The Accidental Focus Stack…

I’ve always thought about doing a focus stacked image. For those who don’t know what that is, here’s an explination.

Focus stacking is a technique designed to achieve a deep depth of field by blending (or stacking) several images together. Each stacked shot is focused in a different spot, so the combined depth of field is deeper than the depth of field produced by any of the individual images.

There are several methods to achieve a focus stack depending on your camera body. Some cameras, like the Olympus OM-1 allows you to create the focus stacked image in camera. The OM-1 also allows you to focus bracket resulting in individual images to be stacked using software, like Affinity Photo. And you can do a focus stack by manually changing the focus point as you shoot images.

All of the above methods require a camera on a tripod for optimal results. And since I never have a tripod with me, I’ve never done a focus stack. Until today. 

All images were shot hand held.

This morning I saw a flowering plant I had never photographed. I had my OM-1 with the Leica DG Vario-Elmer 100-400mm lens. So I zoomed out to around 300mm and took a couple of shots. I reviewed the result and saw that the focus was on the far side of the plant.

It was OK but most of the plant was out of focus due to limited depth of field. So I took a couple more shots with the focus on the near side of the plant. I thought that would be OK.

But when I processed the images I still did not like the results. So I thought, why not try to see if I could focus stack these two images in Affinity Photo. I was thinking that even tho the images did not align, Affinity Photo might be able to align them.

And sure enough Affinity Photo did a good job on stacking the two images. It’s not a perfect focus stacked image, but it sure looks better than either of the two original images. Something to keep in mind for the future.

“Tri-X, f/8, and be there.“