purple anemone

[Ron Conlon]

Yet another anemone, can't resist their charms.
Similar to most other recent stacks from me, about 75 photos composited into one with Zerene. A small amount of smoothing of background in PS, a blemish or two removed.
Lit with a diffused remote flash from the front left in front of a printed background.
tripod D800E tethered with Helicon Remote to a laptop. 200mm f6.3 1/200 iso 100

[Steve Maxson]

Wonderful lighting and excellent sharpness within your stacked DOF! A minor point - given how sharp everything else is, the soft lower stem seems almost out of place here. One thing you might consider is to blow the image up to about 200% and carefully clone some of the fuzzy edges of the stem - this would make that area "appear" a little sharper. :S3: Outstanding work, as usual!

[Ron Conlon]

Thanks Steve. The transition to oof is a recurring issue with these stacks--since so much is in focus, the oof bits can look quite out of place, and you rightly point out the lower stem. The scape was inclined toward the camera, so my excuse is that part of the stem probably would have required another 70 shots. In reetrospect I suppost I could have shot and stacked that part at a larger focus step size because there isn't much detail or interest in that part. In fact, that seems like a solution, thanks for the impetus to find one!

[Diane Miller]

Simply gorgeous! I like the OOF leaves in back, and they make the softer focus on the stem fit better.

I'm thinking a bit more canvas on top, and maybe less at the bottom, would be an interesting comparison.

[Allen Sparks]

Hi Ron,
Nicely done with the stacking! Lovely tones. Agree with more on top and perhaps less on bottom.
Allen

[Ron Conlon]

Thanks, all. Extra room on the top and less stem seems the best, and now obvious, solution.

[Nancy Bell]

Simply stunning! Another vote for more space on top. Have you written any notes on your techniques that can be posted in the techniques section?

[Ron Conlon]

Thanks, Nancy. I have given a lot of detail in this thread
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php/125412-Focus-Stacking
Some of the details of lighting are different for this particular shot, since it was a diffused flash to one side but very close to the flower rather than a light box. I find the light fall-off and directional lighting gives a little more contrast than a light box.

[Nancy Bell]

Thanks Ron for the thread!

[Jonathan Ashton]

Beautiful Ron I really like the colours and textures, gorgeous colours too. (I include the background!:w3)