Colourful macro

The colours and textures of the macaw feathers are great here, but the focus is little off. At close quarters, an aperture of f/5.6 is not enough to forgive even tiny focusing errors. There are two or three different compositions here – the section on the right with the blue-tipped feathers is particularly nice – so it might be worth playing around with cropping too.

Achieving sharp focus on a fast-moving skittish insect like a dragonfly can be tricky, but learning where and when they roost can make your life a lot easier. Here the depth of field has been managed well, with focus gently falling away at the head and the end of the tail. The crop is also excellent.

Thanks to their tightly layered petals, rose-like structure and vibrant colours, ranunculus are popular subjects with macro photographers. This capture has been handled well with nicely balanced exposure and focus exactly where you want it – in the centre of the flower. Using an aperture of f/25 has allowed the central petals to stay nice and sharp.