You can take great quality, beautiful macro photos with a basic point and shoot camera.  You don’t need a DSLR, fancy lenses, or extensive training.  This article will give you some tips that will help you learn how to take fantastic macro photos with your point and shoot camera.

I love taking close-up, or macro, shots of things. For some reason taking a tiny something and making it larger than life so we can appreciate the detail in the minute is fascinating to me.

I often have friends question me about how in the world I get good quality macro photographs with a point and shoot camera. They say their cameras cannot do this.

Your point and shoot camera can do this!

Steady as she goes.

If you’re not using a tripod (the best for stability) you have to get into a position where you can brace or stabilize yourself somehow. Camera shake will kill the clarity of your photo – and when I say shake, I mean even minute tremors. Sometimes I actually hold my breath for a beat! Do not hesitate to get down on the ground, on one knee, lay down – whatever you need to do to get the shot.

Get as close as you can.

My favorite photographs have been taken with the lens of my camera practically right up against the subject. Zoom is nice, but nothing can compare to being there for real.

Use the largest file size your camera will allow.

This way once you get as close as your camera will let you focus, you still have room to crop a bit, if you want to get “even closer” with your finished shot, without losing quality.

Anything is a good subject.

Shoot any and everything you can!

Food, Nature, Yourself, and simply any random thing you see, are all worthy of shooting up close.

The more random and weird things you shoot, the larger and more skilled your photographic eye will become – you will literally see things around you that you never noticed before.  And the closer you get, the more you appreciate and understand the nuance of getting good shots.

I have learned over the past several years that you can work with what you have and find ways to get what you want out of your camera, no matter what kind of camera that may be.

The biggest pointer is this:

Practice a lot.

I mean it. Give it time, take LOTS of photos, and do it constantly, from different angles. You will learn how to make your camera do what you want it to, and your skill will grow.

Have a point and shoot macro you’re proud of?  Please share it with us at the Photo Bliss Featured Photographs Flickr Pool and you have a chance of having it featured here.

© Lotus Carroll: All photos in this article are copyrighted; all rights reserved. Unauthorized use is prohibited.