Photograph © Rick Sammon

First there was the "Battle of the HDR Photo Tips" with my friend Trey Ratcliff. Type "Battle of the HDR Tips" in the search window of my blog to see the different rounds.

Well, the next battle will be the "Battle of the Close-up Photography Tips," with my friend Juan Pons.

Juan and I enjoy doing the Digital Photo Experience Podcast. But heck, first and foremost, we are photographers. So, our week-long "battle" will be a blast.

Here's a quick tip for starters: If you are serious about close-up photography, get a ringlight. A ringlight can produce shadowless lighting and ratio lighting (because you can adjust the flash output of the flash tubes). It lets you shoot hand-held close-up photos – like my photo of this red-eye tree frog. A ringlight also lets you shoot at small apertures for good depth-of-field.

Here's a link for more info on the ringlight I use:
Canon MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Stay tuned for details.

Hey, if you like close-up photography, and butterflies, check out the iPad app that Juan and I developed: Butterfly Wonders.

Explore the light,
Rick