Focus Stacking Made Easy & Why I Rarely Do It!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 มิ.ย. 2024
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In this week’s episode, we discuss focus stacking made easy and why I rarely do it! I recently gave a talk in Oregon all about Focus Stacking which made me realize that the videos I've made on the topic in the past didn't review the entire process from start to finish. And I wanted to make a more simplified and comprehensive video that went over the on-location process of creating the focus stacked images to the step by step process of editing and blending the final images into one. In this video, I review the entire process from beginning to end in hopes that this video can serve as a full tutorial on Focus Stacking along with my reasoning as to why I rarely use this technique any longer. I hope you enjoy this week's episode and as always thanks so much for watching! - Mark D.
Video Chapters:
🔘 Introduction: 0:00
🔘 Where Do You Focus? 0:50
🔘 When to Focus Stack? 2:12
🔘 Focus Stacking On-Location: 7:05
🔘 Lightroom Editing & Syncing: 8:09
🔘 Simple Photoshop Work: 10:35
🔘 Sending Back to Lightroom: 14:59
🔘 Why I Rarely Focus Stack: 16:05
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🌟QUICK QUESTION: Was this video helpful?
yes! very much so.
@@1717jbs 👍
YES!!!!
Yes !!!!!
Yes, a pragmatic advice.
Mark, it's been an honor to watch you learn, change, and grow as you teach us. We've learned a lot about technique and philosophy from you, but maybe the most important lesson has been that you can change your mind based on experience and even show us where you think you made mistakes in the past. Bravo for your commitment to all of it!
I've never had the privilege of sitting in one of your workshops, Mark, but this video made me feel like it must feel being on location and listening to you explain different aspects of photography. I personally loved the WHY and WHY NOT explanations of photo stacking as much, if not more so, as your explanation of HOW to photo stack. Your reasoning of how we view the natural world was spot-on and makes perfect sense; it also helped prevent me from rushing out to start "photo-stacking everything" as you mentioned doing yourself. As always, your instruction was crystal clear and very helpful, and I greatly appreciate the time and effort you put in to helping us improve our photography. Thanks again!
Brilliant, Mark. Agree 100%. I have just come to this same realisation regarding accepting fall off of focus from the key objects of the image. Our search for ever more detail has obscured a more natural rendition of a scene. I also use the GFX system, and using the 100-200mm in particular makes it nigh on impossible to get everything in focus even at f/22. I found myself relentlessly focus stacking every image, and hating it! I am now embracing the natural fall off in one shot and getting less uptight about it.
I add this very minor point as an English teacher. At 15:00 ... a "mute" point versus the correct "moot" point. I love your work and videos. You are the photographer I am looking for first for all the info I need for my photography. Thanks for being there.
Hi Mark. Very nice explanation of focus stacking. You could do a whole series on this topic. I have learned that there are compositions that do not lend themselves well to focus stacking. More specifically when you have objects that are moving through focal planes (a moving branch with leaves) or a foreground object like a shrub that crosses focal planes from the foreground to mid or background. Photoshop doesn't handle these situations well with its auto stacking algorithms so you ether have to manually brush out your stack (which can be painful) or use Helicon Focus with its advanced stacking algorithms. Forest compositions where you may have to shoot at a wider aperture because it is dark or for a faster shutter speed because of wind, can be impossible as objects are crossing focal planes everywhere. You are better off as you stated to just have "acceptable focus" in your background and/or shoot at a wider focal length and crop in post.
It was enjoyable to watch not only because of the knowledge but also because you do not rush and talk in a civilised manner !
Thanks for all these focus stacking videos you have done. Helped me a lot. I agree we can use focus stacking to much. The most important thing is that our subject is in sharp focus. Landscapes are one thing - but we also take portraits etc. There are many situations when the focus fall off is used to make the subject pop. Every scene calls for a different approach, that is part of the art of photography. I learned photography initially in the film age, 1970's, and we learned how to estimate the dept of field at various f/stops, focal lengths, and distances to subject. I have forgotten that skill in recent times. Also, we used the depth of focus preview button a lot back in those days.
Thank you Mark. Excellent video with everything you need to know about focus stacking. I love your style of presenting, so different to so many others. So calm and informative.
Appreciate the clarity of your explanations. I focus stack mostly for outdoor floral macro images. Such requires calm conditions, which usually means early morning captures. Patience is certainly a virtue in such endeavors.
Enjoyed the video, Mark.
Many modern cameras have Focus Shift shooting built in, so if you select a focus point a little way into the scene, the camera will automatically shift focus through to infinity, taking several images. The number depending on the aperture you select and other options in the Focus Shift menu.
It is normally used for macro, but if you set it up correctly, can be used to take as few as 2 images in Landscape photography.
I have often used Focus shift shooting build in, but I got so different result. So I put up a sort of test bench, shifting 2 steps at a time, taking 10 pictures, for all my lenses. There were huge differences! My 'cheap' lenses focused 4 times as far away on the last picture in each series as my more expensive lenses, all Nikon Z lenses except one F-mount (with adapter) on my Nikon Z 6 camera. So if you don't get along with your settings using this function, check out how "long" each focus step is on your lenses.
Thank you so much for another excellent, detailed and clear talk through of this process, as well as reminding novices like me that it isn’t always required. I really appreciate your sincere and genuine approach.
Excellent - thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this, Mark. I rarely need to use Focus Staking but it's great to know how. Your demonstration was great ... easy to follow and remember.
I am so glad you talked about not doing focus stacking all the time! I did focus stack a few in Oregon but honestly I don't mind everything not being in focus sometimes!
Thanks Mark for the walk through and explanation, your videos are always very helpful and fun to watch. I appreciate all that you do!
I just completed my first focus stack and I used this video to guide me. Thanks Mark! It was quite the challenge, a large 6" bloom but the composition was of the middle 2" around the stamen. Eight images in total. I used a 1980's Vivitar 70-210mm zoom with macro on, 26mm of extension tubes, with an adapter for my crop sensor Sony A6300. With off-camera flashes of course. And it looks great! The next step will be printing in 13"x19" on my Pro 10.
Thank you, now I understand it. As always you explain the process so clearly.
This was JUST EXCELLENT Mark. I've been struggling with the process from taking the photos to the final image. This is so organized and clear! I'll be taking this video with me when I go out to do just this. Thank you!!
Really helpful thank you. Editing RAW before focus stacking really useful for me but the best part of your video was about not using focus stacking at all - I feel much better about my neglect of this technique!
Very helpful! Thank you for sharing!
Another brilliant video, thank you Mark. I always get one takeaway from your subject and for me the main one here was focusing on the bottom line of the grid. Can't believe I hadn't thought of this before.
Helpful video. I had my own general ideas about when to and when not to. This actually helped me refine those ideas a bit. Thanks!
This is the best video on focus stacking out there. Going through the process of opening and saving between different pieces of software was great. No other video I have seen has done that.
Best explanation ever! Thanks
Thanks Mark. Both for how to go about focus stacking and why it is not needed in most situations.
I think the main application is in macro photography, where the depth of field is extremely small, so often you need focus stacking to even render a recognizable image.
Mark this video us what I've been looking for !!! Thank you so so much for this sound advice and tips. Absolutely brilliant.
The best focus stacking explanation i have come across ❤ absolutely enjoyed the content. Thanks Mark
Great video, Mark. I especially liked the explanation for editing the images and synchronising them before stacking (or not stacking, depending on the situation). Thanks very much!
Great advice, both about when to focus stack and to study the LCD to see how many separate images you need. I use Helicon Focus for my stacking. It handles a larger number of images and does it more quickly.
So helpful! Thank you.
Thanks Mark for pushing home the need to review images for focus.
I,m a hobby photographer, and I will admit to trying to make multiple images if I find a good subject/lighting situation. But now I’m learning, one great image is better than several ‘nice’ images.
I’ll check the back screen more now rather than chase the next shot.
Yes! Very helpful. Thank you Mark.
Excellent explanation. I had tried this before but didn't know the "blend" method and the moving back into photohop etc. Thank you!
Thank you. Great explanation of both processes.
Great video Mark! Very thoroughly explained and something I will definitely learn to use when required.
Thank you! You were able to explain focus stacking so well....can't wait to try it!
Excellent, as always!
Thank you for your thorough explanation of this
Excellent video! Thank you very much ! Very well explained!
Very helpful. Thank you
Impeccable timing Mark, just returned from 10 days shooting in the Utah Badlands. Having used that camera focusing technique, I have a better of what to do with those images now that I am back home. Well explained!
I have seen other videos on focus stacking and this one was the easiest to understand. You answered some questions that had been left unanswered in other videos. I also like your argument for leaving some portions of a scene slightly out of focus. Great job! Thanks. And yes, I am one of those who is intimidated by Photoshop.
thanks for this great video and well explained as always
Brilliant. So clear and concise. Thanks
So clear and understandable. Thank you!
Great tips, and thank you for demystifying the photo merging steps in Photoshop! 😊
Great video. Very very helpful. You explained it in terms easy to understand!! Thanks Mark. I will be watching more of your videos.
A well done tutorial. I learned how to process a focus stack series from one of your previous videos which was so helpful. Thanks for broadening my skills.
Excelled presentation. Thank you.
Thanks, Mark, I appreciate the tutorial and your way of explaining it.
Excellent overview and tutorial Mark. Thanks 👍👍👍
Thanks for doing this video Mark I really like the fact that you added in the little stuff like which keys to hit really saves me a lot of time looking around for that stuff. 👍👍
Thanks for a very interesting and informative video!
Back in the old days, we used a concept called "hyperfocal distance". I think it's still applicable today...but it does take a bit of math!
Best I’ve seen explanation was brilliant, thank you Mark
Simply fantastic presentation!!!
Really appreciate your insight and tutorials Mark! You have helped my photography grow
Thanks Mark - really enjoyed info
This is such a helpful video. Thank you so much.
Excellent video indeed ❤
Oh yes it was so helpful!
Excellent!!! 5 stars! I will be getting into focus stacking, never done any PP before. This video is bookmarked for future reference! Thank you for putting this together.
Thank you Sir, very well explained .
Very clear, I've started doing it that way last year. Usually works fine except in windy weather for the obvious reasons. When I use a 100-400 lens it turns out in windy conditions I end up getting some images that are a bit blurry even though the lens/camera are on a tripod. I guess the more area the wind can catch and the longer the lens, the more there's a chance of slight movement due to wind.
Very helpful Mark. Thanks 👍
Thanks Mark - great video that very simply explains all the steps. I knew that theory about focus stacking but, as you mentioned, I am intimidated by the whole Photoshop process and do everything in LR. I’ll give this a go now 👍
Really learned a lot. Thank you
Two comments: this is a very helpful video. I have a very long row of day Lillie’s in my yard, and I want to focus stack the row from front to back (or maybe just a few…) Second comment: your communication skills are excellent. You explain everything so simple and clearly. Thank you. I’m excited to give this a try.
Great video! Thank you very much..
Thanks Mark! You touched on a couple points that cleared up some questions I had on focus stacking. Thanks again
Happy to hear this Craig!
Thank you Mark! This is exactly what I wanted to learn and hear about.
Brilliant video😊
As a small add to this. It is easy to put together a small Photoshop Action to 1) Highlight all the images 2) Auto Align and 3) Auto Blend.
4) Flatten image, 5) Save.
Such a great episode Mark, from every perspective, on focus stacking! Would love to see a similar video explaining exposure blending (or HDR images). Keep up the great work!
Extremely helpful contents..
Excellent video Mark! Thanks for sharing this topic.😊
Yes, the video was helpul. Thanks
Grate Video Thank You 🤝
I think you may have talked about this in the past, but the focus peaking feature on mirrorless cameras can also be used to tell if you may need to focus stack. With focus peaking on, you can adjust your focus manually and watch which areas are highlighted to get an idea of how much of your scene can be in focus in a single image. Depending on your camera set-up, it's a nice little trick for quickly assessing your focus situation.
this
This presentation is very helpful. I'm one of those who is preoccupied with FOCUS and frets about parts of the photo are soar. Mark zeroes in on how the reality of our ways of seeing with our eyes and how my photography needs to also recognized the reality aligned with our eyes and brain. Thank you for easing my preoccupation.
Thanks Mark.
I used to focus stack everything!! Much more selective these days for the reasons you outline. Great video as always 👍
Thanks for making this tutorial! I've been wanting to learn how to focus stack for a while and this is the first good tutorial I've seen of it.
I've always noticed hiccups of one kind or another using Photoshop to do this -- some major, some minor. I've been using Helicon lately with very good results. Great tip on thinking about whether one really wants to use focus stacking in the first place. Thanks for your helpful videos, Mark!
Mark, very appreciative for the comprehensive presentation on this topic. Oddly, for me, it wasn't the process of how, but rather the explanation of making the selective choice of need that really hit home. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in feeding yourself an overload of information before you think through the practical nature of trial and error. It's a pleasure to listen/watch your lessons that are delivered in a common sense manner that can find purpose regardless of the level of ability a viewer may possess in the moment.
Excellent vid. Thanks.
Thank you!
Hi Mark, excellent video. I'm just starting down this path. I will be referring back to the video as I work through my process.
HGreat explanation Mark! Thanks again!
Thanks Richard!
Your standard cactus focus stack reference is the best reference for a deep/grand scene focus stack. In person you would see that scene in focus even though your eyes are darting around. Great content as always.
Thanks so much Mark!
Thanks this made it a little more clear 😎
Thanks Mark! Very helpful video. A technique I need more practice in.
Thanks David!
Not used focus stack yet. Good explanation and also helpful to remind us how we see things with natural focus of our eyes.
Excellent and very helpful video, Mark! As always, very well explained!
Hi, Mark. I have been doing landscape photography for over ten years and I have never resorted to focus stacking, partly because I don't have Lightroom or PS CC, but rather get by on PS Elements - 2012, I believe - which doesn't have a focus stacking capability, but mostly because I have never really seen the need, because, as you say, the gradual falling off of focus at f/11, f/16, just seems natural. It's the way we see the world. The problem for me, in recent years, has been the perceived need to focus stack images because that's what the You Tube photography content creators were doing, the rationale being, if you want to take your landscape photography to the next level, then focus stacking was de rigueur. So, thank you for making this video and acknowledging that not only do you not need to focus stack every, or even most photographs, but also that the end result ends up looking mosre natural and aesthetically pleasing to boot. That takes the pressure off and makes me realize that I no longer have to feel as if my photography some how doesn't measure up. Cheers from Sudbury, Ontario, Canada!
Mark, thanks so very much for this teaching moment. Headed to Monument Valley/Arches NP next week. Looking forward to putting your instruction to good use.
Mark, You knocked another one out of the park. Very Very good explanation of the focus stack process. I too don't use focus stacking very often, but there are times when it is extremely helpful.
I wish I possessed the teaching skills you have. You are a blessing to the photography enthusiasts such as myself. Job well done my friend.
Excellent tutorial. Clear and concise. Explaining the focus area was great. I have taken a dozen shots all over the scene, and never once thought about the focal plane going front to back. This will let me take less pictures should I need to photo stack. Cheers.
Great to hear this Michael!
What if the near and far subjects are left to right? Would that not mean going left to right and not top to bottom?
Thankyou Mark, I enjoyed that a lot. Although I don’t use LR/PS, I use Affinity Photo, I found your presentation very helpful with its top level description, and workflow. You present very clearly and naturally. Thanks.
Great video! Will definitely be referring back to this while editing :)
😀 Now that I've watched your video to the end, I see your point about the focus fall off in a scene, particularly in a panorama as grand as the Rockies from a distance. Think I'll try the focus stack approach with a number of points from foreground to background, and see how the image compares to my recent Panoramas. Thanks Mark!