Using Flash for Better Macro Photography

Macro photography involves capturing the glorious world that is up close to your lens. This in-depth look at miniscule subjects and selective details is intimate and encourages users to get sucked into your images, perhaps better than any other type of photograph. With all of this power on offer, the best macro photography requires special technical skills and equipment for success.

One such consideration is the best lighting for macro photography. While many great macro photos are captured using good old-fashioned natural light, we can’t have a discussion of what is the best light for macro photography, without an in-depth look at artificial light sources. Using flash for macro photography gives you much better control over the final look of your image. Let’s discuss why flash is a great option for macro photography, and what details you need to consider.

While some of our favourite macro images have undoubtedly been captured using the glorious light that the sun can provide, unfortunately this method is sometimes too reliant on chance, and being in the right place at the right time. If you want to be able to produce consistently well-lit macro photographs, flash photography is worth considering.

When natural lighting is perfect, your macro photographs will be beautiful, but if there is not enough light, or if it is shining from the wrong direction, that’s when problems arise. When light conditions are too dim, you need to adjust the settings of your camera to adapt, which means raising the ISO or lowering the shutter speed - these changes lead to increased image noise and greater risk of camera shake, which is not ideal when you are on the quest for sharp and impactful macro shots.

Flash photography is the best lighting for macro photography as it provides consistent and controlled light, essential for sharp, well-exposed macro images. With the extra light that a flash can provide, you can use a faster shutter speed when tackling moving macro subjects like insects, and you can also increase your depth of field with a smaller aperture.

While all types of flash equipment can be used for macro photography, the undisputed leader in this field is the ring flash or ring light. Ring flashes are ideal for the even illumination that is desirable for close-up subjects, which is due to their positioning around the lens and close proximity to the lens. A ring flash is a solitary light source that illuminates your image in an even manner.

A similar effect can be produced by using twin flashes and macro flash brackets, but as this method utilises two different light sources, it is less successful for even lighting, and better for emphasising certain details and adding depth and texture to your photograph.

If you just have a regular speedlight at your disposal, you can still have some success putting it to use for your macro photographs. Your best bet if you go down this route is to diffuse the light using a flash diffuser or softbox, to emulate the soft and even lighting of dedicated macro lighting technology.

While modern flashes with TTL (through the lens) technology are generally designed for easy point and shoot success, the close proximity of subjects when shooting macros does sometimes cause issues. Here are some things to consider and techniques to explore for the best macro flash photography:

Adjust the flash exposure compensation - One of the biggest problems with using flash for macro shots is overexposure due to the light source being too strong. A great way to combat this is to manually adjust the flash output using the exposure compensation setting. Use ½ or even ¼ power and assess your results.

Blend flash with ambient light - As we mentioned earlier, when successful natural lighting is undeniably beautiful. Why not harness the best of both worlds and harness the power or natural and artificial light simultaneously? For best access, you should use a light meter to measure the ambient lighting before activating your flash, and you can also try using a slow shutter speed to capture more ambient light.

Don't forget the smaller aperture - Using a smaller aperture while capturing your macro photographs with flash not only increases the depth of field of your images, which means more of your subject is in focus, but it also limits the harshness of the artificial light source.

Focus stacking with flash - Focus stacking with flash captures multiple images, each with a different part of the subject in focus, and then combines them to create a single image with dramatically increased depth of field, revealing intricate details in macro photography.

How do I eliminate harsh shadows when using flash for macro shots? Although a ring flash is known for its even lighting, it can cause unwanted shadows in certain areas of your image that are not receiving the same amount of light as the rest of your image. Pairing your ring flash with a diffuser helps to spread the light for a more balanced and natural look. Positioning the flash in the dead centre of your subject can also minimise shadows.

Is macro flash gear good for dental photography? Yes! The best dental photography kits include ring flashes or twin flash setups, as dental photography also requires you to focus on close-up subjects.