Macro focus stacking tutorial: Tips for Photoshop and Helicon

[@Mikey5_is_alive]

I’ve recently found your channel and have been consuming all the content non-stop. I just started my own photography business formally (incorporated) and I’m primarily doing product photography at the macro scale

[@StephenBridgett]

Excellent information. I am just starting my macro journey and your assistance is fantastic

[@neilgilbert1237]

Super instructive video Andrew. Thank you. Will definitely consider Helicon Focus.

[@theschultz-ster]

Thank you for the info, well put. Liked commented and subscribed. Wil be watching more of your content.

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Thank you!

[@TimvanderLeeuw]

I tend to export as TIFF when exporting to HeliconFocus. Method "B" also mostly works best for me but occasionally I get somewhat better results with methods A or B. It depends a bit on the complexity of what I shot. I like how you kept the parts at the back out of focus btw!

[@ethanzapach]

I have a question for you: I often get a blurry outline around my small objects (the same lichen as you for example). I noticed that you have the same blur displayed in your end image near the bottom, but way less than I'm getting it. Is there a good way to mitigate this?

[@duncanmeechan5694]

Hi Andrew, super video! I really enjoyed it and it certainly has shown a great way of stacking the photos. I like how you used both photoshop and helicon and showed the difference using both. Helicon looks like a good way to go if you need that little bit of a more specialised look and it seems to be that little quicker, definitely another option available to us. Thanks again for sharing this, a great watch 😁👍

[@GSpeakPEI]

Very informative. I appreciated the detailed walk through. I currently do 1:1 - 3:1 macro, stacking up to 80 images which are 24MB each. I have been using photoshop so yes the process is very very slow to do aligning and blending because my layered file is at least 10GB. I found your video because I need to learn more about Helicon, which I own but haven't been comfortable using.

[@eddieteabagify]

So funny. After last weeks video i used Canon DPP and found the compositing weak. I downloaded and tested HF against DPP and Zerene Stacker (last years stacks) I ran 20+ stacks of 10-16 images each thru it until 2am. I found option C to be better for shots that have a lot of bokeh surrounding the in-focus areas. I used A B and C with varying options on the same stack. C noticeably improved veritical depth perception. (Shooting down from above the flower pistil/stamen.) I really love macro. Thanks for sharing your experience. Great to be along side you.

[@sportsphototv]

I really enjoy your videos. I appreciate you knowledge and style. I have subbed. I agree the second edit is better. It gives a little more DOF.

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

Thanks so much, Craig, I really appreciate that!

[@MellowGypsy]

Do you have any suggestions for how to learn external flash? I’ve only used natural light and have zero idea where to start. Was gifted a Godox and I’d love to use it. Thank you for posting, love the content.

[@johnsharples6641]

Hi Andrew. I enjoy your videos but this one has a few problems for me. 1. I never adjust my original shots, even with Lightroom sync. I stack and then adjust the final image. this eliminates any slight variations that may creep in. 2. why would you export as DNG when you could import your raw files into PS. I don't use PS so this is an assumption. 3. Stacking in Photoshop is a great time waster and, as you've seen, the results are not that good. That said, it is possible to remove blurry bits and leave the original section. Again very labour and time intensive. 4 Heliconfocus does a pretty good job in a short time frame but is fairly expensive. I have been using Affinity Photo since it first came out and the stacking software is excellent. You can stack raw files or jpg, haven't tried tiff. It takes a little bit longer than Helicon. It will aligns automatically, if selected, and the final image can be corrected by brushing in/out unwanted areas. I have stacked up to 80 raw images with little, or no, correction required. Affinity photo is much maligned by PS diehards but is definitely worth a look. and there is no subscription fee. John

[@wouwiewie]

Hi Andrew, thanks for the video! Can you explain how I can get the aligned images from Ps to Helicon?

[@photorjp]

Great video! Any recommendations for other stacking programs for Mac? In photoshop I find if I reverse the order of the layers I get much less errors.

[@cp.ramosphoto]

Thanks for the video! I’m using helicon free version and I noticed you didn’t use auto align like you did on PS. Does it give you that option on the paid version? Thanks again 😊

[@vincentie]

Such a great help, I was taking 30+40 slices of a mushroom, but PS totally failed on me.. Sooo frustrating so I went searching YT and came across your video and downloaded Helicon right away :-)

[@blakemarshall6374]

You should do an advanced video on this like with handeld stacking insects in macro - people out there doing 100+ single handhelds and stacking them baffles me. This was really great though

[@LoneJoe_hadley]

Does Helicon align the images in the stack?

[@Idhah]

Hi, Not sure where to ask this question but can you focus stack a self portrait? Say you focus on other areas on the landscape, then you jump in the shot with the focus on you. I take my own images and I’m trying to get very charm images of myself and the landscape around me. How can I do that?

[@daveoutdoors4949]

Failure is a great teacher

[@AndrewLanxonPhotography]

It sure is! You'd think I'd be better though, given my long line of failures!!

[@leeroberts8449]

hi andrew,my name is lee from newport s,wales ive just done the water droplet followng your set up with the pippets etc..i got some good shots,,ide like you to see,,how do i send them to you,,if thats ok,,thanks andrew lee

[@idahofallsmagazine3691]

You should just do a standalone on Helicon.

[@dalefrolander3583]

I like it, but I would have cropped in some more by pulling up the bottom a bit to get rid of the blurry foreground part, and dragging the right side to the left to get rid of that clump of lichen on the right. Then you have two individual sentinel lichen on each side and the star group of lichen in the middle.

[@thegroove2000]

Why bother wth photoshop when it can be done in helicon?.

[@Cassia_c]

don't say both.. say it properly lʌɪk(ə)n 😜 (but seriously! 😐) I mean great video 👍