Photograph without close up filter

I recently acquired three close up filters for my Canon 550D: a +1, +2 and a +4. When I ordered them I have visions of taking beautiful close up images of flowers or insects. Instead, Andrew has used the +4 filter to take close up images of a tube of oil paint. This first image is the tube of paint without any filter attached. At this level, it’s still possible to see the shrek-esque green oozing from beneath the cap. I can even spy several white cat hairs, no doubt from Gesso, stuck to the congealed glob of paint.

Add the +4 filter and the truly disgusting nature of the paint spillage reveals itself. It is not just paint but a cocktail of brown gunge (a new word!) and cat hair. This little test has proven to me that a cheap close up filter is a worthy investment for someone like me. I imagine that serious photographers would find a macro lens to be preferable, however for an amateur like me the filter rings are an affordable substitute.

Same tube with +4 close up filter used

Now that I’ve satisfied my curiousity using a paint tube, I’ll try to find more visually appealing subject matter!

Like this little rascal…
One of the advantages in having a deaf cat is that it will stay asleep through rattling of dishes, or in this case, while I fiddled with the settings on my camera to get a close up shot.

Of course, this makes him look enormous. While I have little doubt that Gesso will grow up to be plump, he is for the moment an average sized kitten. It is surprising that his head has not grown to epic proportions, such is the frequency in which he is photographed. Sadly for poor Pickle, Gesso knows he’s cute and is learning young how to hog the limelight.