
The process of focus stacking may seem a bit tedious, but with practice it can actually be incredibly fast and painless. While it may not be a technique you use for every photo, focus stacking will make you a more versatile photographer. This should result in a focus stacked photograph which will appear as a layer mask.įocus stacking is an incredibly useful tool that can open the door to capturing truly unique photos. Make sure you select “Stack Images” in the dialog before finally clicking OK. Then click the following sequence: Choose Edit > Auto-Blend Layers. Blend the layersįinally, you’ll want to blend the layers to create a single, focus-stacked image. Photoshop will then alight the photo layers. Click “Auto selected” before finally clicking OK. Extreme macro photo (under the microscope, using 10x microscope objective) of Halyomorpha halys Low angle photo of single male Maratus.

Then click the following sequence: Choose Edit > Auto-Align Layers. To alight the photo layers in photoshop, make sure you have all photos selected. This will open Photoshop with your selected photos as layers in the project. To open these images in photoshop click the following sequence: Choose Photo > Edit in > Open as Layers in Photoshop. This will show you all the edits you have made that you want to apply to all the photos.
Photostack macro manual#
Shoot in manual mode so that you can have full control over the entire exposure triangle. Consistency in exposure from shot to shot is important to focus stacking one cohesive image. Adjust your settingsNext, properly expose your shot. Once you’ve decided on your composition, set your tripod and lock it down.

So shoot just a bit wider than normal so you won’t have to crop out any important details. If your composition changes you will need to start the entire process over.Īlso keep in mind that photo stacking may require you to slightly crop when merging the photos. If you don’t have a tripod, you can do handheld focus stacking, but you’ll need to maintain the composition as carefully as possible. Mount your camera on a tripod and carefully compose your photo. Focus stacking starts by locking down a subject and a composition. While focus stacking is a common photography technique, learning the tricks of the trade will help you take your macro photography skills to the next level. Step 1: Pick your subject, choose a composition, and set your exposure. It is combining or ‘stacking’ a group of similar photos. It is important to be sure about your composition since focus stacking involves merging multiple images. Focus Stacking is a vital tool in photography that helps you maintain a sharp focus across the entire image, making everything in focus. Start by framing the shot you want and composing the different elements within the frame. Compose your shotĪ crucial step to taking any photo is composing your shot.

You will also need to set your camera to manual mode so that you will be able to vary your focal point for different shots. Since focus stacking involves merging multiple photos together, all the photos must have the same exact composition. When focus stacking, using a tripod or some sort of fixed stabilizer for your camera is crucial.
