To focus stack or not...

Moderated by: Tom Hicks

Visit the FM Store · Image Upload · Buy & Sell
FM Forum Rules
Macro World Resource

FM Forums | Macro World | Join Image Upload
1

end

Dalantech
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #1 · To focus stack or not...

It's human nature to look at the eyes first Amy -we are predators so we look at the eyes of other creatures to determine if it's something we can kill, or if we need to run. That's why you can take a macro shot of a critter and as long as the eyes are in focus no one will complain about the out of focus areas in the image.

I've also learned that for certain compositions the leading edge of an insects face has to be in focus as well as the eye, otherwise people will complain that there isn't enough depth in the shot. So if I'm shooting a dragonfly at 2x to 3x I look for an angle and Fstop combination that will let me get the "nose" in focus as well as the leading edge of the eye(s). The leading edge of the face is the second place that your eye will go in a photo -right after you look at the critter's eyes...

Oct 06, 2008 at 08:17 PM

LordV
Online
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #2 · To focus stack or not...

MichAg92 wrote:
LordV wrote:
*snip*

Phil - The interesting thing is that when you look at a subject your eyes/brain actually zoom the subject and you see the whole thing in focus.

Brian V.

really - I would have assumed that I saw a focal gradient based upon on what portion of the subject I was focusing....

Amy when you look at a subject - you automatically do this without noticing you actually have to think to focus in a particular bit.
Brian V.

Oct 06, 2008 at 08:53 PM

Chefdaniel
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.2 #3 · To focus stack or not...

Unbelievable work! Love it.

Oct 06, 2008 at 08:56 PM

The1
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #4 · To focus stack or not...

i dont really mind if people focus stack or not, personally myself i enjoy photography for the reward of taking that perfect shot without any computer to aid me.

Oct 06, 2008 at 10:43 PM

spankys1
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.2 #5 · To focus stack or not...

very cool I also love stereograms...... first time I've ever seen a bug with a dent in it's eye

great job stacking , I think it adds so much to the pic but how you do it with the mp-e is beyond me I have tough enough time with one pic let alone 5 or 7

Doug

Oct 07, 2008 at 12:33 AM

LordV
Online
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #6 · To focus stack or not...

Thanks for the comments again

Doug- glad you liked the 3-D . I still get a thrill when I first construct these and see the subject in 3-D again.

The1- can respect your POV but you must have problems processing digital pics

Brian V.

Oct 07, 2008 at 05:42 AM

The1
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #7 · To focus stack or not...

LordV wrote:
Thanks for the comments again

Doug- glad you liked the 3-D . I still get a thrill when I first construct these and see the subject in 3-D again.

The1- can respect your POV but you must have problems processing digital pics

Brian V.

didn't quite mean it like that, i still pp, i just dont do anything that actually alters the detail of the photo on the screen. I only crop, add border, exposure etc

Oct 07, 2008 at 11:12 AM

LordV
Online
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #8 · To focus stack or not...

The1 wrote:
LordV wrote:
Thanks for the comments again

Doug- glad you liked the 3-D . I still get a thrill when I first construct these and see the subject in 3-D again.

The1- can respect your POV but you must have problems processing digital pics

Brian V.

didn't quite mean it like that, i still pp, i just dont do anything that actually alters the detail of the photo on the screen. I only crop, add border, exposure etc

Just ribbing you

- I realised that

Brian V.

Oct 07, 2008 at 11:51 AM

Eyvind Ness
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #9 · To focus stack or not...

The1 wrote:
LordV wrote:
Thanks for the comments again

Doug- glad you liked the 3-D . I still get a thrill when I first construct these and see the subject in 3-D again.

The1- can respect your POV but you must have problems processing digital pics

Brian V.

didn't quite mean it like that, i still pp, i just dont do anything that actually alters the detail of the photo on the screen. I only crop, add border, exposure etc

Do you sharpen? :-)

I see your point also, but in the end you cannot avoid manipulating, somewhat. It's only a question to which degree, and what level of manipulation is acceptable, to you.

Oct 07, 2008 at 12:26 PM

lauriek
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #10 · To focus stack or not...

MichAg92 wrote:
really - I would have assumed that I saw a focal gradient based upon on what portion of the subject I was focusing....

Mich,

Human vision is much more complex than that. The pictures that we 'see' are completely constructions within our brain. Our eye/brain only has the ability to focus on a small area of our whole wide angle view. The periphery of what we see is not oof as such, it's just not being looked at directly.

This is why it's possible for us not to be able to see things which are right in front of us. Although the eyes see the item the brain doesn't expect to see it there so you don't see it.

Lots of info on this subject out there, try googling for "psychology human vision" or variations on that theme!

Oct 07, 2008 at 01:30 PM

lauriek
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #11 · To focus stack or not...

The one thing I haven't really tried yet but have mentioned the possibility, is focus stacking shots taken at different apertures to smooth out DOF boundaries.

This can definitely work although I expect it would be bloody hard with with live bugs. I've used this technique on a few occasions. Start the stack with a shot at f11, then one at f8 then do the main bulk of the stack at f5.6 then another single shot at f8 and another at f11 to finish off...

Oct 07, 2008 at 01:35 PM

MichAg92
Offline
Image Upload: On

p.2 #12 · To focus stack or not...

lauriek wrote:
MichAg92 wrote:
really - I would have assumed that I saw a focal gradient based upon on what portion of the subject I was focusing....

Mich,

Human vision is much more complex than that. The pictures that we 'see' are completely constructions within our brain. Our eye/brain only has the ability to focus on a small area of our whole wide angle view. The periphery of what we see is not oof as such, it's just not being looked at directly.

This is why it's possible for us not to be able to see things which are right in front of us. Although the eyes see the item the brain doesn't expect to see it there so you don't see it.

Lots of info on this subject out there, try googling for "psychology human vision" or variations on that theme!

thanksf or the info. Had never considered this issue before.

Oct 07, 2008 at 05:05 PM

LordV
Online
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #13 · To focus stack or not...

MichAg92 wrote:
lauriek wrote:
MichAg92 wrote:
really - I would have assumed that I saw a focal gradient based upon on what portion of the subject I was focusing....

Mich,

Human vision is much more complex than that. The pictures that we 'see' are completely constructions within our brain. Our eye/brain only has the ability to focus on a small area of our whole wide angle view. The periphery of what we see is not oof as such, it's just not being looked at directly.

This is why it's possible for us not to be able to see things which are right in front of us. Although the eyes see the item the brain doesn't expect to see it there so you don't see it.

Lots of info on this subject out there, try googling for "psychology human vision" or variations on that theme!

thanksf or the info. Had never considered this issue before.

Amy - as already commented we see with our brain more than our eyes. It's my excuse for why photographs sometimes look nothing near as good as the original subject when viewed

Brian V.

Oct 08, 2008 at 05:17 AM

LordV
Online
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #14 · To focus stack or not...

lauriek wrote:

The one thing I haven't really tried yet but have mentioned the possibility, is focus stacking shots taken at different apertures to smooth out DOF boundaries.

This can definitely work although I expect it would be bloody hard with with live bugs. I've used this technique on a few occasions. Start the stack with a shot at f11, then one at f8 then do the main bulk of the stack at f5.6 then another single shot at f8 and another at f11 to finish off...

Thanks Lauriek - will have to try it sometime with a nice "tame" bug
Brian V.

Oct 08, 2008 at 05:18 AM

Kevin Theron
Offline
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #15 · To focus stack or not...

love the depth under the fly in the stereo Brian, he looks so high n mighty.
Ever considered using a P&S with it's dof capabilities for macro yet?

Oct 08, 2008 at 09:06 AM

LordV
Online
Image Upload: Off

p.2 #16 · To focus stack or not...

Kevin Theron wrote:
love the depth under the fly in the stereo Brian, he looks so high n mighty.
Ever considered using a P&S with it's dof capabilities for macro yet?

Thanks Kevin
I do have a P&S with reasonable macro capability but have a dreadful time with focus and flash (or lack of) with it.

Brian V.

Oct 08, 2008 at 09:52 AM


FM Forums \| Macro World \| Join Image Upload 1 2 end