I was just about done my hike on a rainy morning when I found this Luna moth hiding under a leaf trying to get out of the rain. It was quite close to the ground
Specific Feedback Requested
I’ve done some focus stacked landscapes but wanted to try something in macro. this turned out to be harder than expected as there was a small breeze and water drops that occasionally moved the leaf. Not my usual subject matter so any feedback is welcome
Technical Details
Is this a composite: Yes
I used helicon focus. I was working fairly quickly and missed the framing a bit. The moth ended up too close to the top of the frame. So I opened it in photoshop with a non-stacked image with better framing and auto-aligned the layers. I then used layer mask to brush in the focus stacked moth so it would sit better in the frame.
Looking forward to @Mark_Seaver focus stacking webinar on July 7.
Hi Bryan,
Stacking live critters can be challenging due to movement of the subject. Your stacking worked well where you have data, but there are sections of the moth’s body and wing that have been missed. The comp is very nice and you may want to crank down the highlights slightly too…Jim
Bryan, I don’t think I have ever seen one of these, so I’m glad you were able to get a shot of him. I agree with Jim about bringing the highlights down just a bit maybe. Still a very nice image.
Jim,
I was using an older DSLR Tamron 90mm macro lens adapted to a mirrorless camera with no autofocus. I’m still learning how much to move the focus ring between shots. I’m going to have to be a bit more careful and take more slices with smaller rotations on the focus ring. I was shooting at F3.2 as it was in a forested area on an overcast day and I was trying to keep the shutter speed up. ISO 1600, F3.2 1/160. I also need to experiment with higher F-stops to get more in focus.
