Normally in flash photography almost all of the illumination is coming from the flash (and the incredibly short light pulse is what freezes the movement of yourself and of the animal). The shutterspeed is almost neglectable. When your subject sits in bright sunlight not all of the illumination is coming from your flash anymore and therefore the shutterspeed will have an effect on your images. Normal flash sync speeds of around 160-250ms are not quick enough to freeze most movements. If you still want to get sharp images in bright sunlight conditions while using a flash you would have to use high speed-sync which allows you to select faster shutterspeeds.
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After reading all the posts, I decided I would add my grain of salt. I joined iNaturalist recently, but I have practiced macrophotography for tens of years. I am a medical entomologist by profession and a naturalist by heart. Joining iNaturalist has been one of my best decisions.
The preceding posts explore several directions which are worth discussing, and I will try to outline the ones that I feel are most significant. There are several subjects that would justify individual, focused, discussions.
The title of this topic is: SECRETS TO GOOD MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY
I propose considering the following criteria:
1 Good for iNaturalist means that:
a) The photos make it easy for specialists to confirm the identities
b) Submitted photos and information are easy to manage and well documented
2 Good for iNaturalists, the citizen scientists, means that:
a) They feel at ease with the technicalities of taking the photos and they are satisfied with the results
b) It does not interfere with their ongoing outdoor activities, and it is not overly time-consuming or costly
c) In the process, they obtain more precise IDs (species level, “Research grade”) and can learn more about their sightings
d) It promotes communications within the community
We must try to facilitate the ease and accuracy of identifiers’ contributions. What I often see lacking is additional photos of the same specimen from different angles. Depending on the species, critical features maybe on the back, the head, the wing, … or all of those. I try to improve on this aspect, as in these examples in the field and on a lighting panel (white background):
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84432435
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84362370
Point 1b): I wonder how the size and resolution of photos is managed by iNaturalist. Some cell phones and cameras generate huge files. I wonder if cropping to center on subject before uploading to iNaturalist could improve the displayed result and reduce the size of entries to manage, while preserving critical info.
Point 2a): I think the most practical advice, as stated in Zygy’s initial comment, to improve the quality of macro photos is:
- for cell phones and for compact cameras without macro capability to use an accessory lens
- for DSLRs and mirrorless cameras to use automatic extension tubes, if a macro lens is not available or too costly
- to use diffused light from a flash and manual settings for shutter speed, ISO and aperture (try it, it is easier than it seems). Very often autoexposure in macro with a flash will be off course.
- In manual stings avoid too high apertures (above F11 or F15) because it will increase the depth of field, but with the cost of needing more light and losing sharpness (effect of diffraction).
- To use autofocus if the camera/cell is performing, or manual focus by moving the camera/cell instead of the focus ring/focus slider.
There are several comments in this post about focus stacking. It involves 2 steps: focus bracketing (series of photos with the same frame but gradual focus distance shift) and Z-stacking, where computer software produces one photo using the focused parts of each photo. Right now, it is a rather complex method, but eventually more cameras and cell phones will be able to do it automatically in the field. Most cells already have a Panorama option which works live in the field.
However, focus stacking can provide the best photos of insects for ID, sometimes impossible by any other method:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84561017
Finally, if you really like a macrophoto posted on iNat, you can click on it and on the information icon (“i”). It will often provide information about the camera/cell model, lens, use of flash, speed and aperture, number of photos used for stacking, etc. It could be a good starting point in deciding what would work for you.
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Quite a few cameras now make the photo-taking part an optional automatic process (for example, Nikon calls it focus shift, I think Canon calls it focus bracketing, and newer versions of the Olympus TG series has that feature as well), but as others have noted having a motionless subject and a motionless camera really help.
For still subjects I’d agree that manual might be better, but I’ve been using autofocus with macro for years. For moving insects, herps, and flowers in the wind it’s pretty invaluable.
It’s not about flash, but it’s a good idea to pay attention to color rendering when using LEDs.
The reason is that the color does not come out well unless each spectra comes out.
If you do not develop it, we also recommend changing the picture style.
What do you mean by picture style?
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Picture style is the type of development images.
It is called by Picture Style (canon) or Picture Control(nikon) or Picture Mode(olympus)
It doesn’t matter if you develop the image, but it makes a big difference if you use the image as is.
For example, the vivid setting makes the colors brighter, and the neutral setting makes the colors more natural.
Therefore, we recommend that you choose the Picture Style that suits your usage.
The image output from the camera is not always close to reality.
I understand why you say “always use a flash”, still one my main rules for macro photography is “never use a flash”. My reason is that flash lighting is very unnatural (admittedly this is partly an aesthetic concern). But, many cameras can’t expose a macro photo properly with a flash: it will totally washed out.
Using a handheld MFT camera, especially with shake compensation, in daylight is usually sufficient to get a non-shaky picture. In low light I use a tripod.
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Herps are not insects though, taking how hard it is to get focus on the right spot with even slightly shking hands having the system to decide what is important would be crazy in such situations when 1mm is really a big change of what you will see as a result, so biggest problem of it is that cameras are stupid and it’s also easier to focus when you have the composition ready, I tried shooting with autofocus and it would go in that forever motion of focusing back and forth, very frustrating, better loose shots because of your own mistakes other than machine ones! 
Nice photo! But the vast majority of my macro photos are of small arthropods (and plants), not herps, and I use AF on those well over 90% of the time.
Maybe it’s just your camera is doing it much better than mine! Or you have secret skills.)
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If I’m shooting outdoors with decent ambient light I’ll use the autofocus. (It also helps that my macro lens (Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8) has a nifty feature where you can limit the autofocus to a certain range, thus avoiding the “forever motion of focusing back and forth”.) If there isn’t a lot of ambient light, however, or I’m shooting “extreme macro” (more than 1:1 magnification) I find it really difficult to get autofocus to work, so I switch to manual focus. There are some flash diffusers that have a built-in LED light to help with focusing, and I’ve been thinking about upgrading to one of those, but haven’t done it yet.
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Reading this thread has encouraged me to buy a ring flash. Actually my budget allowed only for a fairly cheap one (50 Euros). A mediocre flash combined with my mediocre photography skills still don’t produce great artistic macro shots, but in situation with not too much ambient light I get significantly better images now. The following one was done in full shadow for example: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/87284223 While this won’t win any awards I’m happy enough with it.
So thanks for this thread!
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I get pretty good results holding my 10x belomo hand lens to my iPhone XS 2x camera. Natural lighting. It’s how I take all my photos. This is a particularly nice one. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/84908707
I use the Halide app for focus peaking but leave the other settings on automatic. It almost always gives me as good results as if I was using manual.
I really wish for an app that adds automatic focus stacking.
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if I want TTL or manual usually depends on how fast the subject is or how windy it is. Even 1/10th second or less can make a big difference if it changes the focus a lot or “the moment” passes. Here it’s very windy so I only shoot TTL if I’m alternating very dark and bright subjects too fast to change my flash settings… I do lose a an image here and there when i didn’t change the settings but it’s fewer than I lose to the wind moving my subject 1/8 inch in the time it took TTL to fire.
I do my macro with OMD with the 60mm macro lens but I keep wondering about if I could really plunge the TG in the creek to take a picture of aquatic inverts like some advertising implies…
These are fantastic tips especially about multiple photos of the same subject (if said subject is cooperative of course). It also helps
to know what types of shots are useful. For bees, I know if I can I’d like to get a front view of the face and a view that shows the wing venation clearly. I’d love to learn more about what shots are useful for what types of insects. If I don’t know I try to take a top view, side view, and a 3/4 “eye level” portrait (that one is my “art shot” to introduce people to the insect as a cool friend)
It’s working great! Maybe need more edit or just lower iso initially to make it less bright? No shadow and all from the insect seen so your cheap flash is pretty good!
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