Maine in the summer isn’t just about lobsters and lighthouses. If you’ve got a smartphone, you’re holding the key to a hidden world of miniature beauty! From vibrant wildflowers to delicate butterfly wings and intricate patterns in nature, the Pine Tree State explodes with tiny wonders just waiting for their close-up. Macro photography — getting super close to your subject — might sound fancy, but it’s surprisingly easy with today’s phones.

Ready to dive in? Here are seven tips and tricks to capture Maine’s small-scale magic with your smartphone this summer:

1. Get closer, get clearer (and respect your subject!)

This is the golden rule of smartphone macro. The closer you can get to your subject, the more detail you’ll capture. Maximize your phone’s zoom, but remember that optical zoom is always better than digital zoom, which can make your photos pixelated.

Physically move in as close as your phone can comfortably focus while keeping your subject sharp.

Once you’re close, tap your phone screen to pinpoint your focus. This tells your camera exactly what you want to be sharp, which is crucial when dealing with tiny subjects. You might even notice a small sun or exposure slider appear; drag this up or down to adjust the brightness.

This is incredibly helpful for making sure your small subject is well-lit without overexposing the whole scene. For video, maintaining focus and stability is even more vital. Brace your elbows against your body, a tree, or a rock to minimize camera shake, which gets magnified at close range. A small smartphone tripod is a game-changer if you plan on serious macro videography.

Remember, while getting close is key, respecting nature is paramount. Don’t disturb wildlife or trample delicate plants just for a shot.

2. Embrace the magic of golden and blue hours

Lighting makes all the difference in macro photography and videography. The best times to shoot are often during the golden hour — that magical period shortly after sunrise and before sunset. The light during these times is soft, warm, and diffused, which enhances colors and textures beautifully. It creates lovely, elongated shadows that add depth to your tiny subjects.

Imagine dew-kissed spiderwebs glistening with golden light on a quiet morning at Popham Beach State Park near Phippsburg, just a short drive from Bath. The warm glow will make sand patterns, shells and even small bits of seaweed look extraordinary.

BoomerTECH Adventures guide Chris Toy, based here in Bath, reminds us that the blue hour, which occurs just before sunrise and right after sunset, is equally compelling. The light is cooler and more ethereal, casting a serene, almost dreamlike quality over your subjects. This soft, even illumination is fantastic for subtle details, especially highlighting purples and blues in wildflowers. The stillness of these early and late hours often means less wind, a huge bonus for keeping your tiny subjects from swaying.

3. Discover Maine’s hidden miniature worlds

Maine in the summer is a treasure trove of macro subjects. You just need to know where to look, and sometimes, that’s right under your nose!

Wildflowers: Our state explodes with vibrant flora. From the bold blues of lupines that famously carpet coastal areas to the cheerful yellows of black-eyed Susans and the delicate pinks of wild roses, you’ll find incredible subjects everywhere. Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island boasts a remarkable diversity of wildflowers along its many hiking paths, like the Jordan Pond Path or Ocean Path, where you might spot Pink Lady’s Slippers or Bunchberry.

Even a quiet country road or a less-trafficked hiking path at Reid State Park in Georgetown can surprise you with hidden floral gems.

Butterflies and insects: Summer brings an abundance of fascinating insects. Keep an eye out for Monarchs, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, and various species of bees and beetles. Their intricate wing patterns, iridescent bodies, and unique behaviors are perfect for macro. Look for them in pollinator-friendly gardens or wildflower meadows. Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm in Falmouth has dedicated meadows and gardens designed to attract butterflies and other pollinators, offering prime opportunities.

Don’t overlook your own backyard garden if you’ve planted native flowers — it can be a buzzing hub of insect activity.

Nature’s patterns: Macro isn’t just about living things. Look for the fascinating, often overlooked, patterns in nature. The delicate network of veins on a leaf, the rough texture of tree bark (especially on old pines or birches), the tiny, perfectly formed droplets of water clinging to a spiderweb (even more magical during the golden hour!), or the fractal growth of moss on a rock. Any shaded, damp corner of a state park trail or a wooded hiking path could hold these abstract treasures.

4. Master your Phone’s advanced camera settings

Beyond just tapping to focus, delve into your phone’s camera settings for more control.

Most smartphones allow you to manually adjust exposure (how bright or dark your photo is) by sliding your finger up or down after you tap to focus. This is invaluable in macro to prevent overexposed highlights or murky shadows, ensuring your tiny subject is perfectly lit.

BoomerTECH Adventures guide Ed Brazee, who often finds incredible details in the Bangor area, suggests turning on your camera’s grid lines. These lines, often a 3-by-3 grid, appear on your screen and help you compose your shots using rules like the Rule of Thirds, where you place your subject at the intersection of lines.

This can make your macro photos more balanced and visually appealing. For more advanced users, some phone cameras (or third-party apps) allow you to manually control ISO or shutter speed, which can be useful in specific lighting conditions or for freezing motion.

5. Experiment with video capabilities: time-lapse and slow-motion

Don’t limit yourself to still images; your smartphone’s video features can bring Maine’s miniature world to life in dynamic ways.

Macro video: Simply record in regular video mode while maintaining close focus. Short, steady clips are most effective. Capture a bee gently buzzing around a lupine at Pemaquid Point Light, or the subtle sway of a fern frond in a light breeze.

Time-lapse: This mode condenses long periods of time into short, sped-up videos. It’s perfect for capturing movements too slow for the naked eye. Witness a flower slowly unfurling its petals, or the progression of light and shadow across a mossy rock in Camden Hills State Park. You’ll need a stable setup for this — a tripod is highly recommended.

Slow-motion: Conversely, slow-motion video reveals incredible details of rapid movements you’d normally miss. Picture a butterfly taking graceful flight from a blossom, the fine pollen dusting off a bee as it lands, or the mesmerizing splash of a single water droplet hitting a leaf. Good, bright lighting is crucial for crisp slow-motion footage.

6. Think like a tiny tourist: Change your angle

The most common mistake in photography is shooting everything from eye level. In macro, this becomes even more limiting. To truly capture the essence of your tiny subjects, you need to change your perspective.

BoomerTECH Adventures guide Jill Spencer, who explores nature in the Lisbon Falls area, recommends getting down low on the ground, almost at the level of the flower or insect. Shoot upwards through foliage, letting the sky or blurred leaves create an interesting background. Try side angles to highlight unique textures and shapes that might be hidden from above. A worm’s-eye view of a tiny mushroom on a trail in Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park in Freeport can transform it into a grand, imposing structure.

Changing your angle not only makes your photos more dynamic but also helps eliminate distracting backgrounds, putting all the focus on your miniature subject.

7. The power of patience and post-capture polishing

Nature operates on its own time, and the best macro opportunities often come to those who wait quietly. Observe your subject’s behavior. For insects, early mornings when the air is cooler can find them less active and more willing to pose. Spend a few minutes just watching a small patch of wildflowers at a local conservation land like Bath’s Thorne Head Preserve before you even lift your phone. Patience is also key when dealing with wind — wait for lulls to capture sharp photos or steady video.

Once you’ve captured your masterpieces, don’t be afraid to use your phone’s built-in editing tools or a favorite photo editing app. Subtle adjustments to brightness, contrast, and saturation can make your Maine macro shots truly pop. You can also crop the image to enhance composition or remove distractions. For videos, you can trim clips, add transitions, or even layer on royalty-free music to elevate your miniature stories.

So, grab your smartphone and explore the incredible, tiny world that Maine’s summer has to offer. What tiny wonder will you capture first?

BoomerTECH Adventures (boomertechadventures.com) helps boomers and older adults navigate the digital world with confidence and competence. Active boomers themselves, they use their backgrounds as Maine teachers to support individuals and groups with online courses through Maine Adult Education (tinyurl.com/BTAclasses) articles, videos and presentations to organizations upon request.