mm, 36mm) aur ek 100mm macro lens — ab main poori tarah set tha apne Nikon D90 par experiment aur shoot karne ke liye.

Yeh moment mere liye ek turning point tha — pehli baar lag raha tha ke main macro ke serious world mein step kar raha hoon. Tools mere paas the, lekin asli challenge tha patience aur focus ka, jo insects aur spiders shoot karte waqt sabse zyada test hote hain.

Aur fir maine shooting start ki TTL mode par. Test subject ke liye ek 50 paise ka sikka uthaya aur sabse pehle sirf 50mm lens reverse ring ke saath laga kar shoot kiya.

Uske baad maine setup ko aur advance kiya — 50mm lens + reverse ring + extension tubes (12mm, 20mm aur 36mm) ka combination use karke. Har combination ke saath clarity aur magnification mein jo difference aaya, woh dekhkar main literally zapped ho gaya. Yeh ek naya duniya tha jo apne hi ghar ke ek sikke par mujhe dikh rahi thi.

Phir maine plain 100mm macro lens ke saath shoot kiya. Mere paas uske liye reverse ring nahi hai — aur honestly, main kabhi use karunga bhi nahi, kyunki 100mm lens ko reverse ring ke saath use karna kaafi risky aur costly ho sakta hai. Macro experiments exciting zaroor hote hain, lekin equipment safety hamesha pehle aati hai.

 

Results se main bilkul khush nahi tha. Yeh the macro shots … lekin mujhe chahiye tha super macro, jaise Mr. Thomas Shanan ne kiya tha. Unhone 28mm lens reverse ring ke saath extension tubes laga kar jo shots liye the — wahin mera benchmark tha.

Agla din, main Shabir bhai aur Yash (photographer from Poona) ke saath Flora Fountain garden gaya. Setup wahi tha — Nikon D90, 50mm with reverse ring, 100mm macro, aur extension tubes (12, 24, 36mm). TTL mode par shoot shuru kiya, lekin hawa rukne ka naam hi nahi le rahi thi. Phool hilte rahe, aur main sochta raha, “Nature se yeh expect karna ki hawa ruke aur phool stationary ho jaye … is asking toooooo much!” 🤦‍♂️😂

Upar se koi fly mili nahi, koi bee dikhayi nahi di. Trip disaster ban gaya aur main kaafi dejected ho gaya. Exit karne hi wale the ki socha chalo sugarcane juice pi lete hain. Juice wale ko main pehle se jaanta tha, kyunki mujhe kaafi time se ek honey-bottle ke saath bee-shot lena tha (apne 365 project ke liye try bhi kiya tha, lekin pasand nahi aaya aur scrap kar diya).

Juice wale ne mujhe dekhte hi bola:

“Saab, mast bees aayi hui hai … pack kar doon?” 🤣

Aur phir usne matchbox me 2 bees aur ek fly pakad kar mujhe de diye!

Uske baad Shabir bhai ke office me hamari macro pe lambi baatcheet hui. Hum dono ne decide kiya ki mujhe ek second-hand 28mm lens lena chahiye. Humne ek Tokina 28mm kharida aur uske liye ek dedicated reverse ring bhi liya. Bag me do bees aur ek fly lekar, main ekdum khush insaan bankar ghar laut raha tha.

Ghar pahunchte hi apne aap ko rok nahi paaya. Turant hi test shoot kiya — ek coin shot, 28mm reverse ring + 2 extension tubes (12 + 20mm, kabhi kabhi 36mm) ke saath. Aur tab maine samjha ki “super macro” ka asli mazaa kya hota hai.

Next morning, mere setup me ek naya addition hua. Ab sirf umbrella stands, TTL cord, flash soft box aur Kenko extension tubes hi nahi the, balki mere paas ek Tokina 28mm lens aur uske liye dedicated reverse ring bhi tha.

Ab lag raha tha ki mera arsenal complete ho raha hai — Nikon D90, SB900 flash, 50mm with reverse ring, 100mm macro, extension tubes (12, 24, 36mm), aur ab naya 28mm. Saari cheezein haath me aane ke baad mann me wohi excitement thi: “Ab asli super macro try karna hai!”

Do bees aur ek fly jo previous din juice wale ne di thi, ab mere test subjects banne wale the. Camera set kiya, reverse ring lagayi, aur flash ko soft box ke saath adjust kiya … finally woh moment tha jiska intezaar main itne dinon se kar raha tha.

Tokina 28mm

Reverse ring for 28mm

28mm @ Reverse ring attached with Nikon D90

in the pic below u can view

I now had everything at my disposal — lenses, reverse rings, extension tubes, flash setup — aur mann me wohi junoon. Ab main poore confidence ke saath ready tha apna “coin exercise” dobara karne ke liye, lekin is baar subject coin nahi, balki ek fly thi.

Pehla test: 50mm @ reverse ring. Coin shot ki tarah hi maine framing aur light adjust ki, aur fly ko subject banaya.

50mm @ reverse and with extension tubes

100mm without extension tubes

100mm with extension tubes

28mm + extension tube of just one ie 36mm

and finally 28mm … the processed pic of the same … shot with Nikon D90 @ 28mm with reverse  ring + with all 3 extension tube ie 12 .. 20 and 36mm

the processed pic of the same … shot with Nikon D90 @ 28mm with reverse ring + with all 3 extension tube ie 12 .. 20 and 36mm

I got what I wanted — 6 days of pure learning, researching, and exploring this fascinating world of Super Macro.

Har din ek nayi discovery, har shot ek nayi challenge.

Lekin safar yahin khatam nahi hota. Abhi bhi bahut kuch explore karna hai, bahut kuch seekhna hai. Next step hoga focus stacking — flies, spiders aur insects par — taaki har detail ekdum zinda lag sake.

Yeh sirf ek chhoti si shuruaat thi. Yeh kahani abhi adhuri hai… aur aur bhi zyada knowledge aur experience main yahan share karta rahunga.

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29th September 2012 – some more shots .. 

Food for many – Quit Smoking

Cigarette @ High-Magnification Macro Photography 

Shot with Nikon D90 @ 28mm @ reverse ring @ extension tube of 20mm attached to it @ SB 900 @ TTL cord @ hitting the cig straight ..Aperture 16 .. Shutter 60

Below is a close shot of the tobacco .. Nikon D90 @ 28mm @ reverse ring @ all 3 extension tubes of 12 .. 20mm and 36mm attached to it @ SB 900 @ TTL cord @ hitting the cig straight

Aperture 11 .. Shutter 60

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Acknowledgments

A heartfelt thanks to Mr. Thomas Shanan — for being so generous in creating that video and sharing such invaluable knowledge. Lots of respect and gratitude 🙏.

Deep thanks to Saritha Dattatreya for the treasure of insights she shared.

Grateful to Harshal Thakkar — not only for posting Mr. Shanan’s video on his FB wall but also for guiding me with so much information on this genre.

And as always, thanks a ton to Shabir Ali Patel Bhai, for his constant support and inspiration throughout this journey.

I sincerely hope this note proves useful for anyone exploring the beautiful and challenging world of Super Macro.

(To be continued …)

Corrections, inputs, and guidance from the masters of this genre are most welcome.

P.S.

This note was written back in 2012 — a time when every small discovery in super macro photography felt like an adventure. Techniques and gadgets have surely evolved since then, making things easier than they were at that time. But for me, these words remain a reminder of where it all began — the excitement of learning, failing, experimenting, and slowly getting it right. Sharing this today is not just about nostalgia, but also about keeping alive that spirit of curiosity and passion which still drives me.