Focus Stack Shells

[Cheryl Slechta]

This is another image on the LightPad I've been trying out. It was my first attempt at focus stacking and I used 10 different focal points and merged in PS 5. I wish the shells had been a little more perfect but they were what I had. I cloned a few spots that were the worst offenders.
Canon 100mm macro 2.8, f/14, 1/5 sec., ISO 200, +.3EV, tripod
Thanks for looking. Comments and suggestions appreciated:S3:

[Randy Stout]

Cheryl:

I am not a macro guy, but I find this to be very interesting, enjoyed studying the curves and details of the shells. The focus stacking appears to have worked well, I didn't see any obvious flaws or artifacts.

The lighting is effective for this subject.

Cheers

Randy

[Julie Kenward]

I also like your result, Cheryl. I don't mind the imperfections that are here...no one expects a perfect shell in nature. I love the way you arranged them and got the different geometric curves. Neat idea!

[Anita Bower]

I like the arrangement of the shell, with the curves going in different directions. I think you got everything in focus. I'm interested in your use of the Light Pad. That provides light from underneath, right? Are you also using natural light from above?

[Cheryl Slechta]

Anita, the light pad is like a light box that you used to view slides. Mine is an Artograph and I got it through Amazon although I noticed our local art supply store has them. I took this shot in a room with ambient light from two windows. I've tried using it at night in a totally dark room and so far I haven't gotten anything I like although I got close doing a camellia and shining an infrared light from above. Unfortunately, the weather here is now glorious so the indoor studio will have to wait for a rainy day:S3:


I like the arrangement of the shell, with the curves going in different directions. I think you got everything in focus. I'm interested in your use of the Light Pad. That provides light from underneath, right? Are you also using natural light from above?

[Anita Bower]

Anita, the light pad is like a light box that you used to view slides. Mine is an Artograph and I got it through Amazon although I noticed our local art supply store has them. I took this shot in a room with ambient light from two windows. I've tried using it at night in a totally dark room and so far I haven't gotten anything I like although I got close doing a camellia and shining an infrared light from above. Unfortunately, the weather here is now glorious so the indoor studio will have to wait for a rainy day:S3:
Thanks for explanation. Glad you are outdoors!!

[Ed Cordes]

Excellent job on the stacking. I like the color combination and the arrangement of the curves of the shells.

[Ken Childs]

Cool.....2 stacked images in a row! I'm glad to see more people and giving stacking a try.

From what I've seen so far, your light pad is doing a great job! I love the arrangement with the diagonal whites and color in the other corners. Well done!

[Valerio Tarone]

Cheryl I suppose you had been working in placing the shells. Nice the approaching of curves of the shells, but I like also the contrapposing three colors. Really a lovely work.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Thank you all for your comments. I appreciate it.:S3:

[jack williamson]

This is a very fine first attempt at focus stacking. Everything is sharp in the image and the lighting is great. Very creative arrangement of the shells.

Jack

[Valerio Tarone]

......the three colors seems to be complementary each other. Thank you for sharing.

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

Love it very creative/abstract and would make an awesome piece of art at a shorehouse

[Dennis Bishop]

Cheryl, my experience with focus stacking was very limited until I did a presentation on it, recently, for our local photography group. The additional images I prepared for it all had detail throughout the frame. Inevitably -- whether I used Auto Align and Auto Blend in CS5, Helicon Focus, or Zerene Stacker -- there was an out of focus band that paralleled all four edges of the image. Both of the focus stacking programs automatically cropped away that part, and I did it on the images processed by CS5. My conclusion -- based on a number of tests and some additional research -- lead to the conclusion that one needs to frame loosely when taking the shots because some of it's going to be lost near the edges. Did you run into that issue? (All my work was with a 105mm macro at f/8.)

By the way, I was very impressed with the trial version of Zerene Stacker for several reasons.

I really like what you've done, here. With both the focus stacking and the light box. Have fun creating with those.