Focus stacked Chokecherry and Pagoda Dogwood buds

[Bill M]

Experimenting with manual focus stacking on emerging tree buds. There was some on an off breeze so stabilized branch with clamps before shooting. Chokecherry is first shot

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[Andrew Lamberson]

Those are extraordinary. Can you give us some details of how you did it??

 

[Bill M]

D7500 and Tamron 90mm macro lens. Also a Litra Cube light. Plamp plus tripod. Tripod set up with focusing rail. Helicon Focus software.
I set up the focusing rail on my sturdiest tripod. Then I set up a different tripod to attach the Plamp to and secure the branch with the bud I am going to capture. Maneuver everything around to the final composition. I shoot several shots using the litra light at different angles until I find the exposure I like best. I shoot in manual using live view. I believe the first phot was about 14 shots and the second was about 22. If you want to improve your focus stacking, Steve's video course was very helpful to me.

 

[JAS]

Very well done, the “old-fashioned way”. Until getting my Z6, I too did manual focus on a slected number of points and stacked in Photoshop. These show your effort to get the best shots.

 

[Bill M]

Andrew thank you for your kind comments.

 

[Bill M]

JAS Thanks for you compliments. I rather enjoy focus stacking the old fashioned way. However, the concept of owning a Z camera with focus shifting is very appealing to me. But not so much to my 'purchasing agent' yet.