Focus stacking: it’s a digital image processing technique used to increase depth of field in a shot with post production. This works especially well for shots using long lens and in this case, a macro lens. Photographers always make use of it when doing macro photography and optical microscopy, such as the nice work below.
And it is also easy for us to utilize it. First make the preparation: a camera to photo, a steady tripod for stabilization, and a background board and shutter remote control (you can decide if you need these two devices).
Do it now:
1. Stabilize the camera first on the tripod, set it on “M” with fixed white balance and make the right shutter speed and proper ISO under the shallowest depth of the field.
2. Manually focus on the closest of your subject, take the first image. Then the second, the third…Do remember, absolutely no movement during the whole process. Thus you get a series of images captured at different focal depths; in each image different areas of the sample will be in focus.
3. Use a focus stacking software to z-stacking all your images. It is called “Focal plane merging”.
Done! You’ve finished your work.
Do go out and have some fun with focus stacking. Remember, a sturdy tripod really helps to make life easier here 😉