Photo stacking

[Cutter]

its a shame when you have a very narrow DOF and not see all of the subject in all its glory,stacking solves that problem, but others may say it hasnt got the artistic look perhaps!

What are your views ??? anyone

Stacking is fine and in my opinion has just as much artistic merit as a single shot.

Pictures tell stories, and I like the depth in botanical structure shown in your image; as much as I enjoy 'washed out' and 'over shadowed 'imagery effects (that can be achieved with high/low end exposure levels) towards adding a softness, abstract view or sense in mystery to a shot).

Nice work

[hssutton]

One of my earlier attempts at "stacking"

Cherry Blossom 4 photos stacked using CombineZM.

100mm Canon macro + full set of extension tubes (68mm)


Read more: http://www.photoradar.com/photos/108...#ixzz0ys13D2y8

Harry

[GeoffWessex]

Originally Posted by Cutter

its a shame when you have a very narrow DOF and not see all of the subject in all its glory,stacking solves that problem, but others may say it hasnt got the artistic look perhaps!

What are your views ??? anyone

Good question. I think when a human eye looks closely (in real life) at, say, a flower, we're only looking 'sharply' at one part, just the way a narrow DOF would, while the rest of the flower is on the peripheral of our vision.

In a photograph, however, when people view just a tiny sharp area the eyes wander around the image looking for something else that's sharp.... and end up where they started - signalling some kind of disappointment to the brain. This is not like a portrait, where only the face is sharp (or maybe just the eyes but with relatively sharp facial features). The sharp area on a macro is tiny and has limited interest 'for the eyes'.... so I'd say that anything to get more parts in focus into a close-up works fine.

Of course, there are also several 'expectations' of a photograph.... when looking at a photograph of a building with converging verticals, the brain knows it's a photograph and is not surprised by them. Straightening them, with Photoshop etc, can actually make them look rather odd - we expect them to converge on a photo, even though they don't in 'real life' to our brain-controlled eyes !

[Cutter]

[QUOTE=hssutton;21604]One of my earlier attempts at "stacking"

Cherry Blossom 4 photos stacked using CombineZM.

100mm Canon macro + full set of extension tubes (68mm)


Read more: http://www.photoradar.com/photos/108...#ixzz0ys13D2y8

Harry

[QUOTE]

Grat work harry Fantastic work , I use the canon 100 macro but have no extension tubes ( explain please) which ones and how much ?

[hssutton]

Hi Mark.

Thanks for the nice comment.

The tubes I use are made by Kenko, a quick check shows them to be quite expensive @ £150. That's approx £70 dearer than what I paid a few years ago.

Cheaper ones can be bought from China at linkdelight £55.29, I've bought several items from them in the past, delivery within one week. Quality very good. However do make sure you don't buy the cheap one off Ebay, as they do not have the electrical connection for your lens.

I will be ordering a Macro Focusing Slide Rail & Lens Bellows for Canon Camera shortly.

http://www.linkdelight.com/Macro-Ext...ypage.tpl.html

Harry

[Cutter]

Originally Posted by hssutton

Hi Mark.

Thanks for the nice comment.

The tubes I use are made by Kenko, a quick check shows them to be quite expensive @ £150. That's approx £70 dearer than what I paid a few years ago.

Cheaper ones can be bought from China at linkdelight £55.29, I've bought several items from them in the past, delivery within one week. Quality very good. However do make sure you don't buy the cheap one off Ebay, as they do not have the electrical connection for your lens.

I will be ordering a Macro Focusing Slide Rail & Lens Bellows for Canon Camera shortly.

http://www.linkdelight.com/Macro-Ext...ypage.tpl.html

Harry

Thanks for the info Harry will be sending for them shortly ps are the bellows nessesary ?

[hssutton]

Mark

The short answer is no. Bellows just give you that extra control over magnification and focussing.

Harry

I thought you may like this photo, taken a few years ago with my Canon 300D. Same settings as the Cherryblossom. Just one point, you will need loads of light.
If I remember correctly I used my main flash (Sigma) attached to the camera and two cheap Jessops slave flashguns

[Cutter]

Thats awsome Harry yes forgot about light seems to be a big factor in macro, I have got a 580 ex 2 flash would that do ?

[hssutton]

Mark, the 580ex is far better than my original guns, so yes it will be ideal. A softbox would be an ideal accessory.

Harry