Mike Moats, award winning macro photographer, is a member of the Fuji Pro Talent Team and a Tamron "Image Master".
I have belonged to the Mike Moats Macro Photo Club for several months now, and I have benefited from his instructional videos and the club's Facebook page, where I have regularly posted. Mike also has a Facebook page called "Share Your Flower Photography", to which I contribute.
He has emphasized that macro/close-up photography need not be confined to absolute 1:1 or better shots and encourages using telephoto lenses for many shots in order to better access some subjects - that's especially important for those of us who have had fairly radical back surgery. He's also a great fan of using texture and various post processing techniques to achieve artistry, not just documentation, in his photographs. That sentiment resonates with me.
So, here are a few examples of what I consider to be photographs influenced by Mike Moats.
Very interesting blog John, I am not at all familiar with Mike Moats. I really have not dug deep into Macro Photography to be quite honest, so thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are really good and I particularly am fond of your third image.
Thanks David. I was very much intimidated by most macro for the longest time because of the "purity" standard that seemed to exist around it with many practitioners - that is, must be 1:1 or better. Mike was one of the first I came across who said that, even though he bills himself as a "macro" photographer, he doesn't really like the term simply because of that connotation. But I also very much liked the idea of making sure I was very happy with what I had created, macro/close up or not, both with the exposure and the post processing, regardless of what others might think of the "purity" of the form. I realized, finally, I want to make art!
ReplyDeleteSome interesting compositions and effects. Great job and an interesting post.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that, Gethin - you, Camellia, Peter, et. al. all have a very distinct visual styles that I very much admire and appreciate. I'm not sure I'll ever have a "style" but I do love just trying to create, especially since I have no other means of doing so. It6's mu answer to crossword puzzles.
DeleteThese are really nice, John. I like them all, and especially the first one with the cool texture. "Purists" need to get a life.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom - I agree! Photography is art, and since I can't draw or paint, I can at least make some decent images. That first one was from one of Mike Moats videos and is a preset on Sharp Photo Editor - love that program.
DeleteI really like these captures John and your edits make the stand out. Mike Moats is new to me, but you know I will definitely check him out. As for style, I really don't believe I have a style. I feel I am all over the place. Some days I like dark stuff, others bright, some times very sharp looking others not so much. But most days, the "crazy style" seems to prevail. Recently one of the ,students I used to teach, who is now an adult and a teacher at my old school started his photography journey. A few of his photo grabbed my attention because of the dark moody colors he was using. I approached him, asking him to show/teach me what/how he was editing ( he uses Lightroom) He went through the steps and also said he had been making a point of creating his own style. Point being, now every photo of his has the same coloring and look, which to me personally has become boring. I am by nature a "Chameleon" and like diversity :)
ReplyDeleteOh, you do have a style - on the old PB, I knew yours when I saw them without attribution (learned a new word today). There is a flair, along with a crispness, to your photos, be they dark, light or "crazy". You may not see it, but as a biologist, I recognize patterns in all things and I love yours, no matter where it goes.
ReplyDeleteAnd as always, you are sweet as can be with our comments. Thank you 😊
DeleteVery nice image John, All are great. My fav is #1 it looks like a dancer in full flight. Just stunning!
ReplyDeleteThanks David - I love macro because it's so easy for me to set up and I have such limited outdoor resources here. I'm learning a lot and appreciate the feedback.
DeleteI will look more into Moats it is a name that is easy enough for me to remember due to George Motz the burger scholar lol. Macro is an amazing universe and honestly some of my favorite shots are the more abstract sector although those 3 or 5 times macro are insanely breathtaking to look at.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is that Mike doesn't like the term "macro", even though he makes his living that way. He emphasizes good, artistic close up/macro shots, not just "documentary" captures, and that's what I like. I use my 70-300 for a lot of shot because of my back, sometimes with a diopter, sometimes not. It's opened up a whole new world for me.
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