Photography Tip: Make-Shift Macro

While camping last weekend, I stumbled across a fun trick for getting more up-close-and-personal photos than my existing camera lens would allow.

By using the loupe we’d brought with us for botanizing, I was able to expose the hidden underbelly of several ferns, the fine details of a moth wing, and examine an intricate flower, no larger than a grain of rice!

Our loupe is so lightweight that I could wear it around my neck all day, and forget it was there. And since most loupes start at $5 and get more expensive with the amount of magnification, this handy tool was light on our wallets too!

So the next time you are sitting near the campfire or lantern and a moth lands on you, don’t squirm, grab the loupe for a look!

And while stopping to smell the roses is nice, you might just be surprised to see how much detail is hiding in the tiny succulents and weeds that line the hiking trail!