Macro photography involves taking extreme close-up photos of tiny objects using special macro lenses. Macro lenses have long barrels for close focusing and are optimized for high reproduction ratios, with focal lengths ranging from 50mm to 200mm or more. The focal length determines the lens's magnification and angle of view, affecting how much of the background is included and the level of background blur. Longer macro lenses require more working distance but compress the subject more.