Orchid macro

[chauncey]

Alas...still not satisfied with shallow DOF in these things...suggestions?

[FeatherMonkey]

I like but as far as this newbie knows focus stacking.

[Shadowman]

You'll lose the otherworldly effect but as Stef says, focus stacking.

[IzzieK]

Agree with Stef, William...

[Geoff F]

I can't find any shooting information on that image. I normally shoot around F11 to F16 for this sort of scene.

[chauncey]

It was stacked and merged...2X TC on a 180 macro lens mounted on Canon 1Ds3...
ISO 100, F/7.1, 0.4 sec, while tethered. Image is 25x20 @ 300 PPI.

Focus stacking to bring it all into focus wasn't what I was going for.

[Stagecoach]

It was stacked and merged...2X TC on a 180 macro lens mounted on Canon 1Ds3...
ISO 100, F/7.1, 0.4 sec, while tethered. Image is 25x20 @ 300 PPI.

Focus stacking to bring it all into focus wasn't what I was going for.

William, why the 2x TC?

If you are after max IQ is this not a source of degradation you could do without or am I missing something?

[FeatherMonkey]

I don't think William is after sharpness, I've done something similar with feathers (abstract macro).

William what is it you're not keen on? I like the image. I'm guessing the dark bits are just taking the edge off for you?

I've found when I've done it, I'd use something else(another feather)to fill the pic. Having not used a tc but have used tubes with a 105mm macro on a crop. What I've found is when I've gone abstract the tubes hindered/harder more than, helped. I was generally working with red and grey so would poke another feather into it. I've generally found the negative space harder to work with, unless the contrast helped or used completely as bg.

Have to confess I feel a little out of depth even trying to advise. I'm certainly a lot further behind in my learning curve.

[TobyMac]

I'd also suggest stacking. The trick is to move the focus in short enough distances to get all the image sharp. The first time I attempted it there were soft or fuzzy bits where there wasn't enough focus and the software didn't have enough information.

[DanK]

William,

I am puzzled. First you wrote:

still not satisfied with shallow DOF in these things

But then, in response to suggestions that you stack, you wrote:

It was stacked and merged... Focus stacking to bring it all into focus wasn't what I was going for.

So what were you trying to do? If you want to bring some but not all of it into focus, just stack fewer images.

Dan

[chauncey]

Chalk it up to poor communication skills...I wanted the loop in focus but nothing else.
And, was going for an artsy look that didn't materialize as hoped for.