[rayallen]

This one got into Flickr's Explore page today (at #400 out of 500 photos in the page)... Eight-frame handheld focus stack with the D-FA 100mm WR, HD DA 1.4x tele-converter and a Raynox DCR-250.

And it deserved to make Explore. Don't know how you do it hand held.

[eaglem]

The Art of Time



---------- Post added 10-18-17 at 02:46 PM ----------

Carrying a full load....



---------- Post added 10-18-17 at 02:49 PM ----------

Rising to the occasion.

[WPRESTO]

Thank you!

This one got into Flickr's Explore page today (at #400 out of 500 photos in the page)... Eight-frame handheld focus stack with the D-FA 100mm WR, HD DA 1.4x tele-converter and a Raynox DCR-250.

Outstanding Are you available to take my pictures for me?

[Geodude]

Thank you!

This one got into Flickr's Explore page today (at #400 out of 500 photos in the page)... Eight-frame handheld focus stack with the D-FA 100mm WR, HD DA 1.4x tele-converter and a Raynox DCR-250.

Never having tried focus stacking, just how do you get an insect to sit still for eight shots, and do you focus by tweaking the lens 8X, or do you simply move back and forth very slightly? Not being facetious, I'm just curious to know the technique...

[Doundounba]

Outstanding Are you available to take my pictures for me?

For a fee, sure!

And it deserved to make Explore. Don't know how you do it hand held.

Thanks! I suspect your question (how I do it) might be rhetorical, but see below...

Never having tried focus stacking, just how do you get an insect to sit still for eight shots, and do you focus by tweaking the lens 8X, or do you simply move back and forth very slightly? Not being facetious, I'm just curious to know the technique...

Well, it's not easy! But here are the basics. Since I (usually) have a diopter on my lens, changing the focus on the lens actually changes the magnification of the shot, so that's not how focus is achieved at all. The lens is pre-focused to pick a magnification based on the critter I am shooting and the type of shot I want. I use magnified liveview with focus peaking and the camera is set to shoot Continuous High (i.e. 8.3 fps on the K-3). It's good (read almost essential) that the critter be low to the ground, which allows me to kneel and put an elbow on my knee or outright lie down and put my elbows on the ground. I then very slowly move in. I usually fire off a single frame with the eyes (hopefully) in focus to (again, hopefully) have something should the critter be skittish and fly away after the first shot, which often happens. If the critter doesn't fly away and my exposure is good (remember, I'm shooting full manual), I then move in a little more so that focus is a little past the eyes. I may or may not rehearse the (very small) movement needed a couple of times, and then I fire a volley moving slightly backwards. Eight frames takes about one second, so I hope the critter doesn't move significantly during that time!

I'm using a li-ion flash, which can keep up with the K-3 for 10-15 frames at low power levels. If the critter doesn't fly away, I will fire 4-5 more volleys with similar framing, if I can. I often find that my first volley has a systematic movement that moves the critter progressively out of the frame as the shots are fired, so if that's the case, I try to correct that in the next volleys. If the critter is cooperative and photogenic, I'll shoot a ton of frames and maybe vary the angle and the magnification. For the bee I last posted, I shot 153 frames in all. Often with bees, even if you're lucky and find them as they're taking a rest/nap, the flash will eventually wake them and they'll fly way, which is what happened here. (I might publish a second shot from that session as I have other angles that might be stackable which I've yet to process, but I'm very happy with that "one" shot.)

BTW, I wish the K-3's liveview didn't automatically turn off magnification on shutter half press. That is endlessly annoying. (Maybe there's a setting for that?) Anyway...

Once back home I will review the shots and make lists of candidate volleys for stacking, based on framing & composition, on relative lack of movement of the critter, and relative lack of movement of the critter within the frame as I was shooting (ie did I back up in a straight line). I will then usually try to stack several of the most promising candidates, and then compare the stacks. I use Zerene, BTW. Flaws mostly become apparent then, such as when I moved too fast and there are zones out-of-focus (or just less in focus) in between the stacked areas of focus. The stacking software also doesn't always get everything right, and sometimes you have to go in after the fact and correct the choices it made. The best stack then goes through my usual post-processing... And that's it, in a nutshell!


Here's a five-frame focus stack:




And a single-frame shot!

[savoche]

The cathedral in Rouen, France

And even though I'm close to the ground, there's no focus stacking involved


DA15 Ltd

[WPRESTO]

The cathedral in Rouen, France. And even though I'm close to the ground, there's no focus stacking involved

That's what I love to see. Someone who can take a subject that's been photographed hundreds of thousands of of times, and come up with something just a bit different.

[savoche]

That's what I love to see. Someone who can take a subject that's been photographed hundreds of thousands of of times, and come up with something just a bit different.

I thank you for the kind words, but you make it sound as if I know what I'm doing. Sometimes I have a vague idea of what I want, and once in a while it turns out ok. Most of the time, though, it's just blind luck.

[rayallen]

Well, it's not easy! But here are the basics. Since I (usually) have a diopter on my lens, changing the focus on the lens actually changes the magnification of the shot, so that's not how focus is achieved at all. The lens is pre-focused to pick a magnification based on the critter I am shooting and the type of shot I want. I use magnified liveview with focus peaking and the camera is set to shoot Continuous High (i.e. 8.3 fps on the K-3). It's good (read almost essential) that the critter be low to the ground, which allows me to kneel and put and elbow on my knee or outright lie down and put my elbows on the ground. I then very slowly move in. I usually fire off a single frame with the eyes (hopefully) in focus to (again, hopefully) have something should the critter be skittish and fly away after the first shot, which often happens. If the critter doesn't fly away and my exposure is good (remember, I'm shooting full manual), I then move in a little more so that focus is a little past the eyes. I may or may not rehearse the (very small) movement needed a couple of times, and then I fire a volley moving slightly backwards. Eight frames takes about one second, so I hope the critter doesn't move significantly during that time!

I'm using a li-ion flash, which can keep up with the K-3 for 10-15 frames at low power levels. If the critter doesn't fly away, I will fire 4-5 more volleys with similar framing, if I can. I often find that my first volley has a systematic movement that moves the critter progressively out of the frame as the shots are fired, so if that's the case, I try to correct that in the next volleys. If the critter is cooperative and photogenic, I'll shoot a ton of frames and maybe vary the angle and the magnification. For the bee I last posted, I shot 153 frames in all. Often with bees, even if you're lucky and find them as they're taking a rest/nap, the flash will eventually wake them and they'll fly way, which is what happened here. (I might publish a second shot from that session as I have other angles that might be stackable which I've yet to process, but I'm very happy with that "one" shot.)

BTW, I wish the K-3's liveview didn't automatically turn off magnification on shutter half press. That is endlessly annoying. (Maybe there's a setting for that?) Anyway...

Once back home I will review the shots and make lists of candidate volleys for stacking, based on framing & composition, on relative lack of movement of the critter, and relative lack of movement of the critter within the frame as I was shooting (ie did I back up in a straight line). I will then usually try to stack several of the most promising candidates, and then compare the stacks. I use Zerene, BTW. Flaws mostly become apparent then, such as when I moved too fast and there are zones out-of-focus (or just less in focus) in between the stacked areas of focus. The stacking software also doesn't always get everything right, and sometimes you have to go in after the fact and correct the choices it made. The best stack then goes through my usual post-processing... And that's it, in a nutshell!


Here's a five-frame focus stack:




And a single-frame shot!

Thank you very much for your detailed explanation. Your technique sure delivers the goods but it was quite unexpected and unlike anything I have read about focus stacking. I am extremely impressed by your images and the dedication required to produce such detail. I am not sure that I would have the patience needed to produce anything nearly as good. Thanks again.

[Doundounba]

Your technique sure delivers the goods but it was quite unexpected and unlike anything I have read about focus stacking.

Thanks! The guys from Project Maratus - some of the best high magnification macro shooters out there, IMHO - use pretty much the same shooting technique, but moving both forward and backward. (And using the viewfinder.) Here's a demo, for a studio shot of a live spider. (I do wish they would tell us when they post their shots if we're seeing a field macro or a studio shot of a live (ie captured) spider though. Just for disclosure's sake.)

You Tube

You Tube

They're using an external power pack, and I sometimes do that too, but that battery pack is heavy and cumbersome, so lately I've reverted to the li-ion flash - I use a Godox V850ii - instead. It means shorter bursts and slightly higher ISO, but such is life... (With the external battery pack, I think I might sometimes use the viewfinder, because it's less critical to know exactly where eye-focus is, since you can just shoot a super-long volley of shots. I would then get the benefit of the stability that using the viewfinder brings, and it would be much easier to keep good framing as you're firing.)

p.s.: Here's a shot by Jurgen Otto of a Maratus spider on his thumb, just to give a sense of scale for the creatures that Project Maratus is pursuing...

[Canada_Rockies]

That is absolutely fascinating. The dedication is beyond belief. Thank you for all these posts about how you (and others) do these images.

[Nitrogliserin]

From Lofoten, Norway

[WPRESTO]

I thank you for the kind words, but you make it sound as if I know what I'm doing. .

Oh, now I understand. You were standing in the street, framing the cathedral in the usual way, when someone bumped you, you fell, the camera went off, and VOILA!

[aslyfox]

Oh, now I understand. You were standing in the street, framing the cathedral in the usual way, when someone bumped you, you fell, the camera went off, and VOILA!

and here I thought the shutter was on a 2 second delay when he dropped the camera

silly me

[savoche]

Oh, now I understand. You were standing in the street, framing the cathedral in the usual way, when someone bumped you, you fell, the camera went off, and VOILA!

and here I thought the shutter was on a 2 second delay when he dropped the camera

silly me

I didn't claim it was an accident It's more like cheating. You know, when shooting wide angle you usually want something prominent in the foreground. When you don't have a foreground you can sort of create one by getting low. That part is quite easy. Now, knowing when it works - or not! - that's the hard part. So... I have an idea, but it doesn't always work.

Good thing "film" is cheap.

And one more reason I really appreciate the pull-out screen on the K-1! The above image was shot "blind" with the K-3 since I didn't feel like lying down in the street