How to Unlock the Four Keys to Award Winning Macro Photography

Macro photography is very different from other types of nature photography. We use a different lens and camera settings, but the biggest mistake we can make in macro photography is treating it differently than we would landscape or portrait photography.

© Tonya Wilhelm, 2025 PPA Bronze Award Winner

In landscape and portrait photography we plan, compose, and pose during a shoot, but often it’s easy to forget basics when shooting something tiny and less predictable. We approach macro images as happy mistakes when the right bug lands on a pretty flower. It can be easy to build a portfolio of macro photography that documents what you saw, but for images that have impact, draw the viewer into a miniature world and fare well in competition we must apply the rules of photography as an art. There are four main things that I recommend for improving your macro work.

Scout your location

I skipped this step for years, and it always ended in frustration. I would just grab my camera and tripod and go for a walk hoping to capture my next award-winning shot. More often than not, I barely took a single photo, or I ended up with images that would never make it into my portfolio. You can’t predict or plan for when an insect will fly by, but you also don’t want to waste time shooting a subject in bad light or a distracting location. If you shoot outdoor portrait photography, I am sure you have locations that you know well.

You choose places based on the light at that time of day and backgrounds they offer for composing your subject with the most impact. If you are regularly scouting gardens and fields for the best settings, times for light, and creature activity it will increase your chances of capturing a successful image. Being at the right place at the right time doesn’t have to be left to chance. Study your locations and know when the best window of light will come. It still takes consistency in those places to get your subjects to cooperate, but you won’t be wasting time capturing a subject in a location that doesn’t deliver. You will also find that this helps you learn what to look for when you are in a new place with limited time for scouting.

Perspective

The best way to elevate your macro photography is to change from simply documenting a small subject and instead switch to bringing your viewer into its miniature world. The most effective way to do that is to be at eye level or lower with your subject. We spend most of our lives looking down on plants and insects. If you want your image to feel like it is part of your world, you need to flip that perspective.

Adjust your placement so that it feels like you are standing on the moss right in front of a snail or on the same petal as a ladybug. This perspective bridges the gap between the subject and the viewer. It creates a larger-than-life vantage point that allows us to feel like we are part of the story. People rarely get to see the details and intricacies of the nature under their feet. It is captivating when they get to see that world in an intimate way.

Pose

I know this one sounds ridiculous. Sometimes we are barely lucky enough for an insect to stay in the frame long enough to capture a photo let alone direct or pose them. This one takes a lot of patience. You might not be able to move or tell your subject how to move, but you should put in the time to capture their best side or an interesting movement. You want to approach this like a portrait. Consider that you would never deliver a portrait of a person with their eyes out of focus or that is just a shot of their back. You might be photographing a bug, but get their good side. Wait for movement that gives them personality. Let their placement in their environment tell a story. When you approach this like a posed portrait, you create a character that is interesting and more attractive (even if it is creepy) to the viewer.

Compose

Composition should go without saying and always be part of making a photograph. In any wildlife photography situation, I think we can be overcome with an excitement or panic when we finally discover a great subject or moment. We start shooting frantically so we don’t miss an opportunity, and we forget about composition until we are editing.

This is another great reason to scout locations regularly. Look for plants and scenes with great leading lines or elements to frame your tiny subject. Remember rule of thirds when setting up your tripod in front of a flower that is attracting pollinators. Avoid distracting backgrounds that will merge and detract from your focal point. Consider the colors and contrast in your shot. There are many variables in macro photography, but you still want to be in control as an artist.

Macro photography can be very rewarding, but even as a seasoned macro photography enthusiast, I still have days when I shoot and feel frustrated with the circumstances and results. That’s a natural part of any wildlife photography. But when I plan and give myself the time to create and compose, I come back with more images that I am excited to share.