Digital Imaging - Focus Stacking

Another one of our weekly digital imaging tasks was to produce an image that involves focus stacking. Focus stacking is a technique used in which you can create a deep depth of field by combining a couple of different images within one image all with different focus points. When combining these images together, it will create an image with a variety of depth of fields which is impossible to create when shooting just one image. Focus stacking is most useful in both close-up and macro photography as opposed to anything else, since because we are using a high f-stop it often prevents us from gathering everything in focus if we were to photograph anything else.

I actually found this technique rather difficult, as I have never actually used this technique before in my photography, so it was definitely a challenge for me, but one that I was willing to try and do the best I could at it. I decided to shoot a close-up of a flower, due to the detail and how close I could get to shooting it to get the best focus stacking I could. I layered on a couple of images, to create different depths of fields and to demonstrate the use of focus stacking in the photography world.

Below is my image.

I was actually very pleased with how my image turned out. I believe it includes both focus stacking, different and a variety of depth of field and it is also a very striking and colourful image which is off centre (which I did deliberately!) to include the depth of field within the background and to give it a more artistic and interesting look. It was a very useful and important skill and technique to understand and learn how to do, especially for future jobs or assignments. I will definitely be practicing this technique within different situations and shooting different subjects, as it will take a few more times to get it completely right.


Laura x