The Benefits of Stacking, Pt. 2 - _TNY_2020S2
Sometimes when you sneak-up on butterflies for a close photo, you get more than one chance instead of them directly taking off.
This means you can either try a new angle/composition, or just get even closer - but there is another option: focus stacking.
Typically focus stacking is done in the studio with a stationary (ie dead) subject and the camera on a rail and a huge number of photos, but that's not really that interesting to me. Instead, I prefer to battle the inherently short depth of field of in situ macro shots by taking multiple shots from the same angle with slightly different distance to the subject, resulting in different parts of it being in focus. Feeding these shots into stacking software like Helicon Focus or Zerene Stacker (I prefer the latter), it can then combine the sharp parts into a single image and give a bit nicer DoF.
Here is a pearly heath (Coenonympha arcania) which allowed me to take two shots without moving which I subsequently combined into one using Zerene. In fact it stayed so still that I managed a four exposure focus stack as well - you can find it in part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51864238895/
This one really has some nice detail on the beard and moustache so if you're watching this on a computer, try and tap L and then Z on your keyboard to zoom in close.
The Benefits of Stacking, Pt. 2 - _TNY_2020S2
Sometimes when you sneak-up on butterflies for a close photo, you get more than one chance instead of them directly taking off.
This means you can either try a new angle/composition, or just get even closer - but there is another option: focus stacking.
Typically focus stacking is done in the studio with a stationary (ie dead) subject and the camera on a rail and a huge number of photos, but that's not really that interesting to me. Instead, I prefer to battle the inherently short depth of field of in situ macro shots by taking multiple shots from the same angle with slightly different distance to the subject, resulting in different parts of it being in focus. Feeding these shots into stacking software like Helicon Focus or Zerene Stacker (I prefer the latter), it can then combine the sharp parts into a single image and give a bit nicer DoF.
Here is a pearly heath (Coenonympha arcania) which allowed me to take two shots without moving which I subsequently combined into one using Zerene. In fact it stayed so still that I managed a four exposure focus stack as well - you can find it in part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51864238895/
This one really has some nice detail on the beard and moustache so if you're watching this on a computer, try and tap L and then Z on your keyboard to zoom in close.