The reverse lens technique is an innovative method which applies the principles of optics to get an effect akin to a macro lens without actually using one. Learn the reverse lens technique and how it can enhance your photographs by reading this article.
Reverse Lens Technique
One of the most amazing subjects to shoot is what's less obvious to one’s eye. Hence, close-up shots of tiny subjects always yield intriguing photos. This technique is called macro photography and typically requires dedicated macro lenses. More often than not, these lenses are quite expensive. So what does a photographer on a budget, who’s just spent quite a few bucks on a DSLR camera and a good long zoom lens do if he has no spare cash for a macro lens? With some ingenuity and practice, one can get amazing macro shots without a macro lens, by using what's known as ‘reverse lens technique’.
Macro photography without a macro lens…you must be kidding!
To understand the reverse lens technique, one should understand how a lens works. The elements of a lens are so arranged as to capture light from a wide angle of view, say, the whole landscape in front of you, and focus it onto a small plane, the 35mm film (or an even smaller digital sensor). So, the lens ‘converges’ incoming light and focuses it onto a much smaller plane. Now think what would happen if you flipped the lens and used it the other way round. Now the very same elements would ‘diverge’ light coming in from a smaller or narrower source. Precisely what we want while shooting tiny subjects. The same principle also applies, though in a more basic form, to a magnifying lens or binoculars. Now there’s just one more step to go. If you use only a single lens flipped over, you’d have realized by now that the image would not get focussed onto the film/sensor. So, in practice, the flipped-over, or reversed, lens is attached over a normal lens. The reversed lens magnifies the image of a tiny subject and the magnified image is captured by the normal lens and focused on the film or sensor. Neat, right?
Cool…what all do I need?
To apply the reverse lens technique to your photos, you'll need:
- Your normal 50mm (or similar) lens
- A second lens (which can also be a 50mm lens or a zoom lens)
Just make sure both lenses are tightly opposed, or else you’ll have to tape them together to prevent stray light from entering the lens. Simply attach the second (or zoom) lens, wrong-side out, to the first lens, and you’re ready to shoot!
Please continue on to page 2, where you will be provided with tips and precautions for the reverse lens technique.