Photography 1 students have been using macro cameras to take close-up photos in the Campus garden as their first project of the year. They are photographing detailed, close-up images of bugs and plants.

“It is all about taking a look at the world as though you were looking through a magnifying glass,” said photo teacher Colette Sweeney.

Macro cameras have specialty lenses that allow for extreme close-up shots. They require the photographer to focus the camera on their own. According to Sweeney, the project is not new this year, but it is “bigger and better” due to new equipment and mechanisms added to the camera lenses.

After taking the photos, students edit them on Photoshop. Sweeney said they are spending more time this year than previous years– they have been working for about 3 weeks. It is due October 17.

“Students have to master the technical concerns such as aperture, shutter, and depth of field,” Sweeney said. “For every 50 shots they do, only 1 or 2 are perfect.”

Sophomore Ally Ikeya also believes the camera are difficult to use. “It’s hard to focus and get the right amount of light,” she said. However, she was pleased with the results of her project. “The pictures you get out of it look professional,” she said.

Sophomore Adam Beeri thinks that the macro cameras help students understand the different uses of cameras for different types of photos. He likes being able to leave the classroom and take pictures. “You get to go outside and roam around instead of being trapped inside the classroom,” he said.

Sweeney believes students can come to appreciate the garden through photography. “When students slow down to take a close look, they come to realize lots of little critters and a whole host of activities that occur,” she said. “I do it not just for the photography but also for the sake of raising awareness of the study of plants, biology in general, and the importance of growing our own food.”