C&C Request for first stacked, super macro.

IronMaskDuval · Apr 6, 2014

I bee like, this is a great picture, but you might bee like, it's not that great. So, I bee like, what I can do to make this picture bee better? This is the first time I've ever done focus stacking. Albeit, I've only been shooting macro for a month. I just shot this a little over an hour ago. C&C requested and appreciated.

tirediron · Apr 6, 2014

Nice!

Parker219 · Apr 6, 2014

I really like it!

What are the advantages of focus stacking rather than just using a lower aperture?

What is your work flow for a shot like this?

IronMaskDuval · Apr 6, 2014

Parker219 said:
I really like it!

What are the advantages of focus stacking rather than just using a lower aperture?

What is your work flow for a shot like this?

Focus stacking allows you to get everything in focus. This thing was shot at f16, and it can only still focus on a quarter of the bee.

I shot this bee postmortem. I set my tripod and subject where I want it. I have a four light setup-- 2 constant, 1 speedlight and 1 on cam flash to trigger the speedlight and give a bit of front lighting. I shoot three of each focus area to make sure I get everything.
I then selected my main frame, which were the eyes. I made my light room adjustments and applied them to my selected frames to stack. I opened my stacking frames as layers in photoshop and then auto aligned and then auto blended. I finished up with some touch ups, and we got this thing. Boorifur

IronMaskDuval · Apr 6, 2014

tirediron said:
Nice!

Thanks, tirediron. I learned a lot from you. This couldn't have happened without your tips.

manaheim · Apr 6, 2014

1. Wow, that looks pretty awesome.
2. AUGH!!! I should have known.

IronMaskDuval · Apr 7, 2014

manaheim said:
1. Wow, that looks pretty awesome.
2. AUGH!!! I should have known.

Thanks! The bee's butt actually fell off while my wife was posing it.

ronlane · Apr 7, 2014

Cool shot.

Braineack · Apr 7, 2014

what makes this supermacro? What's the ratio here?

IronMaskDuval · Apr 7, 2014

Braineack said:
what makes this supermacro? What's the ratio here?

I thought super just meant stacked focus but after you questioned I now know it's a >1:1. This is 1:1... So just a macro

robbins.photo · Apr 7, 2014

IronMaskDuval said:
manaheim said:

1. Wow, that looks pretty awesome.
2. AUGH!!! I should have known.

Click to expand...

Thanks! The bee's butt actually fell off while my wife was posing it.

Ok, the shot itself is really cool but what really amazes me the most is that you actually got your wife to pose a dead insect for you.

I couldn't even get the ex to empty a dishwasher every now and again. Lol

Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk

IronMaskDuval · Apr 7, 2014

robbins.photo said:
Ok, the shot itself is really cool but what really amazes me the most is that you actually got your wife to pose a dead insect for you. I couldn't even get the ex to empty a dishwasher every now and again. Lol Sent from my LG-LG730 using Tapatalk

Best response ever. You've won the internet for today.

My wife says that she has the same problem.

IronMaskDuval · May 7, 2014

Bump, just in case someone want to give me some extra C&C on this. I'm going to do another this weekend, so I'd like to see what I can take with me.

Nounboy · May 7, 2014

It looks great.

I've been shooting serious macro for a month now, and have been avoiding focus stacking, but this photo almost makes me want to stack!

IronMaskDuval · May 7, 2014

Nounboy said:
It looks great.

I've been shooting serious macro for a month now, and have been avoiding focus stacking, but this photo almost makes me want to stack!

This was my first and only focus stack. I'm going to do another this weekend though. Now, just have to figure out which life I'm going to sacrifice for it