FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[ploum]

Ok Jordi.... compliment = photos !

Each photo is ever a compilation with stacking technic. For each 15 mn to 30 mn of work.

I have a new computer for win some time. Before 60 minutes for computer a double core. Now 1 minutes for last core i7. But photos are not automatic but some system exist but no personnality in this system.

[chris]

[Susan Robinson]

Your photos are spectacular! Finally, there is a way to have photos of micro minerals fully in focus. Keep up the good work.

[ploum]

When you take a photo of a small object, depth of field is very small. To compensate for this, 3 mathematics software exists to make a compilation = stacking. You take a picture in manual mode and you sweep all the object with micrometric system.

I take 30 - 150 picture for one photo.... And when I am done, the computer works hard at the same time.

I use the free software: Combine ZP

In fact, all photos of small things are made like this. But if photos before compilation are not good, there the final result is not good !

[weaver]

Guess for stacking pictures:

I cannot say what the original poster was doing, but I am reminded of the techniques used for animation.

Back in the day, the 2d animators invented some cameras that allowed for parallax. In recent times, 3d animators use computers to take virtual snapshots. In the 3d world of animation, computers are still often not powerful enough to achieve the ultra realism that our current film/video/CCD cameras can shoot. So they fake it.

In the 3d world, they use the same camera many times over. So they might render 3-30 "render passes." This means they take the same photograph 3 times in a row, on the same spot, but with wildly different settings. One might be a specular pass, where it simple catches B&W for the highlight of the subject. Another might be a color pass, that simply catches the colors, without other details. Ambient lighting, occlusion, etc.

Perhaps, since the rock is a fixed subject, you could have the camera do just this. Think of it as a hand-made HDR setup, that you dial into your camera manually (do they make cameras that shoot HDR at macro sizes? I am out of touch with the real camera world.) The "stacking" would be perhaps the technique of layering pictures? Similar to photo manipulation software's (Photoshop, GIMP) "Layers."

Anyway, perhaps there is a way to "fake it" using the same equipment you already have- yet achieve similar results.

~

Awesome thread. Wow! Thank you for sharing!

[weaver]

150 frame bracket!!!

I guessed 30.

Makes total sense to me now that you posted that. Thanks!

[ploum]

the technic of stacking is able to make a 3d effect too. The software is able to make this but i don't use this possibility.

I have seen this technic for insects in this case technic is the same but light is different.

here a compilation of 92 pictures for example... Increment is 2 µm between each photo. I can made this normally with my system. I can't explain more with my english, sorry. But you can move object or camera with this incrementation. But for me it's different because i take photo of primary image. In this case she is more big.... and with my 10 µm plate i can made in fact 1 µm without problem.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eurythyrea/6283992295/in/photostream

and 3d effect (click on links ...)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eurythyrea/6283992295/in/photostream

or here for example

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/5096412814/in/set-72157625202890832/

Here a stacking in nature.... A micrometric plate.... with camera.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eurythyrea/6264111967/in/photostream
(links normalized by FMF)

[Antonio Alcaide]

Ploum, I still remember the last time you shared your awesome pictures here. Thanks for your new visit. I would not mind this thread being infinite...

Regards

[ploum]

I continue if your are all interested.

[John Medici]

Ploum, great pictures, merci! Thanks for sharing the minerals and techniques.

[ploum]

A pleasure for me too. It's not usual in france congratulations....

I have finished 4 photos i come back.... in few minutes.

[ploum]

News photo...

[Debbie Woolf]

[ploum]

Other photos

[Antonio Alcaide]

Col de la Madeleine... humm...

From this latter photo, I will always remember the mineral species found there when watching the "Tour de France" on TV.

Not only the fantastic pictures but also the sites with its classic "flavor and bouquet".

Regards