Thank you David for taking the time to post these examples!! I am learning but will need to come back and look at it again. I am not familiar with some of the terms you use. I will have to look at my camera and see if I have those options on mine.
A problem I have had with the macro is getting it to focus on what I want it to....for example I was trying to get a picture of a rose but the camera kept focusing on the BACKGROUND...
Hi Jess! Yeah, macro can be tricky sometimes. Here's a few suggestions...
When focusing on the subject using macro, try focusing on an edge rather than in the center of the subject. Using your rose picture as an example, try to point the camera so it is focusing on the edge of the rose. This might work. I've found using edges as the focal point sometimes works.
Make sure you aren't accidently zooming in while in macro. Your camera probably allows you to do this, but it sometimes makes focusing in macro more difficult. Instead of zooming in, physically move the camera closer to the subject. Your camera can probably focus in macro up to one inch from the subject; maybe even a little closer than that.
Check that your camera isn't in one of the "scene" modes. If you have your camera set on landscape and try to take a picture in macro it will probably have a difficult time focusing, since the camera is being told by the computer to look for a landscape, but the lens is showing it something completely different. Some cameras will prevent you from using scene modes with macro. I'm not sure about yours.
You may need to try and focus several times before the camera focuses correctly. It's frustrating, but patience is a virtue!
One other idea; you might be too close to the subject. Try pulling back just a little and then refocus. If the camera insists on focusing on the background, point the camera towards the area it is focusing on, allow the camera to focus, then while keeping the shutter button halfway depressed, move the camera back to the rose. Sometimes the camera will notice the movement and then attempt to correct itself by focusing on the new subject, in this case the rose.
Hope that helps Jess!