Closeup filters, or macro filters as they are sometimes known, are awesome. They're a relatively cheap alternative to a dedicated macro lens, which not only takes up space in your bag and adds weight, but saves you money if macro isn't a big part of what you enjoy to shoot. You can find sets of these closeup filters for as low as $10 at places like amazon and b&h. Theyre so cheap that even if you've never gotten into macro before, this is a nice, cheap way of dipping your toes in to test the waters. Some people spend a buck or two on an app and get some enjoyment out of it for a little while, this could be your photographic equilivent. ;) Keep in mind that these won’t give you a true 1:1 macro experience...

   Let me start right off the bat by saying, I never really liked HDR. It was never apart of my vocabulary. I've taken one HDR photo in my entire life before I started implementing this. I just never saw any useful benefits that HDR could provide that a single raw file wasn't more than capable of producing. I was also never a fan of the tone mapped "HDR look" that is ubiquitous amongst so many photographer's work. That's not to say that it's bad or anything, it just didn't fit my style and I honestly never really gave it much of a chance because of that, which is unfair. So I was determined to find a situation where HDR could actually benefit me in some way...