Removing out of focus parts of images? Any tools for that?

[petrochemist143 167]

Again... it's called focus stacking.

Only if it's combining the sharpest portions of each photo into a single image.
When going round the college my daughter went to, the art department was showing some 3D displays made from manually cut out photos stuck together in multiple layers with spacers between. I was quite unimpressed that this was from the photography course. IMO paper crafts done with photos are not photography, it would be similar to displaying a database that contains images, just things that can be done with photos.

 

[ByRiker'sBeard]

Again... it's called focus stacking.

I am not trying to simply bring everything into focus. I want to change colors and saturation of the layers. I can't just use the auto focus stack tool.

 

[ByRiker'sBeard]

Only if it's combining the sharpest portions of each photo into a single image.
When going round the college my daughter went to, the art department was showing some 3D displays made from manually cut out photos stuck together in multiple layers with spacers between. I was quite unimpressed that this was from the photography course. IMO paper crafts done with photos are not photography, it would be similar to displaying a database that contains images, just things that can be done with photos.

You don't think it could look good printing the layers on transparent sheets for example and backlighting them?

 

[petrochemist143 167]

You don't think it could look good printing the layers on transparent sheets for example and backlighting them?

It could. Displaying prints using transmitted lighting makes the idea more interesting, but careful selection of the images is probably necessary. Just like some of my experiments in infra red photography work well IMO & many others don't.

Some of the layered images they showed at the college looked quite good too, just that's graphic arts not photography. During my visit I didn't see any examples of controlled studio lighting, or extreme exposures & few of the workbooks had any reference to aperture, etc. It seemed to be a case of leave the camera on auto, with the kit zoom & this is some unusual things to do with the images...

 

[greybeard59 31]

I am confused as to your goal

 

[Rickbb86 1]

You don't think it could look good printing the layers on transparent sheets for example and backlighting them?

This is how old film animation works. People make shadow boxes like this as well. Leave space between the layers so when you move it from left to right it yields a motion effect.

 

[480sparky65 65]

Well, it seems to be the answer to your original question is: No.

 

[ByRiker'sBeard]

I basically want to mechanically use my lens' ability to determine the distance all things are from it and slice a 3D space into layers. It won't be perfect, but it feels like a few things can be experimentally possible, if blurred areas can be automatically wiped away.

 

[480sparky65 65]

I basically want to mechanically use my lens' ability to determine the distance all things are from it and slice a 3D space into layers. ...

Huh? How does a lens measure distance?

 

[petrochemist143 167]

Huh? How does a lens measure distance?

By forming a focused image with objects sitting at the distance the lens is focused at...
I thought it was clear enough what is intended, though I don't know an automated way of doing it.

 

[480sparky65 65]

By forming a focused image with objects sitting at the distance the lens is focused at...
I thought it was clear enough what is intended, though I don't know an automated way of doing it.

I thought this was about focus stacking, but it's clear as mud to me. A lens cannot select portions of a scene and make all the unfocused parts transparent.

Perhaps the OP can draw out an example of what the finished image should look like. Or put into once post the desired process, from taking the images in the field through the end of PP.

 

[Peeb97 25]

I think it's the phrase "slice a 3D space into layers" that is confusing me.

 

[petrochemist143 167]

I thought this was about focus stacking, but it's clear as mud to me. A lens cannot select portions of a scene and make all the unfocused parts transparent.

No of course the lens can't, if you read the original post, it was enquiring about any way to make out of focus portions transparent.

 

[480sparky65 65]

No of course the lens can't, if you read the original post, it was enquiring about any way to make out of focus portions transparent.

I did read that.... as focus stacking. But the OP says that's not what is desired. Somehow now the lens is supposed to do whatever voodoo the OP wants it to do. Hence the confusion.

 

[petrochemist143 167]

I did read that.... as focus stacking. But the OP says that's not what is desired. Somehow now the lens is supposed to do whatever voodoo the OP wants it to do. Hence the confusion.

Where did you get that the lens has to do it?? It just makes things out of focus & he want's a way to remove those bits,