Depth of field is an important consideration in macro photography. This makes it essential to focus critically on the most important part of the subject. Parts of the subject that are even a millimeter closer or farther might be noticeably blurry. Due to this, the use of a microscope stage is highly recommended for precise focus with large magnification such as photographing skin cells.

Lighting can be difficult. Some cameras can focus on subjects so close that they touch the front piece of glass in the lens. It's impossible to place a light between the camera and a subject that close, making this extreme close-up photography impractical. A normal-focal-length lens (50 mm on a 35 mm camera) can focus so close that lighting remains difficult. To get more distance between the camera and the subject, photographers use telephoto macro lenses. Focal lengths from about 100 to 200 mm are popular. This permits lighting.

Ring flashes, with flash tubes arranged in a circle around the front of the lens, can be helpful in lighting at close distances. More recently, ring lights have emerged, using white LEDs to provide a continuous light source for macrophotography.