# Menage a trois



## chauncey (Dec 29, 2014)

You might not call it macro but...there are 375 images that were stacked and merged...6' wide!


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## Click (Dec 29, 2014)

Nicely done.


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## Jane (Dec 29, 2014)

Wow! That's terrific!


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## Besisika (Dec 29, 2014)

To me, it is a macro as soon as it goes closer than the MFD of your lens especially with a magnification greater than 1.
Anyway, nice work. I cannot complain about your stacking technique. I am still learning. I don't dare 375 yet.


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## keithfullermusic (Dec 29, 2014)

chauncey said:


> You might not call it macro but...there are 375 images that were stacked and merged...6' wide!



very nice, but out of curiosity - why?


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## alexturton (Dec 29, 2014)

daft question; but @ 6inches wide surely you could achieve this level of depth of field @ f22?


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## keithfullermusic (Dec 29, 2014)

alexturton said:


> daft question; but @ 6inches wide surely you could achieve this level of depth of field @ f22?



i think it is 6 feet


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## tolusina (Dec 29, 2014)

Gorgeous.
Stunning.
Very nicely done.
I think I like it a lot or more.

How big is the file?


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## chauncey (Dec 30, 2014)

Why...for the same reason that I'm involved in this insane hobby...just to see if I could. ;D
It is 72 inches wide at 300ppi...2.07GB. The full frontal orchid is 2 inches wide in real life.
I have not yet done minor repair work visible at 100%.


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## Sabaki (Dec 30, 2014)

Superb effort!!!

And I doubt very much that shoot at f/22 could yield the same level as sharpness as achieved here.

So what's your next project hmmmm?


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## rpt (Dec 30, 2014)

Lovely! 

A few questions for you:
1. What did you use to stack the images?
2. What did you use to take the images? Did you use ML?


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## Sabaki (Dec 30, 2014)

Besisika said:


> To me, it is a macro as soon as it goes closer than the MFD of your lens especially with a magnification greater than 1.
> Anyway, nice work. I cannot complain about your stacking technique. I am still learning. I don't dare 375 yet.



I believe macro is defined as when the image is captured at 1:1 or more. And to get closer than the MFD can only be done with extention tubes?


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## BLFPhoto (Dec 30, 2014)

Nice execution. 

I desperately wish the lighting was more interesting, though.


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## mrzero (Dec 30, 2014)

It looks great, at least on our little web version here. I'd love to hear more about your techniques for shooting and stacking, particularly the gear (rail, flash, etc) and software used.


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## DanoPhoto (Dec 30, 2014)

spectacular image !


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## chauncey (Dec 30, 2014)

Gear used>tripod mounted, rather dated 1Ds3 with a 180 macro attached at close to MFD>tethered to monitor using Canon Utility Software for live view shooting.

Lighting was four 100 watt LED lights bouncing light off the walls and ceiling, two of these http://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Bright-40511-Xtraflex2-Book/dp/1933622717/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0M6PBQ20QW21KM36ZFJS attached to camera mount, with black cloth as backdrop.
Is oblivious that I can't do anything expensive or fancy.

The tethered LV shoot was computer controlled using the arrows to move focus point in/out, one after another until the entire focus gamut is achieved. In this case it required 4-5 camera movements to capture an entire flower with each movement requiring 50-80 stacks at f/8. All stacking and merging done in PS CC.


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## BLFPhoto (Dec 30, 2014)

chauncey said:


> Is oblivious that I can't do anything expensive or fancy.



Fancy isn't the point. The light is flat and directionless here. All you need to do is to create directionality to the light. This image is a really good documentary representation of the plants, but we don't really get their character. 

Bring the lights in from off axis, and from a single side. Use 2-3 on one side. Use one of the four for "fill" from the opposite side. If you used 2 on one side, one for fill, then you could even use one for a back light to gain separation from the black background. 

Seriously, given the lights and the size of the subject, it's a matter of moving your lights just a few inches here and you would raise the game tremendously. 

Photography is all about seeing the light and making it work for you, whether you're photographing flowers, bugs, people, or mountains.


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## mnclayshooter (Dec 30, 2014)

I clicked here thinking this would be something WAY different. WAY WAY different. ;D

Nicely captured none-the-less.


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## tpatana (Dec 31, 2014)

mnclayshooter said:


> I clicked here thinking this would be something WAY different. WAY WAY different. ;D
> 
> Nicely captured none-the-less.



I know. Disappointing huh.


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## rpt (Jan 3, 2015)

tpatana said:


> mnclayshooter said:
> 
> 
> > I clicked here thinking this would be something WAY different. WAY WAY different. ;D
> ...


I did not feel any disappointment - since I don't know French


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## tpatana (Jan 3, 2015)

rpt said:


> tpatana said:
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> > mnclayshooter said:
> ...



French is easy. On my travels, I've only needed three phrases:

je ne parle pas francais
parlez vous anglais
voulez vous coucher avec moi

Learn those and you're golden.


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## yorgasor (Jan 3, 2015)

tpatana said:


> rpt said:
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> 
> > tpatana said:
> ...



Let me know how well that last line works for you. Inquiring minds want to know. You know, for science


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## Hjalmarg1 (Jan 3, 2015)

chauncey said:


> You might not call it macro but...there are 375 images that were stacked and merged...6' wide!


Excellent work


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## tpatana (Jan 3, 2015)

yorgasor said:


> tpatana said:
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> > rpt said:
> ...



Just perfect. Never had any trouble on my travels. It's always good to know the most important phrases in any destination native language. Those are the top pics for France.


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## DominoDude (Jan 3, 2015)

tpatana said:


> rpt said:
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> > tpatana said:
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Hmm... Darn!
I always thought it was "Voulez vous _crochet_ avec moi?" - that turned into the most boring and tedious knitting-like session I've ever been involved in.


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## chauncey (Jan 3, 2015)

Was never known as the brightest bulb in the closet...I thought that all the panning was the image 
and I'm learning that it was the title.


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## rpt (Jan 3, 2015)

tpatana said:


> rpt said:
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> > tpatana said:
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Looks like I am half way there! I know #2. I figured out #1. And don't laugh! I shall soon Google #3 and I will be golden!


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