It’s macro week at the Explora blog and you’ll find many helpful articles and videos about the tools, techniques, and practitioners of macro photography. On the podcast, however, we go deeper than macro, like 1000x deeper—our conversation is with geologist, gemologist, and microscopist Nathan Renfro, of the Gemological Institute of America. Renfro is a renowned photomicrographer, and his images of the interiors of gems, with their unique inclusions and imperfect perfections, are stunning color abstractions of the natural world. With Renfro we speak about the art, craft, and science of photomicrography—using microscopes to make photos, and how he documents the inner life of a stone.
Renfro got his start in gemology thanks to the collection of rocks and gems his grandfather, a miner from North Carolina, left to him. From this collection a fascination grew, ultimately taking him to G.I.A. as a protégé of John Koivula, noted gemologist and author of the Photo Atlas of Gems series. Renfro himself has become one of the leading image makers in his field, and we discuss the tools and techniques he uses to create his work, including fiber optic lighting, focus stacking, and Differential Interference Contrast.
We also discuss the surprisingly simple cameras that he uses, as well as the adapters, filters, and apps that enable his wonderful creations. We ask about the advantages that mirrorless photography holds for his craft, about the commercial and scientific applications of his work, and how traditional photography with a standard zoom lens has improved his understanding of composition and color, thus benefitting his photomicrography. Join us for this exploration deep into microverses, which are as complex and unique as any place on earth or beyond.
Guest: Nathan Renfro
Photograph © Nathan Renfro
Today’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast was produced using Audio-Technica Microphones.
Football Photography, with Al Bello and Callena Williams
Legacy and Long Term Projects - B&H Photography Stories
Brooklyn, Back in the Day, with Anders Goldfarb and Larry Racioppo
Fallout - The War Photography of Peter van Agtmael
The Eye is a Hunter -The Photography of Joe McNally
The 2021 Year in Review and Mick Rock Encore
“The United States of Young Photographers” and Photo Books of 2021
Photographing the James Webb Space Telescope, with Chris Gunn (Encore)
Cameras of the Year, 2021
The Secret Industry - Shipping and Maritime Photography: The B&H Photography Podcast
"I Knew This Was Powerful" – Building Community Through Photography
Astrophotography, with Dr. Robert Gendler
"Making My Own Candy" - Lensbaby Co-Founder Craig Strong
The Long View of Humanity: Vernacular Photography, with Peter J. Cohen and Bill Shapiro (New Episode)
Dynamic Portrait Lighting, with Alexis Cuarezma (Encore)
‘Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky - Rock Photography of the 1960’s (Encore)
Riff on the Caption– A Conversation with Photographer Lester Sloan and Aisha Sabatini Sloan
New Gear Podsticle, October 2021
Muses: A ‘Collective Portrait’ of Trailblazing Women Artists
The Business of Freelance Photography, with Todd Bigelow
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Spider-Man Crawlspace Podcast
Immaterial: 5,000 Years of Art, One Material at a Time
Art of History
Just So Stories
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
The Week in Art
Art2Life