Focus Shift Flowers

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

JAS

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Marketplace
More focus shift efforts. This tome using the Nikon Z6, FTZ Adapter and the Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Micro. For all except the yellow hibiscus, I also used a Canon 500D Closeup lens (+2 diopter). Processed in LrC, Helicon Focus and PS (cleanup/touchup and adjustments)
It is tricky to get your close focus point slightly in front of where you want to start the stack. Also confounded by a breeze. I was using a reflector panel as a windscreen, but it doesn't totally eliminate the problems.
Sorry for the repetitive subjects in my recent shots. I am shooting on the compoundwhere I live and suitable, sheltered subjects are hard to find. I just keep looking for different angles and to improve shot selection. camera management and processing skills.

ShiftShots2.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
ShiftShots2-2.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
ShiftShots2-3.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
ShiftShots2-4.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
Joe, I'm really liking #2 and #3. (y) (y) (y) (y)
Thank you and I agree with your choices. Those two flowers offier a wide range of possibilities for focus shift and single image shots. The first and fourth offer possibilities but require a lot more work on my part to find the best angles and setups for stacking.
 
Thank you and I agree with your choices. Those two flowers offier a wide range of possibilities for focus shift and single image shots. The first and fourth offer possibilities but require a lot more work on my part to find the best angles and setups for stacking.
I'm exploring the possibility of getting Helicon Focus and delving into photo stacking even more. Can you tell me how many images you stacked to make #2 and #3 and the MB size of the final files?
 
  • Like
Reactions: JAS
I'm exploring the possibility of getting Helicon Focus and delving into photo stacking even more. Can you tell me how many images you stacked to make #2 and #3 and the MB size of the final files?
I tend to shoot 100 slices for most flower closeup shots. Of those, I will pull 60-80 into Helicon Focus to stack. The tif stacks range from 200-600MB each and much larger if I do polishing in PS. I am working on a 2015 MacBook Pro 15" w/ 16GB RAM. I work with the files on the Mac hard drive, then move the finished products to a separate hard drive for long-term access and future editing or redos. If I am satisfied with a stack, I will delete the originals to free up disk space because it is easy to get 3000 shots in one morning. I pretty much follow the approaches laid out in Steve's course on htis topic. Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
Beautiful! I will learn to do this soon. Waiting for Spring in the North East to supply great subjects.
More focus shift efforts. This tome using the Nikon Z6, FTZ Adapter and the Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Micro. For all except the yellow hibiscus, I also used a Canon 500D Closeup lens (+2 diopter). Processed in LrC, Helicon Focus and PS (cleanup/touchup and adjustments)
It is tricky to get your close focus point slightly in front of where you want to start the stack. Also confounded by a breeze. I was using a reflector panel as a windscreen, but it doesn't totally eliminate the problems.
Sorry for the repetitive subjects in my recent shots. I am shooting on the compoundwhere I live and suitable, sheltered subjects are hard to find. I just keep looking for different angles and to improve shot selection. camera management and processing skills.

 
  • Like
Reactions: JAS
I tend to shoot 100 slices for most flowers clseup shots. Of those, I will pull 60-80 into Helicon Focus to stack. The tif stacks range from 200-600MB each and much larger if I do polishing in PS. I am working on a 2015 MacBook Pro 15" w/ 16GB RAM. I work with the files on the Mac hard drive, then move the finished products to a separate hard drive for long-term access and future editing or redos. If I am satisfied with a stack, I will delete the originals to free up disk space because it is easy to get 3000 shots in one morning. I pretty much follow the approaches laid out in Steve's course on htis topic. Hope this helps.
Joe, It helps quite a bit. Thanks for your response. I know most people on here are wildlife photographers and I am venturing in that direction as well. However, I'd rather have colorful images like yours enlarged and hanging on my walls. I definitely want to try my hand on some stacked flower images. I aspire to the level of your work. That being said, if I get a great shot of an American Bald Eagle diving and grabbing a fish with its talons, I'm enlarging that baby and it is going on my wall. And, a great image of a Grizzly would find its way onto the wall as well. Hahaha!!! What would push any of those off my walls would be a great image of an owl taking flight.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JAS
Joe, It helps quite a bit. Thanks for your response. I know most people on here are wildlife photographers and I am venturing in that direction as well. However, I'd rather have colorful images like yours enlarged and hanging on my walls. I definitely want to try my hand on some stacked flower images. I aspire to the level of your work. That being said, if I get a great shot of an American Bald Eagle diving and grabbing a fish with its talons, I'm enlarging that baby and it is going on my wall. And, a great image of a Grizzly would find its way onto the wall as well. Hahaha!!! What would push any of those off my walls would be a great image of an owl taking flight.
I also shoot wildlife and landscape as seen below. The grizz was at Yellowstone in 2013 and it was right next to the road so an easy shot though I was shaking severely. The eagle grab is only a 1mp crop at 700mm so I need to get better versions. I too want some owl shots!

I first learned of focus stacking in a training class with Vincent Versace back in 2015. Moving the focus point around different flowers in live view on my D600 and then stacking a smaller set of photos in Photoshop. That was in the "olden days". My daughter also was a pro jewelry photogrqapher and taught me a bunch about stacking.

Right now I live in Saudi Arabia and have few places to shoot given pandemic limitations so I practice on the flowers on the compound where I live. I will be moving back to Wisconsin at the end of April after 12 years overseas and look forward to shooting my wife's flower gardens when I get there for this summer, and wildlife and .....


Grizz.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
Eagle.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
Last edited:
Beautiful! I will learn to do this soon. Waiting for Spring in the North East to supply great subjects.
I am moving home at the end of April after living in the Middle East since early 2009. I look forward to shooting in our home flower gardens (Wisconsin) this year. I have been able to do some of that on home trips but only catch small slices. This year I hope to get the whole season!
 
Dear Joe:

I think that # 2 is the strongest (upper right). I love the light and velvet texture. It kind of reminds me of a nudibranch from scuba diving. Thank you for sharing. Really nice shots.

Karl
 
  • Like
Reactions: JAS
Dear Joe:

I think that # 2 is the strongest (upper right). I love the light and velvet texture. It kind of reminds me of a nudibranch from scuba diving. Thank you for sharing. Really nice shots.

Karl

Thank you for the friendly comment
Here is a Red Sea nudibranch to compare.

D0B1E32E-5AE9-4236-9FBB-7000B9EB4B78.jpeg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
Dear Joe:
Drop dead gorgeous nudibranch. I have always sought to make such an image myself--but never seemed to capture one before I dropped out of diving. I had hopes of getting back into it last year, but like so many other things, Covid changed those plans. In the next few years I hope to get back underwater and use some of the things I've learn in above water photography.

Great Images. Please keep them coming!

Karl
 
  • Like
Reactions: JAS
Dear Joe:
Drop dead gorgeous nudibranch. I have always sought to make such an image myself--but never seemed to capture one before I dropped out of diving. I had hopes of getting back into it last year, but like so many other things, Covid changed those plans. In the next few years I hope to get back underwater and use some of the things I've learn in above water photography.

Great Images. Please keep them coming!

Karl
I hope you get back underwater too and soon. I was a diver from Aug 2013 until then end of 2019 when I had to medically retire. My catalog is about 11,000 photos with a range of nudibranch shots. All my dives were in the Red Sea near Jeddah Saudi Arabia - exquisite and easy diving Good luck. Best wishes and good shooting.
 
Dear Joe:
Wow, sorry to hear you had to stop diving. As I get older, I worry that I am just a step away from something affecting my ability to get out (or underwater) to do the things I want too. I still remember the first Nudibranch I saw off the California coast about 25 or 30 years ago. It was a tiny Spanish Shawl actually stuck to my dive buddies bottom. She became concerned when I was staring at her posterior so intently during our safety stop! The iridescent blue and the shallow depth really made the 'branch seem lit from within. I spent many dives in the low California visibility happily looking for nudibranchs. From what I've seen over the years, the Red Sea is just a fabulous paradise for divers, great vis and warmer temps. Given your skill, I have not doubt you have a bunch of "keepers," and I appreciate you sharing them

Karl
 
Back
Top