stacking software and landscape with closeup

[Mike B in OKlahoma]

http://www.naturescapes.net/phpBB2/view ... ight=rings


Could stacking software work on an image like the one above with something large and close upfront, and other parts of the image extending to the horizon, if I bracketed focuse from near point to infinity and combined the images? I can't see any reason that it wouldn't, but that seems too easy! :-) Anyone tried this?

[Charles Krebs]

Mike... yes indeed! I've done it a few times and it works well. (You will still have the problem encountered in "macro" shots where a near object "blocks" the background around its perimeter as it goes out of focus).
You need a lens (I prefer "wide") that will focus continuously from extremely close to "infinity". Your Sigma 14mm might be perfect for this.

[rjlittlefield]

Of course stuff that moves is always a problem. Wind blowing the grass around, for example.

--Rik

[georgedingwall]

Hi Mike,

I had a try at this last summer. It works quite well, but you have quite a lot of work to do to blend the close subject with the distant subject.

This was one of the images I made.



Bye for now.

[Bruce Williams]

Interesting idea Mike - thanks - but I wish you'd mentioned it years ago .

In a manner of speaking I employed a similar concept when taking internal (available light) shots of English cathedrals. The concept maybe, but unfortunately not the application. I didn't know stacking software existed at the time and was using Photoshop levels to manually combine from 2 to 4 frames to give front to back detail.

No grass to cause problems but constant frustration with visitors moving around or standing in the "wrong" place (how inconsiderate, didn't they realise I was taking photos ). I generally got around that problem by taking 2 or 3 shots at each focus and cloning people out.

Another problem was changing light levels as clouds moved across the sun (I sometimes had to wait several minutes between shots for large groups to move out of frame).

Now you've raised the possibility of automating the stacking process I'm going to give it a try on my next project (Salisbury).

That's a beautiful image George - a far more challenging subject than any of my cathedral stacks. Interestingly, I found my eyes trying (unnecesarily) to adjusting focus as my attention moved from the beetle to the trees and to the mountains in the far distance. Weird sensation

Bruce

[Mike B in OKlahoma]

George, that is really impressive! Now I know for sure I"m going to have to try this!