© John Bentham

To get beautiful close up shots use the digital macro feature on your camera. Most point and shoot cameras have this feature (often you find this in scene mode). This photograph was shot on the Panasonic LX3, a high end pocket size camera. If youre using a DSLR you can often get in close by stepping back and zooming in the lens. You′ll need to experiment with your camera and lens to see what works best. Don’t use the flash when youre in this close, it will wash out all the details and color.

That’s why its good to shoot this type of shot outdoors or near a window where there is plenty of light. Focus is crucial with this kind of shot. My son was moving around a lot and I had to wait for him to hold still, this can take a number of frames before you get it right. Be patient, keep shooting. The focus should be on the eye, with the rest of the face out of focus (which is called shallow depth of field), the photo will have more impact if the eye is sharp. On a DSLR, set your camera on Aperture Priority, then set your Aperture as wide as your lens will go (f2.8 or f4 works well). You can achieve this on a point and shoot by lowering your ISO to 100 or less. Move in and isolate the important part of the photo and crop any distracting elements out of the frame.