[AI Illustration Concepts] Getting closer reveals something else | Macro Lens

A macro lens is a lens that allows you to shoot from a very close distance to the subject.

Small things appear large. Details that are usually invisible come to the forefront. That is the kind of lens it is.

🎨 What is a macro lens?

It is a lens that can capture a subject from an extremely close distance.

The fine patterns on petals, the compound eyes of insects, reflections inside water droplets on leaves. Things that are hard to see with the naked eye spread across the entire screen when viewed through a macro lens.

In terms of prompts, writing 'macro lens', 'close-up', or 'extreme detail' will result in images with this kind of texture.

🎨 Things that were invisible become visible

When drawing with a macro lens, things you usually don't pay attention to become the main subject.

A dog's nose, the veins of a leaf, the roughness of a stone's surface. Things that would make you ask 'what is this?' if seen on their own, become established as independent pictures when drawn in macro.

When I first tried it, I thought the distance where you can barely tell 'what this is' was the most interesting. If it's too close, it becomes an abstract painting. If it's too far, it becomes a normal picture. I feel like there is a 'macro-like' image somewhere in between.

🎨 Things I tried

I tried drawing a 'close-up of a dog's nose'.

The dog's nose spread across the screen, resulting in an image where you can see the pores and the wet texture.

It was a strange feeling, where you 'know what the picture is' but it 'looks completely different from the face you are used to.' Even though it's something I know, it looks like something I don't.

When I showed it to a friend, they said 'What is this?' When I explained it, they said 'I see,' but I didn't feel like I was being complimented much.

🎨 Translating into prompts

These are prompts for specifying a macro lens.

macro lens, close-up, extreme detail, micro photography

Adding 'shallow depth of field' narrows the focus range, making it easier to achieve a macro-like texture.

Adding `wet surface` or `fine texture` emphasizes the detail and moisture of the surface. This is more effective for smaller objects.

🎨 As the distance changes, what you see changes

What I realized while using a macro lens is that the closer you get, the type of things you see changes.

What looks like a "dog" from a distance becomes a "nose" when you get closer, and then "pores and moisture" when you get even closer. Even with the same subject, the main focus changes depending on the distance.

I'm debating whether to save the nose picture as a dog picture.
Oh well, never mind.

Afterword

Thank you for reading this far.

Macro lenses are great, aren't they!
The world became larger, and I felt like I had become a tiny person lol

Please feel free to make use of this~

It would encourage me if you could "follow" or "like" this!
I look forward to your continued support!