Macro & Close-up

Many of the images on this page were created by using focus stacking. This process involves taking a series of images at various depths through the object of interest and then combining them to create a sharply-focused final image of the entire object from front to back. This can be done to show everything in the frame in sharp focus, or just the object of interest. The object must be stationary for this to work well, especially at higher magnifications. A number of the images are labeled with a magnification factor "X". This indicates the degree of magnification of the object by the lens relative to the size of the camera's sensor. It does not mean the same as a microscope's magnification. Lastly, some of the images, such as the Giant Forest Owl Butterfly wing, were taken in sections as focus stacks, and then the focus-stacked imges combined as mosaics to give the full extent of the object at the higher magnification. The reason to do this is to show much more detail when zooming into the image on the computer. The full advantage of this is lost to some degree when downsizing for a web site.

Wing Detail

Flowers

Insect Close-up

Shells & Marine

Water Droplet Macro

All photos copyright Fred V Schneider