For many years I have been using printed backgrounds when shooting subjects with cluttered backgrounds.  Just place the background behind the subject and shoot whatever f/stop you want, in my case it's always f/32 because I want everything in focus.

There are sometimes when I get a subject with a natural background that works out very well and I don't need to use a background I and still shoot at f/32 to get everything in focus.

I have a lot more of these natural background images, so sometimes I get lucky and don't have to pull out my backgrounds.

Join my Macro Photo Club online. Over 290 instructional videos. Over 2900 members from 29 countries. Lifetime membership only $99.
Info and to sign up. 

MACRO PHOTO CLUB - Mike Moats - Award Winning Macro Photographer (tinylandscapes.com)

Also Check out my workshops and zoom programs.

WORKSHOPS - Mike Moats - Award Winning Macro Photographer

A couple weeks ago I was teaching a workshop on Madeline Island and one of the students said her images look bad coming out of the camera.

I said don't feel bad as mine look bad coming out of my camera as well.

I told her your images will look awesome if you spend some time post processing the images in whatever photo software you choose to work with. 

Those of you who follow my blog and have seen my before and after posts, will agree my images look pretty bad coming out of the camera.

Here is a good example of the before and after.

Join my Macro Photo Club online. Over 290 instructional videos. Over 2900 members from 29 countries. Lifetime membership only $99.
Info and to sign up. 

MACRO PHOTO CLUB - Mike Moats - Award Winning Macro Photographer (tinylandscapes.com)

Also Check out my workshops and zoom programs.

WORKSHOPS - Mike Moats - Award Winning Macro Photographer

Tonight, there will be lots of fireworks exploding in the sky in my neighborhood.  The Goatsbeard seedhead is nature's natural looking fireworks. Have fun today but be safe.

Join my Macro Photo Club online. Over 280 instructional videos. Over 2800 members from 29 countries. Lifetime membership only $99.
Info and to sign up. 

MACRO PHOTO CLUB - Mike Moats - Award Winning Macro Photographer (tinylandscapes.com)

Also Check out my workshops and zoom programs.

WORKSHOPS - Mike Moats - Award Winning Macro Photographer

July - Macro Photo Club News

July monthly theme - It's bug time of the year, so post your best critter shots.

Macro Photo Club members, post your images in the Mike Moats Macro Photo Club Facebook group.

The winner of the June Macro Photo Club coffee mug is Susanna Euston, so Susanna, email me at macrogeekmike@yahoo.com 

Unfortunately, the monthly giveaway is ending. We have been fortunate to get free products for the monthly giveaways for over five years but lately companies are not able to give away products as in the past, so we are ending monthly giveaways. 

For those who are lifetime members, when you signed up you were sent a welcome email.  That email has the links to access the instructional videos so make sure to save that email. If you lost the welcome email contact me and I'll send you a new one. macrogeekmike@yahoo.com

Join the Macro Photo Club at, MACRO PHOTO CLUB - Mike Moats - Award Winning Macro Photographer (tinylandscapes.com)

When I was on Madeline Island in June co-teaching a flower photography workshop with Kathleen Clemons, Jackie Kramer, and Adrea Gulickx, I was in the Lupine field with my students and one of the students found this two headed Lupine flower.

I have taught on the island photographing the Lupine for 8 or 9 years and with the thousands of Lupine I've seen, I have never come across a two headed one, so very excited that this was found.

In my programs a teach photographers to search out subjects with character, ones that are different from the rest of their species. Those unique characters make for images people have not seen before rather than the same old flower.

So, this two headed Lupine is a very unique subject and happy one of my students found this one.

If you are interested in learning about this flower photography workshop for June 2026 CLICK HERE

Join my Macro Photo Club online. Over 290 instructional videos. Over 2900 members from 29 countries. 
Info and to sign up. 

MACRO PHOTO CLUB - Mike Moats - Award Winning Macro Photographer

Also Check out my workshops and zoom programs.

WORKSHOPS - Mike Moats - Award Winning Macro Photographer