ocanabis
Well-Known Member
Photo Stacking 101
For those of you that don't know what Photo stacking is I am pleased to offer a tute on the subject.
I am going to going take Macro shots to a whole new level called Photo Stacking using a program called Combine ZM.
http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZM/News.htm
Photo Stacking is a process where I focus in on a particular area and take any where from 5 shots to infinity basically.Here I have taken 5 shots of a Calix from the Ripped Bubba
To do these shots the equipment you need is a Good Camera Mine is a Canon Rebel XSi (450 D),100 mm Macro lens,Ring Flash,Tripod and a Manfrotto Camera Focus Rail and a Remote switch so that you don't have to touch the Camera to prevent camera shake.I prefer the wired remote so that I can remain behind the camera at all times.
A Macro Rail is a devise that I mount my cam to and it alows me to move the cam from front to back or Back to front using micro adjustments.
So now what I do is focus in on a respectable calix and in this particular series I started at the back of the calix shot and after each shot I moved the cam back approximately 1/2 to 1 mm at a time.In total I took 5 shots
Once I have finished I sort through them in Adobe Lightroom 3.The reason I like Lightroom is because it works well in conjunction with Adobe Photoshop and I can easily move files back and forth between the 2 programs.
Once the files are opened in Lightroom Ill select all the files after any adjustments are made and export them as TIFFS at full size and save them in a folder marked as Stacks.
Now I can open Combine ZM and select and open the files.You need to open the files in order as well.
Now if you look at the photos carefully you can see which parts are in focus starting from the last pic to the first pic.Keep in mind that I am only moving the lens at micro adjustments so the diference is very mineute.You literally have to study each shot till you notice the subtle differences
Now well look at the shots as mentioned above.If you click on the Images theyll become larger
Notice how the shots are becoming more in focus towards the front now.
For those of you that don't know what Photo stacking is I am pleased to offer a tute on the subject.
I am going to going take Macro shots to a whole new level called Photo Stacking using a program called Combine ZM.
http://www.hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZM/News.htm
Photo Stacking is a process where I focus in on a particular area and take any where from 5 shots to infinity basically.Here I have taken 5 shots of a Calix from the Ripped Bubba
To do these shots the equipment you need is a Good Camera Mine is a Canon Rebel XSi (450 D),100 mm Macro lens,Ring Flash,Tripod and a Manfrotto Camera Focus Rail and a Remote switch so that you don't have to touch the Camera to prevent camera shake.I prefer the wired remote so that I can remain behind the camera at all times.
A Macro Rail is a devise that I mount my cam to and it alows me to move the cam from front to back or Back to front using micro adjustments.
So now what I do is focus in on a respectable calix and in this particular series I started at the back of the calix shot and after each shot I moved the cam back approximately 1/2 to 1 mm at a time.In total I took 5 shots
Once I have finished I sort through them in Adobe Lightroom 3.The reason I like Lightroom is because it works well in conjunction with Adobe Photoshop and I can easily move files back and forth between the 2 programs.
Once the files are opened in Lightroom Ill select all the files after any adjustments are made and export them as TIFFS at full size and save them in a folder marked as Stacks.
Now I can open Combine ZM and select and open the files.You need to open the files in order as well.
Now if you look at the photos carefully you can see which parts are in focus starting from the last pic to the first pic.Keep in mind that I am only moving the lens at micro adjustments so the diference is very mineute.You literally have to study each shot till you notice the subtle differences
Now well look at the shots as mentioned above.If you click on the Images theyll become larger
Notice how the shots are becoming more in focus towards the front now.
