Macro Photography Zoom Course
Summer 2025
A series of 8 interactive Zoom sessions on photographing insects, flowers and fungi
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This summer (2025) I am offering a course of eight 2-hour Zoom sessions on macro and close-up photography. The sessions have been carefully designed to engage participants and maximise their learning and enjoyment. The course has the following features:
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Two-hour sessions taking place in the evening from 7-9pm, once per week (mostly Tuesdays - see dates below)
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Taking place in the summer so you can do outdoor insect/flower photography during the course
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A maximum of 25 attendees, to ensure each person gets plenty of individual attention
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A mixture of lecture and discussion, with lots of opportunity to ask questions and share ideas
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Assignments to encourage you to maximise your learning
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Feedback on your images and advice on how to improve them including processing demos
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Coverage of all the important skills needed to shoot and edit great close-up images
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A dedicated Facebook page for attendees to support each others' journeys
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Each session recorded and made available to attendees
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A free set of 7 pdfs, with extensive notes and images on each topic, original value £56
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Course led by a multi-award winning macro photographer and experienced teacher, with a Masters in Education and a Masters in Developmental Psychology
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Suitable for beginners to intermediate level photographers
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All this for only £149!​​​​​​​
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If you have any queries, please contact me.​​
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FEES
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£149 per attendee (max. 25 attendees)
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Please note, VAT does not apply; this is the total amount.​
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Places available: 9
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BOOKING
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Use the 'Buy Now' button below to pay by Paypal or card. if you prefer to pay by bank transfer, please contact me.​​
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After booking, I will receive your details from Paypal, and I'll email you to confirm your booking. I will then send more information closer to the start if the course.
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COURSE DATES Summer 2025
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All times 7-9pm BST
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1. Tuesday July 8th​
2. Tuesday July 15th​
3. Thursday July 24th​
4. Tuesday July 29th​
5. Tuesday August 5th​
6. Tuesday August 12th ​
7. Tuesday August 19th​
8. Tuesday August 26th​​
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GEAR: ESSENTIAL
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Camera
Macro lens or other set-up which allows close-up photography (e.g. reverse ring, extension tubes, close-up filter, long lens)
Tripod
Tripod head
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GEAR: RECOMMENDED
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Remote shutter release
Clamp (for holding a plant)
Lighting (e.g, LED panel, flash, torch)
Light stand(s)
Scissors
Water spray
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RECOMMENDED KNOWLEDGE
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​How to find and operate the following camera controls: mode, MF/AF, filesize, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, live view, zoom in on live view, image review, zoom in on image review, exposure delay, select/move focus point, exposure compensation, histogram.​​​​
COURSE CONTENT
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1. Introduction to macro and close-up photography; the best way to learn - a look at educational philosophies; a look at gear and what you need for close-up photography; finding locations; identifying bugs and plants; discussion/Q&A; share one close-up image each
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Assignment: try out your close-up/macro gear, take a few shots at home; find a good insect and/or flower location; take some shots there and share them on the FB page; think of 1 or 2 questions for the next session
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2. Fieldcraft - the knowledge of nature required to get good images; the importance of weather, time of year and time of day; insect behaviour; how to approach and handle insects; discussion/Q&A; a look at your images
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Assignment: visit your location early and look for inactive insects; take some shots; try to identify the species; share images on the FB page; think of 1 or 2 questions for the next session
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3. Technical skills part 1 - achieving good image quality - avoiding noise, getting exposure right, ensuring a fast enough shutter speed, and achieving sharpness; using a tripod and lighting to set up shots; discussion/Q&A; review your images
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Assignment: practice technical skills at home; visit your location and put those skills into practice, taking some shots; check the IQ, sharpness and exposure of your shots while on location, and make changes if necessary; share images on the FB page; think of 1 or 2 questions for the next session
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4. Technical skills part 2 - depth of field and focus stacking; how to focus bracket and get full coverage of sharpness; manual and automatic focus bracketing; discussion/Q&A; review your images
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Assignment: practice focus bracketing at home, checking for full coverage as well as exposure and sharpness; visit your location and try focus bracketing an insect or flower; share images on the FB page; think of 1 or 2 questions for the next session
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5. Artistry - how to create images which are not only technically sound but also beautiful; composition, lighting, colour, subject and perch choice, and more; discussion/Q&A; review your images
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Assignment: visit your location and take some shots which are technically sound, but also beautiful - that is, an attractive subject and perch, well composed and with pleasing light and colour; share images on the FB page; think of 1 or 2 questions for the next session
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6. Processing - editing RAW images, with a demo in Lightroom; denoising and sharpening; focus stacking, with demos using Photoshop and Helicon Focus; fixing errors, and producing a finished image; discussion/Q&A; review your images
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Assignment: try editing using the principles learned in the session; try focus stacking and finishing an image; think of 1 or 2 questions for the next session
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7. Advanced techniques - creating a beautiful bokeh; using droplets; foreground blur and bokeh 'shadows'; refraction; lighting techniques; capturing behaviours; processing techniques; discussion/Q&A; review your images
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Assignment: try at least one advanced technique; practice at home and then in the field; share images on the FB page; think of 1 or 2 questions for the next session
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8. Final review session - summary of all the main skills and knowledge covered in the course; extended discussion and Q&A; review of images with processing demos; how to do well in competitions
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Assignment: continue taking images and posting on FB
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NOTE: course content may change as I develop it further
Testimonials
Feedback from a 5-part macro course given on Camversation in 2024
'Thank you so much for this great series.'
'Great lessons so much info.'
'Thank you so much. I have learnt so much each week that I can apply to all genres of photography, not just macro.'
'Excellent series. Tony explained things very well and made me want to try despite the obvious challenges. Very much appreciated the sessions many thanks.'
'Have thoroughly enjoyed these sessions and have learned so much. Beautiful images.'
'What a wonderful 5 weeks of fabulous sessions, thanks so much for sharing all of your knowledge and stunning images, Tony.'
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Feedback from Phlorography talk on Macro Jan 25
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'Wow! An awesome presentation'
'Amazing presentation, Tony. I appreciate the technical depth you shared.'
'This has been awesome! Thank you so much, Tony.'
'Wonderful detailed instruction.'
'Tony - you are a great teacher! Thank you.'
'Thank you Tony, it was a wonderful presentation, I learned so much.'
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Feedback from in-person workshops
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'As an experienced photographer, macro photography always intrigued me, but it was an area I hadn’t explored yet. Wanting to dive in quickly, I searched for a mentor and found Tony North. I booked a three-hour session, and from the start, Tony’s teaching style was fantastic. He made everything easy to understand and designed the lesson to suit exactly what I needed.'
Thanks to his guidance, I’ve saved countless hours of experimenting on my own. I now feel confident and excited to start capturing the small world of macro photography. I couldn’t recommend Tony more!'
- Andy Phillips​
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'Having seen the results that Tony achieves I decided to sign up on one of his macro courses. I did the pre shoot, shoot and post shoot processing sections each of which I found most helpful and rewarding.
I am confident that going forward I will be able to apply the skills and techniques learned to have a positive impact on my macro work. Tony is easy to get on with and generous in sharing his knowledge and techniques. I would recommend anyone to give it a go.'
- Steve Hitchen
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'Having seen Tony’s work on with butterflies etc, I have been waiting to get out for a while but been spoiled by the weather. However, I finally got out and spent some quality time with him explaining the techniques used in finding, isolating and having the set-up ready to take the picture in the best possible position. I now have that understanding that I can also take into the field to try and achieve the same level and quality of the images Tony produces.'
- David Woodhead
