Macro Shooting Outdoors with Wind

[michael_mooney]

I'd like to minimize wind effects when shooting macro subjects, such

as plant life, outdoors with tripod.

 

Any tips, techniques, etc will be much appreciated. Many thanks.

 

M i k e

[frank uhlig]

Ask Poseidon to blow somewhere else.

 

We humans do not have much effect on the wind, do we? And a field of poppies that sways in the breeze will not be sharp with a 100 ISO slide film, no matter how good our tripod is ...

 

Sorry; repeat: ask Poseidon.

[m._huber]

Usually, you must take your time and wait for a wind ebb. The wind usually has brief periods of relative calm when you might get a few good shots. You also might use a photo "tent" or reflector which controls the light and also acts as a wind break.

[howard_grill]

While it is true that there is no way to minimize wind motion to a field of flowers other than waiting for the wind to stop, I also get the impression that you are also interested in the individual flower since you mentioned that you were doing macro work. There is a cheap and helpful accessory that I like called the Plamp. I have found it to be very useful in many circumstances.

 

Here is the link to get it:

 

http://www.tripodhead.com/plamp.html

 

Hope this helps.

 

Howard

[stemked]

I used to photograph a lot out in Western Minnesota. It is rare when it ISN'T blowing. The plamp as noted is one way, it's a little limiting because you clamp it generally from the plant to your tripod. Also it really doesn't work if the wind is really blowing hard. I often used to take a white bedsheet with me and make a tent. That way both wind and harsh lighting are taking care of. I also used to sometimes take 4 heavily scratched pieces of plexiglass (I scratched then with steel wool)and a few cheap wood spikes to prop them up. Again they make great wind breaks and offer more diffuse light. This last method has generally been my method of choice.

 

Doug

[alex_lofquist]

Check out John Shaw's translucent cover that he uses for small botanical subjects. I believe it was something like a whipped cream container with an access window cut into the side. Of course, anything similar ought to work.

 

Alex

[gannet___]

Another possiblity that's fairly portable is a white golf umbrella. It doesn't work as well in some situations as something like the plexi sheet mentioned earlier, but it's easier to carry.

[erick_lamontagne]

Use flash.

[bliorg]

Patience. Most of the quick fixes are self-limiting. Try using some of the newer, faster emulsions, and take heart in knowing that outdoor nature macro is a weeder subject - many folks haven't got the patience to wait for the right combination of subject, light, and still.

[barry schmetter]

I guess you've discovered the number one bane of macro photographers. I've never had a lot of success with constructing wind breaks--they minimize, but don't eliminate the problem. One solution is to shoot in the early morning, it tends to be less windy than later in the day. As in comedy, timing is everything. If you wait for a (short) lull in the wind you can often squeeze off a sharp shot. On some days, it's better to forget the whole thing and break out your kite.

[ryan_taylor1]

I use a plamp and find it works very well in many circumstances. One thing about it though, because it is attached to your tripod, just pushing the shutter will transmit vibration through it and to your subject. This is readily solved by using a self-timer on your shutter. Another advantage of the plamp is that it allows you to make slight adjustments to the position of your subject. I find this very useful when doing macro work because getting your subject parallel to your film plane helps with the depth of field issue.

 

As Mr. Stemke noted, the plamp won't solve your problems on really windy days. I have tried using cloth sheets but I find them difficult to control in wind. I think the scratched plexiglass sheets might be an excellent solution; I'll have to give it a try.

[markp]

A couple posts above recommend the Wimberley Plamp. I concur that these great gadgtets can be really useful! However, I've found them more helpful if clamped to something other than the tripod on which my camera is mounted. When shooting while on a hike where I need to minimize carried weight, I often clamp my plamp to my camera backpack resting on the ground. Or, to a stick stuck into the ground near my subject, if I can do so without damaging anything.

 

If I'm working a field of macro subjects where I'm not going to be hiking a long distance, I usually bring along a small second tripod - I use an old Velbon that was my first tripod 20 years ago - it's light aluminum and doesn't add much weight when strapped to my pack. This stands next to my subject with plamp attached. I'm then free to move my camera tripod around, without having to un-Plamp my subject for every change of perspective.

 

A plamp and a second tripod also makes a great reflector/diffuser holder.

[bert_nelson1]

Mike:

 

I shoot a lot of wildflowers, which I do with either a 55 mm

or 105 mm macro lens and it always seems to be too windy.

 

There are a couple of things I like to do to compensate for the wind.

 

What I do is to pull back from the subject to maybe 1.25 feet or

even 1.5 feet instead of 6-8 inches and set the f-stop at f/16,

which then allows for a faster shutter speed. This is not a cure all,

but it allows me to get the shot of the wildflower in perfect focus

when the wind is not blowing too hard.

 

 

I also shoot mostly in the morning, which seems to help.

[mlfly]

An electronic remote control is great in this situation. I've grown

fond of using a reflector to enhance the light or a translucent one

to diffuse the light. Either way, you can stand with the reflector in

such a way that it diminishes the wind and works with the light's

direction - then trip the shutter with the remote.

 

Mike

[imaginator]

Bring an extra tripod along... even an inexpensive one. Also bring small ropes, cloths pins, ect. to attach things. Comes in real handy for many things, including rigging a wind protector, like a small white sheet (which also softens the light a bit) To those that say just wait it out for that brief moment when the wind stops... been there, done that! After 20 minutes of patience, often standing in an uncomfortable position on rugged terrain, friends waiting for you to catch up on the hike, no break in the wind... forget it! Of course, rigging a wind break can be very frustrating too, but at least you feel like you have some control over the situation. Honestly, I have been in so many situations where an assitant would be a great help, but patient volunteers are hard to find so that extra tripod will have to do (and it doesn't talk back, whine or tell you to hurry up)