Anniversary Gift turns into Subject for Photos

[Robert Watcher]

Thanks to a gift from my sister-in-law and her husband for our anniversary (45’th) yesterday, I had some beautiful content to create art today.

I created two different versions of a couple of the flowers, one using normal shallow depth of field to create an more abstract artistic piece and a second using focus stacking where I took a series of exposures that were focused at small increments from the front to the back —- and processed parts from each frame and combining them together. It was very satisfying.

​

 

[Robert Watcher]

​

 

[Robert Watcher]

 

[Robert Watcher]

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

Robert, these are great. I especially love the close-up of the carnation. It is not a favorite flower of mine, but shown this way; it is beautiful!

 

[Robert Watcher]

Now that I have a complete set of focused images running from front to back through the carnation, I wanted to try manually creating a focus stack where I selected only the images (4 in this case) that took me just far enough into the flower to feature the parts I want. Instead of creating a new Focus Merge in Affinity Photo, I created a new Stacked image. Then I was able to put a mask on each layer and paint in what I wanted revealed. The final touch was creating a dreamy black and white photo in Exposure X6.

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

Robert, wouldn't you have been able to just use a low F-stop and focus on those front petals and all the others behind would be soft, why do you need the focus stack. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding?

 

[Robert Watcher]

Robert, wouldn't you have been able to just use a low F-stop and focus on those front petals and all the others behind would be soft, why do you need the focus stack. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding?

The first coloured images in this post is done the way you describe. To focus on the front, all other parts of the flower are blurred out so you can’t even identify anything. Even if I were to use f16, I wouldnt be able to include the parts that I did in this black and white stacked image. Another reason I stacked this black and white is because I don’t want everything in focus. I onky revealed in focus parts in specific places at the different focus distances.


At the magnification I am using here, the flower is touching the front of my lens. When I view the image tethered in my 30” 4K monitor, the subject is shaking like crazy without me touching anything or moving, even though the camera looks steady. It is a new learning curve for me, but one that I am enjoying.


————-

This might help to visual. Before I took the set of images on the focusing rail, I took a shot at f22. Not only did it require almost 4 stops more light (requiring higher ISO and slow shutter speed), but it is clear that flower pedals before the one that I focused on about 1/3 into the area on that little string, are not sharp and pedals behind arent sharp - but even the tip of that petal is not in focus. Compared it the stacked and merged image isn’t exact because I changed my camera agle, but it gives an idea of the difference.

f22

Focus stacked and merged

​

Now here are a few pics from the set of pics that I used for focus stacking. They are all taken at f6.3 (wider fstop is supposed to be better for stacking). But my lens is f3.5 wide open, so these are closed down aperture Some too.

​

 

[Robert Watcher]

I have realized that it does make less of a difference depending on the setting. An example is this exptremely small flower where the distance flower to flower is less than a quarter of an inch, and the whole range of focus from front to back probably wasn’t much more than 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Even so, at f22 focused 1/3 in to get the greatest area roughly in focus, it isn’t enough. The stacked image starts at the extreme front and carries through until where I wanted the farthest focus point to be.

f22 (high ISO and slow shutter speed)

Focus Stacked (9 images) - I blurred out parts to keep focus on the flowers

Crop from 3’rd image from stack set (f8) - 2 frames were needed before this one to get the front tip at bottom center in focus

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

I'm supposing that you are saying that it gives you much more control.

 

[Robert Watcher]

I'm supposing that you are saying that it gives you much more control.

gives me options. LOL

 

[Robert Watcher]

So happy. I got the set of 11”x14” test prints back from a new pro lab that I will using to sell my images. The prints are amazing For normal inexpensive photo prints (not fine art papers).

I couldn’t believe the delivery speed. I placed the order Tuesday morning (2 days ago), noticed they were being printed a few hours later, then got notice they had been shipped on Wed morning, received by FedEx at our place in Canada today (Thurs) just after lunch. That’s going across a border through customs. I’m impressed.

The only lab printing that I have done in the past was related to my portrait work. And that has been quite a few years. Other than making a few 13x19 prints several years ago on my Epson printer, of fun stuff I was shooting, I just haven’t bothered trying to find a good lab that will make the prints to match my standard.

A feature that I love about their service is that they drop ship directly to homes of my potential clients in the USA and Canada. I think that pink carnation is going to be a beauty in a 24” or 30” size. More motivation to get my online store going now.

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

So where are you getting them printed, Robert?

 

[Robert Watcher]

So where are you getting them printed, Robert?

White House Custom Color -WHCC

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

Oh, I've never heard to them; I'll check them out, thank you very much

 

[Robert Watcher]

Oh, I've never heard to them; I'll check them out, thank you very much

The thing I like about them is ease in which I can deal with them from Canada. They ship by FedEx through Manitoba, have the brokerage all set up so nothing to deal with on my end, they add HST, free shipping in USA but charge a 10% surcharge to supplement shipping to Canada. So the 4-11x14 prints cost me $1.80 for shipping —- the bill with taxes and shipping was $29.00 CAD. They have a minimum $12 Order. They charge $7.00 to drop ship to peoples house directly - no reference to where it came from and no invoice inside. All pretty reasonable to me.

WHCC

WHCC is the premier provider of professional photography printing, products, and services beyond the camera — helping professional photographers thrive in their craft and the business of photography.

www.whcc.com

I think it was this video where I became aware of them 4 or 5 years ago.

——

 

[Maggie Terlecki]

Was fun to watch the video and the pricing especially shipping is impressive.

 

[Simon Lees]

You’ve taken some awesome pictures. I wonder what the original gift looked like. Maybe you can share a photo if it’s not too late. I also wanna take some fantastic shots. I ordered my friend a gift basket full of chocolates and different sweets. I made some shots on the Christmas theme. But I’m a bit shy to post my works since they aren’t edited yet. Besides, after looking at your masterpieces, I’m scared that my pictures aren’t as good as yours. But she sent me some flowers in return. So, I can practice a bit more.

 

[Asher Kelman]

You’ve taken some awesome pictures. I wonder what the original gift looked like. Maybe you can share a photo if it’s not too late.

Simon,

Welcome!

It would be a nice challenge to repeat this technique and explore the possibilities that suit, for each of us, our own esthetics.

I like the way Robert has made artistic decisions as to what parts of thr flower should be soft and vague and where sharpness in important.

Asher

 

[Robert Watcher]

You’ve taken some awesome pictures. I wonder what the original gift looked like. Maybe you can share a photo if it’s not too late.

Thank you.

This is old post over 1-1/2 years ago. It was fun experimenting with closeup tethered stacked images. Something I had no experience with previously. Nor have I done it since.


The original gift was an arrangement of flowers in a vase - nothing overly inspiring LOL. Nevertheless, here it is:

 

[Asher Kelman]

What’s significant is like Ansel Adams and other “greats” in photography, we are capable of reimagining how to develop and show our work.

Dealing with stacked images is something I have not yet tried but will.

Until now, I have worked with very sharp images and selectively blurred areas slightly, moderately or diffusely but I can’t say it’s as good a procedure!

Asher