Getting Close With Telephoto Lenses
Getting very small subjects, such as this Gulf Fritillary, is tricky since even with the slightest movement they will fly away and frustrate even the seasoned photographer.
We all want to get close to our subjects, and the key to a successful image is one that is not only exposed and composed well, but the best images are ones that effectively fill the frame. But what do you do if your subject is shy, timid and not very tolerant of you getting only inches from them?
If you are like me, photographing butterflies can be quite the challenge, both in terms of not only finding them but also the skill of getting close enough to get those photos we all dream about where the framed is filled from edge to edge so we can see all the fine detail, color and beauty. However, if you have ever tried to photograph them, you quickly realize that they don't seem to like us getting close so using a macro lens is out of the question. They simply see us coming and fly away.
So what should you do? Well, my tool of choice is extension tubes. I really love the fact that when I use them combined with my 400mm super telephoto lens, I can turn my lens into a super macro lens. Let's take a look at the two images below to see how using extension tubes can effectively get those killer images you may be dreaming about.
Using my 400mm lens, this was as close as I could get to the butterfly. Since my lens has a minimum focus distance of 11.5 feet, if I got any closer, my lens simply would not focus.
By using a .25 and .12 Extension Tubes (stacked), I decreased my minimum focus distance considerably which now allowed me to fill the frame, thus turning my super telephoto lens into a super macro lens.
As you can see in the top photo, the butterfly is only taking up around 20% of the frame and is hardly the image we all would love to get. While it is an effective "environmental" image, truly we would love to get closer. By simply using extension tubes, I was able to reduce my minimum focus distance to fill the frame very nicely, and still give the butterfly plenty of distance not to disturb him and he never moved an inch which resulted in some of the best images I have gotten of a Gulf Fritillary.
A word to note on using extension tubes is that when you use them, you will also loose light which in turn will cause a lower shutter speed. You must pay close attention to your shutter speed, and if necessary, a tripod is always a good bet to get a nice, tack sharp image. Also note that you can use more then one, which is when you "stack" them, thus allowing you to get even closer.
So the next time you need to fill the frame with a small or timid subject such as I did with my Gulf Fritillary, take along your extension tubes and throw them on your longest lens and fill that frame with some "perfect pictures"!
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