Up Close

Up Close: A Guide To Macro & Close-Up Photography (2nd edition) ebook



Editor's note: This month only – you can buy two of my favorite ebooks, The Creative Photographer and Square, for just $7 each! Limited time only – click the links to learn more. Thanks for reading, Andrew


My newest ebook Up Close: A Guide To Macro & Close-Up Photography is published today (scroll down for details of the special offer). 

I wrote the first edition of this ebook for Craft and Vision in 2012. It was massively popular and became one of their best-selling ebooks.

Ten years on a lot has changed in the macro photography world. This new edition is updated with all the newest information so you can use the latest techniques and make smart buying decisions. I’ve completely rewritten it, making it longer and much more detailed, and updated all the photos. 

Above all, it’s more helpful to you, the reader, and will help you start making better close-up and macro photos today. 

Up Close ebook

As you read through the book you’ll learn about the different ways in which you can get up close to interesting subjects like flowers and insects.

You’ll also learn about macro lenses, extension tubes, close-up lenses and reverse lens macro, and the advantages (and disadvantages) of each method.

Up Close ebook inside pages

As it comes together and you’ll find yourself making stunning close-up and macro photos of flowers, insects and other popular subjects.

The ebook comes in three formats – PDF, epub and mobi for Kindle. That gives you the freedom to use whichever format suits the device you want to read the ebook on best.

Special offer

Yes, there’s a special offer! To celebrate the publication of Up Close you can buy it for just $10 in May (normal price $14). There’s no code required, we’ve already reduced the price for you.

The price goes up to $14 on June 1, 2022.

Up Close: 10 Creative Ideas For Macro & Close-Up Photos

Your purchase includes Up Close: 10 Creative Ideas for Macro & Close-Up Photos, a PDF with ten creative ideas for you to photograph up close. The idea is to encourage you to go out and put into practice the ideas and techniques you learn in Up Close. You can try one idea a week, or take as long as you want. The choice is yours.

Up Close ebook

You also get a set of 6 Close-Up PhotoTips Cards that sum up the lessons.

Photo Tips cards

What you will learn

The aim of Up Close is to help you make stronger close-up and macro photos right away.

These are just some of the things that you’ll learn:

  • How to make beautiful close-up photos, even if you’re on a budget.
  • The difference between macro photography and close-up photography.
  • How crop factor can help you get up close to your subject.
  • How to test the lenses you already own to see which ones are best for close-up photography.
  • How to use extension tubes (and which ones to buy).
  • How to use close-up lenses (and which ones to buy).
  • Why macro lenses are so good for close-up photography (and more affordable than you might think).
  • How to decide what equipment is best for you (and avoid wasting money).
  • How to use teleconverters and bellows in macro photography.
  • How to do reverse lens macro with one lens or two.
  • How to make close-up photos of flowers, insects and spiders.
  • How to make close-up photos of food and everyday household items.
  • How to focus properly in close-up photography.
  • How getting up close affects depth of field, and how to cope with the problems it creates.
  • What focus bracketing and focus stacking are and how to do them.
  • How to buy and use geared tripod heads and focusing rails.
  • How to use and buy macro flash units.

I really enjoyed writing Up Close: A Guide To Macro & Close-Up Photography. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Click the link to learn more about the ebook or buy it.


Introducing Lightroom Classic ebookThanks for reading. You can get more great articles and tips about photography in my popular Mastering Photography email newsletter. Join today and I’ll send you 47 PhotoTips cards and my ebook Introducing Lightroom Classic . Over 30,000 photographers subscribe. Enter your email now and join us.



Up Close ebook

About Andrew S. Gibson

Andrew S. Gibson is a writer with a camera. He started writing about photography while traveling in Bolivia, and has been published in many prestigious photography magazines including EOS magazine, where he worked as a Writer and Technical Editor for two years. He lives in south Devon in the UK and is inspired by meeting new people, seeing new places and having new experiences. Check out his photography ebooks here.

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