Macro and close-up photography are often used interchangeably, however there is a distinct difference between the two.
Macro photography refers to images taken of very small objects where the size of the object in the image is greater than life size.
On the other hand, close-up photography refers to images taken of larger objects that are rendered smaller than life size.
To achieve a shallow depth of field in either macro or close-up photography, focus stacking and depth traps can be used.
Focus stacking involves taking several shots at different focal points and combining them into one image with a greater depth of field, while depth traps help create foreground blur by placing an object between the camera lens and subject to create a greater distance between them.