Hi desertanimal, glad that was helpful, even if possibly a bit overboard. Never shot snow flakes, but serious people go through some serious trouble doing it (microscopes in cold room). Not for me!
If you want to get better at photography, read. I'm serious. If you fully understand what is going on, you can analyze the results, and think about ways to improve. Some of my favorites are Ray, S. Applied Photographic Optics, Hunter & Fuqua Lights: Science and Magic, Freeman Perfect Exposure.
You only print some, but certainly do some sort of output (e.g., web postings). Learning more about digital image capture and processing comes next. Read the manual of your photoediting program, whichever you use. There is a great book on sharpening out there, and then the Real World series on Color Management (absolutely critical to understand for repeatable results). I love working in Lab color space, so worth exploring (Lab and the Canyon Conundrum), as is RAW conversion.
To my taste, most photo books are too fluffy. They do not help the reader to really understand what is going on. That's why I listed those above.
Also consider what you want to achieve, what your priorities are. Carrying a camera around all the times (compact camera) and high-resolution architectural photography (large format) are mutually exclusive. Neither is right or wrong. But use the right tool for the purpose if it is important, allow for some compromises when it does not matter that much. Nobody can tell you what you want. That is up to you to decide.
I remember the days when I had a Yashica FX-D with a Tokina 35-105 mm zoom, and a couple of diopter close-up lenses. Then steadily built on that, first OM system (also underwater then a PentaxLX in housing), then Contax. Now I use an iPhone for a quick snap, Canon SLR for standard macros, ArcaSwiss large format for precise focal plane control, Zeiss stereo and compound microscopes for higher magnification imaging (also z-stacking for greater depth of field), and a Zeiss scanning electron microscopy for ultimate detail. Yep, quite far off the center of the bell curve.
For macro, there are several approaches, including lens stacking, reversal rings, using microscope lenses on fixed tube, extension tubes or bellows either with head lenses or with normal lens reversed, diopter lenses. I've done all, except mounting microscope lenses on SLR. Today, I z-stacked a bunch of shell specimens with the Canon MPE 65 mm lens on a Cognysis StackShot motorized focusing rail controlled through Zerene Stacker interface on a laptop. Still have to process a few hundred shots. This is for my day job as researcher on biodiversity of marine snails.
I love shooting snakes as well. I bet you have better hunting grounds in AZ compared to SoCal. Have a shovelnose snake shot in Anza Borego as one of my screen savers. Below are some of my favorite snake images
Here and
here are some insects, just in case you are curious. Not all are great, should edit them more carefully.
I also like odd stuff like
slime molds.
Re stunning images, almost by definition they are rare. Good basic technique can be learned. You can develop personal style. But for the great shot, a bit of luck is involved. I easily throw 50% of shots away, and I don't even count the "forgot to take lens cap off" mishaps. In macro, I think I will throw 80-90% away.
Good luck with developing your craft.
Hybrid Mode
