Thompson, R. 2005. Close-up and Macro. David and Charles, Newton Abbot. ISBN 0-7153-1903-5.
Hardback. 25x27cm. 160 pages.
This book is split into three sections: 'Photographic Hardware' reviews some of the equipment available for macro photography; 'Putting it into Practice' discusses elements of field craft and technique; and 'Photographing the Seasons' - essentially a gallery of the photographers images taken in each of the four seasons.
The book is superbly illustrated throughout with the author's own work and the production is up to the usual high standards
The book is superbly illustrated throughout with the author's own work and the production is up to the usual high standards.
The section on photographic hardware is the longest of the three parts but to me it was also the most disappointing. This is a professional macro photographer's review of the current professional-standard equipment; there is very little mention of the type of equipment that the vast majority of us can afford. I was left wondering about the intended audience for this book - is it, as I had imagined, for the average amateur photographer who wants to improve their close-up pictures or is it aimed squarely at accomplished photographers who want to extend their skills into the macro arena? Perhaps the sub-title of the book gives us a clue:
A Photographer's Guide seems to imply that it is aimed at the latter group.
Whilst some of the discussion about the choice of hardware will interest photographers whatever their price bracket (e.g. whether to choose film or digital), the majority of it would surely only be of interest to the professional or the rare amateur with sack-loads of cash to spend on their hobbyWhilst some of the discussion about the choice of hardware will interest photographers whatever their price bracket (e.g. whether to choose film or digital), the majority of it would surely only be of interest to the professional or the rare amateur with sack-loads of cash to spend on their hobby.
Of more interest was the section on the techniques of taking pictures in the field since much of this could be applied to equipment of all standards. Chapters in this section dealt with several different subject groups including plants, insects, fungi, lichens and aquatic animals. For me this section could have been expanded at the expense of the equipment review. A photographer of Robert Thompson's calibre and experience has a great deal to teach the rest of us on this subject regardless of the equipment we use.
The final section showcasing some of Robert's own photographs, together with many other wonderful pictures illustrating the previous two sections, earn this book a place on the coffee table as well as the bookshelfThe final section showcasing some of Robert's own photographs, together with many other wonderful pictures illustrating the previous two sections, earn this book a place on the coffee table as well as the bookshelf and to some extent makes up for the disappointing first section.
There was a wonderful program on BBC television in 2005 entitled
'A Digital Picture of Britain'. In this programme professional photographers from many different idioms were each supplied with equipment ranging from a phone-camera to the latest medium format professional camera. Each photographer had to complete a number of assignments with their new equipment. The most interesting results (at least to me) were obtained where the photographers had to used equipment of a much lower specification than their normal gear. Mostly these people hated the cameras they had been given but interestingly, by the end of their assignments, each of them normally saw some merit in them: even if only because it made them think about their subjects or work in a different way.
I would love to see a photographer of Robert Thompson's experience and talent show me how to get the best out of the kind of equipment that I useI would love to see a photographer of Robert Thompson's experience and talent show me how to get the best out of the kind of equipment that
I use. For me, like many others, that is a compact digital camera. Of course the deficiencies of this kind of camera will be exposed by the technical demands of macro photography more than practically any other idiom. But despite this I, and many other people that I know, manage to take reasonable close-up pictures of wildlife that are published, for example, in magazines, promotional leaflets and on websites.
Surely the best reason to buy a new camera, and only secure way to judge its merits, is by pushing the capabilities of your current gear to the point where you find that its technical limitations are thwarting your ambitionsSurely the best reason to buy a new camera, and only secure way to judge its merits, is by pushing the capabilities of your current gear to the point where you find that its technical limitations are thwarting your ambitions. At that point your own technical development makes you the best judge of what you need next - and you will only get so much help from books. I am put in mind of so many cyclists you see with the latest 'go faster' gear and bikes that cost thousands of pounds and yet you can instantly see that the best thing that they could do to improve their cycling would be go riding more often to put a few more pounds on those quads!
A guide to photographing wildlife and other natural subjects in close-up.