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Something else for a change...

Discussion

9 replies
Posted by Jeroen Stel on February 28, 2009 at 3:18 PM
Something else for a change...
Hi Guys,

Most of you know i am usually into birdies but my other passion is macro photography and as there's hardly any bugs around and i am stuck to my office due to workload i tend to test some home made diffusers and other macro stuff.
In this case i wanted to try some "focus-stacking" on extreme macro's so i picked up a crocus flower from the garden and used this to try and get some big close-ups of the pollen on the stampers.

The magnification on this is huge as these pollen are only about 1/10th of a millimeter and very hard to focus. So i used a macro rail and some converters and extension tubes to get it right.

This shot was stacked from 9 images with different focal points on the stamper.

Greetings,

Jeroen Stel

Canon Eos 1D Mark 3
Shutter speed: 1/200 sec
Aperture: F 11
Exposure mode: M
Exposure compensation: - 2
Flash:Yes + Gary Fong Lightsphere diffuser +Kitchen Towel
Flash exposure compensation: - 2/3
Metering mode: Evaluative
Drive mode: AI Focus
ISO: 200
Lens: Sigma 150mm F2.8 + 2x Canon Teleconverter + 96mm Extension Tubes
Focal length:390 mm incl. crop factor
AF mode: Manual Focus
On tripod with Macro flash clamp + Macro focussing Rail
Levels/Curves/USM/Contrast/Saturation/Noise Ninja/Homemade mix-Sharpening
Bibble Pro/Adobe Photoshop CS 4+Focus stacking tool

_________________
Good things come to those who wait...
Golden rule in Nature & Wildlife Photography

http://www.jeroenstel.com
http://www.wildpixels.nl
Posted by Ray on February 28, 2009 at 4:01 PM
At truly excellent and informative image. Using Photoshop for what I think many think it is intended for, to illustrate and not to manipulate

One of the best macro shots I have seen in a long time. Excellent work.
Posted by Barry Southon on February 28, 2009 at 5:04 PM
Jeroen

This is magic you demonstrate to the last degree an exceptioninal understanding of 1Dmk3 all your images are top rate.

Thanks for sharing.

Barry :wink:
Posted by Justin on February 28, 2009 at 5:06 PM
An interesting and an impressive macro image. Good technique here.

:toast:
Posted by Matt Cole on February 28, 2009 at 5:17 PM
very nice technique here Jeroen and this shot has worked very well. I'm glad to see someone else posting macro shots on UKNP (I've been a bit lonely recently :biggrin: ).

Matt
Posted by Magnus Hird on February 28, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Very unusual but attractive shot. Great idea to shoot something we've all probably walked past in the last few weeks without a thought :smile:
Posted by Tom Smit on March 1, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Hi Jeroen,
A really magnificent, terrific, super macro shot.
:toast: :toast: :toast:
Posted by David Taylor on March 1, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Great macro and excellent info on how you achieved it. Superb.

:toast: :toast: :jump:
Posted by PhilH on March 2, 2009 at 5:34 AM
Very nice Jeroen.... unfortunately, the focus stacking in CS4 isn't the best out there, there are some OOF grains that throw the image a little as they are in areas where they shouild be in focus, if you are doing a lot of stacking then Helicon is worth the expense if not then CombineZM does a better job than CS4 for no cost at all.

All the best

Phil

:toast: :toast:
Posted by Jeroen Stel on March 4, 2009 at 7:04 AM
Hi Phil,

Thanks for your advise. I agree that Photoshop is not the best package but as i am an Apple Macintosh user i can not use CombineZM and i am not sure if Helicon is worth it's money as i hear mixed opinions about it.
I have been using PhotoAcute but think Photoshop does a better job..

Greetings,

Jeroen Stel