Focus Stacking Introduction

Overview: Focus stacking requires precision and technical skill, but it can have a big pay off if you can follow the steps.

Directions: Read the articles below regarding the steps to successfully complete a "Focus Stacked" photo.

http://digital-photography-school.com/an-introduction-to-focus-stacking/

One note, we do not have a focusing screen to do the careful manual focusing. That means that you will have to use a VERY DELICATE TOUCH to refocus your camera so you can pull this off.

Also read the following article, especially the part about breaking the focus into three different areas:

• Near Focus
• Middle Focus
• Far Focus

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/focus-stacking.htm

HOMEWORK: Find a small and highly detailed object that you can bring to class that either I can lock-up for you or you can leave in your backpack so you will have it ready for the Focus Stacking and Black Acrylic shoots.

Extreme Focus Stacking:
http://www.vox.com/2016/5/3/11577338/microsculpture-levon-biss


Step-by-Step Directions on Focus Stacking in Photoshop:

1. Find your set of images to combine.
2. Open one of the images in Photoshop.
3. Add additional blank layers for each of the images you are going to combine together. You must select the layer and then you can drag and drop the photo into Photoshop from the folder with your images.
4. After all of your images are in separate layers, they must be "Rastereized" so they are not "Smart Objects." To do this, click on "Layers" on the top Menu bar and then click on "Rasterize" and then "All Layers."
5. Then select all of the layers by holding the shift key while you click on the layers. You must then align all of the layers. To do this, click on "Edit" on the top Menu bar, and then click on "Auto Align Layers." Then select the "Collage" option.
6. With all of your layers selected, you must blend the images. To do this, click on "Edit" on the top Menu bar and then click on "Auto Blend Layers." Then select the "Stacked" option.
7. Watch the magic happen and then crop out unwanted empty portions of the image.
8. Save the image as a JPG and post the final version to your blog in a post titled "Focus Stacking."