Post by Peterj on Aug 12, 2018 17:26:47 GMT
You may have heard about photo stacking, focus blending, or focus stacking – for the purpose here they all mean the same thing. So the question is “Why do I even want to use focus stacking?” I’m not interested in macro photography and I’m not purchasing any fancy lens!
• Camera on stable platform
• Camera settings: low ISO, manual including white balance
• Scene identified
• Remote shutter release
• Photoshop Elements or Photoshop
• If PSE plug-in Elements XXL or Elements+
Capture
The preferred method will be to use your camera mounted on a stable platform such as a tripod, but hand held can provide adequate results in the edit stage. The best results will be obtained in the final stages when setting the camera in manual everything; lock the ISO to the lowest available, select the appropriate white balance (AWB might work). Before exposing even 1 image practice focusing exactly where you want your points of focus. In the case of the group shot probably one center person per row. In the landscape at least 3- foreground, middle ground, and distant. Decide on close to distant, or reverse – just don’t jump around. Just prior to starting put your hand in front of the lens and expose it signaling this is the start of a multi-image progression. Take your first exposure - Use a remote shutter release, or a 1 – 2 second delay after depressing the shutter, refocus to your second point and take an exposure, continue until all your previously identified points are captured. Take another picture of your hand signaling the sequence end. In the landscape you might want to test out another composition.
2. go to file menu > automation tools > e+ scripts
3. click on focus stacking
4. click on green arrow on right to execute script
5. be patient this can take a bit – wait until onscreen message informs done
6. composite merged file should be visible
7. layer stack on right should equal number of file started with plus merged composite
8. save merged file for further editing
2. last file in photo bin, select all, copy and paste into first file, repeat until for all images
3. go to file menu > image > auto align layers > choose automatic
4. go to file menu > image > auto-blend > stack images > seamless tones & colors
5. save merged file for further editing
References: links valid as of 8/12/2018
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focus_stacking
• www.apogeephoto.com/how-to-get-tack-sharp-photo-images-the-use-of-focus-stacking/
• www.lightstalking.com/focus-stacking-in-photoshop/
• www.deadhorsecreek.com/wcc/focus_stacking.pdf
• jtunney.com/focus-stacking-with-photoshop-and-elements/
• photoshopelementsandmore.com/thread/240/apply-same-edits-batch-files
Wikipedia definition ”Focus stacking (also known as focal plane merging and z-stacking or focus blending) is a digital image processing technique which combines multiple images taken at different focus distances to give a resulting image with a greater depth of field (DOF) than any of the individual source images. Focus stacking can be used in any situation where individual images have a very shallow depth of field; macro photography and optical microscopy are two typical examples. Although focus stacking technique can be found in landscape photography also.”
Here are two situations this technique could provide excellent results.
1) Consider you have a group of friends or family together for the first time in 5 years; the weather is terrible so no outdoor shot; there’s not much light coming in through the windows; everyone wants to have a photo of this joyous occasion; the room is rather long so the folks will be 4 or 5 deep; oh yea I forgot to mention no flash since it exacerbates certain medical conditions; for this lighting situation you want to use f2.8 and keep your ISO at the camera’s minimum.
>>>>>>>>>>>Or<<<<<<<<<<<<
2) You’ve arrived at a beautiful vista; the light is perfect; the framing you see in your mind has a distant feature you certainly want included as well as some extremely interesting foreground details. You really want all of this in perfect focus and the lens you want to use has a sweet spot for details at f4-5.6 which will render the foreground somewhat soft.
Ok, I see your point, now how do I do this and what do I need?
• Camera settings: low ISO, manual including white balance
• Scene identified
• Remote shutter release
• Photoshop Elements or Photoshop
• If PSE plug-in Elements XXL or Elements+
Capture
The preferred method will be to use your camera mounted on a stable platform such as a tripod, but hand held can provide adequate results in the edit stage. The best results will be obtained in the final stages when setting the camera in manual everything; lock the ISO to the lowest available, select the appropriate white balance (AWB might work). Before exposing even 1 image practice focusing exactly where you want your points of focus. In the case of the group shot probably one center person per row. In the landscape at least 3- foreground, middle ground, and distant. Decide on close to distant, or reverse – just don’t jump around. Just prior to starting put your hand in front of the lens and expose it signaling this is the start of a multi-image progression. Take your first exposure - Use a remote shutter release, or a 1 – 2 second delay after depressing the shutter, refocus to your second point and take an exposure, continue until all your previously identified points are captured. Take another picture of your hand signaling the sequence end. In the landscape you might want to test out another composition.
Edit
No matter which method (1 – 4) you want to use I suggest opening all images destined for focus stacking in ACR. Once opened select all images and adjust to your liking; then insure all files are still selected and open images.Elements+ instructions
1. select all files in photo bin2. go to file menu > automation tools > e+ scripts
3. click on focus stacking
4. click on green arrow on right to execute script
5. be patient this can take a bit – wait until onscreen message informs done
6. composite merged file should be visible
7. layer stack on right should equal number of file started with plus merged composite
8. save merged file for further editing
Elements XXL instructions
1. I think this procedure mimics Photoshop; adding the images as layers in order to auto align is required. 2. last file in photo bin, select all, copy and paste into first file, repeat until for all images
3. go to file menu > image > auto align layers > choose automatic
4. go to file menu > image > auto-blend > stack images > seamless tones & colors
5. save merged file for further editing
References: links valid as of 8/12/2018
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focus_stacking
• www.apogeephoto.com/how-to-get-tack-sharp-photo-images-the-use-of-focus-stacking/
• www.lightstalking.com/focus-stacking-in-photoshop/
• www.deadhorsecreek.com/wcc/focus_stacking.pdf
• jtunney.com/focus-stacking-with-photoshop-and-elements/
• photoshopelementsandmore.com/thread/240/apply-same-edits-batch-files
