ABSTRACT
All macro shots are extreme close-ups, but not all extreme close-ups are macro shots; the key difference lies in the level of magnification they can feature. Macro lenses, however, are designed to let us get much closer to a subject, and can therefore produce images with a significantly higher level of magnification; this allows macro shots to add a degree of visual emphasis that extreme close-ups simply cannot match, and can make even everyday, common objects look visually imposing. In a macro shot, a subject is readily identifiable by an audience, either because it is shown in a way that provides sufficient visual clues, or because it is preceded by a wider shots that clearly establish the source of the magnified image. Macro shots show extremely small details of a subject, revealing textures and other distinguishing characteristics that even extreme close-ups cannot capture.
