Master macro shots in your Android photography

This guide is brought to you by Dan Mold – a Cambridgeshire-based, prize-winning photographer and author with over 13 years of photojournalism experience. Dan is also a former Adobe-certified Photoshop guru, so you know his tips are worth trusting when it comes to getting the most out of your images.

Close-up photography is a brilliant genre to get into, with many modern cameras and even smartphones having close-up, or “macro”, capabilities. The term “macro” comes from the Greek word for “large”, so macro photography refers to the ability to make small tiny details appear much larger in a photograph.

Macro photography means getting closer to your subject and focusing more closely than usual to render smaller subjects full-size on your phone’s screen. This opens up all sorts of practical applications – from capturing fine details of pets like their eyes and paws, to the intricate textures of plants and flowers, such as the veins of a leaf or the delicate surface of a flower’s stamen. By getting closer to your subject, you unlock a whole new world of photographic possibilities.

Using the Macro mode

When you get very close to your subject, many Android smartphones will automatically switch to a Macro mode in the default Camera app. However, if it doesn’t, you may need to manually swipe over to Macro mode. Alternatively, when you’re close enough, a Macro icon may appear – this usually looks like a small flower in the bottom-left corner, though on some models it might appear in the top-left or under the More settings tab. For example, on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, tapping this icon displays a message reading “Focus Enhancer On”.

Using a macro lens with an Android

Android phones vary in camera setup depending on the model, but many of the latest models feature a range of lenses – often including one designed for macro. Professional DSLR and mirrorless cameras have the advantage of interchangeable lenses, allowing you to attach a dedicated macro lens for close-up work.

If your Android doesn’t have built-in macro capability – as was the case with the Samsung Galaxy S23 I was using – don’t worry. Just as with professional cameras, you can attach a macro lens adapter. These are inexpensive and readily available on sites like Amazon. I recommend a 3-in-1 version, which typically includes macro, wide-angle and fisheye lenses. These clip-on adapters fit over your phone’s main camera, adding new functionality – in the case of macro, forcing your camera to focus much closer than usual.

While the image quality won’t match that of a true macro lens on a DSLR, these adapters are a great way to achieve creative close-up effects, and are far more portable than carrying a large, heavy camera.

Working with a limited zone of sharpness

When shooting extreme close-ups, your depth of field will be much shallower than normal. In short, the area that’s in sharp focus is reduced, making it harder to achieve edge-to-edge sharpness.

This can be creatively useful if you want to blur the background and isolate your subject. However, if you want everything in focus, you may need to either pull the camera back slightly or use a technique called “focus stacking” – taking multiple shots at different focus distances and combining the sharpest areas in post-production to create one image with extended depth of field.

Use a high-resolution sensor and crop in

Macro photography is about making small subjects appear large in your frame. While most Android smartphones won’t achieve true 1:1 lifesize reproduction – a feature typically reserved for professional cameras – you can still get great results.

Modern smartphones usually have multiple lenses, each with its own focal length and minimum focus distance. But don’t assume that the lens that focuses closest will give the best result. Often, the main camera has the highest resolution – so even if it can’t focus as closely, its extra megapixels mean you can crop into the image without sacrificing too much quality. In many cases, you’ll get better results using the main lens and cropping in, rather than using a lower-resolution lens that happens to focus more closely.

How to avoid blurry photos

Your images are more susceptible to camera shake when focusing close-up. The nearer you are to your subject, the more visible even slight hand movements become – so hold your phone as still as possible or use a tripod for stability.

Some Android phones include optical or sensor-based image stabilisation, which helps to reduce blur from handheld shooting. If your device offers a Pro or Manual mode, you may also be able to adjust the shutter speed – increasing it to reduce motion blur. Just ensure there’s enough light, as faster shutter speeds require brighter conditions.

For outdoor subjects such as plants or insects, wind can also cause blur. If practical, bring flowers or plants indoors and place them in a vase. Alternatively, use a plamp – a flexible clamp with foam jaws – to gently hold the subject steady. Attach the other end to a tripod leg or anchor it into the ground to prevent movement caused by the breeze.

How to manually focus

For the best macro results, you’ll want to shoot at the minimum focus distance your camera allows. Some higher-end Android smartphones offer manual focus control in Pro mode. If yours does, slide the focus distance to its minimum setting, then either move the phone towards the subject until it becomes sharp, or move the subject towards the phone – ideal for still-life shots like a watch on a table.

If your phone doesn’t support manual focus, you’ll need a more hands-on approach. Move your phone very close to the subject – likely too close for it to focus – then gradually pull back while tapping the screen to trigger Autofocus. Keep repeating this until the camera locks focus and your subject appears sharp. This technique helps you find the minimum focus distance your camera can achieve. Try it with different lenses and zoom settings to see which provides the best result.

Tips and tricks

Macro photography can be more fiddly than other types due to increased risk of camera shake and shallow depth of field. After taking a shot, don’t immediately pocket your phone – pinch to zoom into your photo in the Gallery app and check that the focal point is razor-sharp. If it isn’t, try again until it is.

Avoid poor lighting, too. The best macro photos require even, well-balanced light. Outdoors, a bright day is ideal, but if the light is too harsh and directional, use a “scrim” – a translucent material placed between the sun and your subject – to diffuse the light. Alternatively, bring your own lighting. LED lights with bendable arms let you direct light precisely, and ring lights that wrap around the lens are especially good for macro photography, producing soft, even illumination with minimal shadows.