[Boofers]

I need to place this question for the group,,is there a proper set of rules for croping flowers?. Close up and macro to me seem to be two rules. Close up-"space around a flower with background detail". Macro-"background unimportant from subject detail".

[Charlotte]

I think the difference in crop/composition lies in the fact that close-up is generally a wider angle of view than macro, which is life-size or more. Otherwise, I think anything goes really, i.e. whatever comp/crop you find pleasing + which 'works'

[billz]

Good question, never really thought about rules for cropping. Have always cropped to suit the subject, thinking about it I suppose I`ve been influenced by how others have cropped theirs.
Be interesting to read other members answers.

[marcinklysewicz]

when you show actors face in movie it's a close up, when you show his eye (just one) it's macro. but when you go for macro photography definition to wikipedia (for example) they mix those words together so you could use them both for same meaning. i don't like using close up for what i do. it's macro photography - all about very small objects in their full details.

some examples

close up


macro


but i still call the first one macro. don't ask me why. maybe it's because this flower is still very small.

another example

close up 2
http://www.klysewicz.co.uk/images/ph...aynox_3760.jpg

macro 2


again i'll say both are macro - background is not important. i would say that first one could be treated as close up but with more details around. like here

close up 3 - proper one in my opinion


but i'm not a specialist
i'm wondering what others will say.

[Dabhand16]

I'm with you on the definitions Marcin

[Markulous]

Macro if I'm using my macro lens, otherwise it's close-up (until I put it in a category, then it's often back to macro!)

Closeup - 100-400mm@400mm lens


Closeup - 70-300mm@300mm lens


Closeup - 300mm lens


Macro - 105mm macro lens


Macro - 105mm macro lens

[Lew]

Marcin macro #2 and Mark closeup #1. You guys nail me almost every time. But actually I think Boofers' question concerns why so many flower pictures are such tight crops that focus on the reproductive parts of flowers versus closeups of the flower as a whole. I do both for posting depending on what makes for the most striking image to me. For my own puposes I do both and keep them all. I guess I'll keep buying hard drives.

[marcinklysewicz]

Lew if the question was why so many tight crops then the answer is because they look interesting, beautiful, they show up hidden beauty of flowers and... well that should be enough. whatever answer you'll find it'll be good answer - if you enjoy what you are photographing then you are doing the right thing. if others are enjoyed by what you are photographing it's even better. macro is showing more then close up (i know it sounds against logic) - it takes you exactly where photographer wants and it's very stright, in macro there is main object and almost nothing else. in close up you may find something else interesting then what photographer wanted to show you. i love macro because if you are creative enough you could show same flower in 10 photos and each one will be different, but absolutely different. you could operate not only with angles, but also with DOF - it works great with flowers .

[Lew]

We are in agreement Marcin. I do take ten shots and try to make each one a little different.

[Boofers]

Marks definition of close up and macro is inline with what I beleave to have respect for the optical box the macro lens brings to close up photography beyond the focusing abilities of a 300mm lens. All of the above is good until you crop a close up and loose the surrounding picture and the ends of the flower, that in my eyes serve no purpose at large, only for the person who has taken the shot. When ask about a rule to follow, this is what I meant. Is it pracatible to crop off the end of the flower pedals or better to leave that little bit extra around the edge to the frame when everything is in focus anyway the subject should be angled to bring attention to what intentions you might have instead of straight on pictures, a sence of drama if you may for the flower.

[marcinklysewicz]

my guess is - do whatever you want. forget about any rules. if you'll choose wrong people will tell you that your photos are not good, not interesting and so on. you have some vision in your mind, some idea. only you know what is your point and it's yours decision how you are going to proceed from idea to final product. then - if you are not happy with results you do it again and you'll find your way to express yourself.
it's like asking how to make good portrait. you could read 10 books and it's fine - then you go to studio and... just make it technically good and visually interesting. you don't have to follow any rules. if you are not sure what to do with flower, how to show it - make 2 versions and ask your friends which one is better. . i quess.