ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Sunday 23 February 2014

SUNDAY STACKING. (23/02/14)

It’s another wet and windy day so I’m afraid I’ve been stacking again._V0G8097  This is Compact Rush. Juncus conglomeratus. It’s dead but the flowers are pretty much the same when they are alive.

2014-02-23-11.13.39 ZS PMax    2:1 and 28 shots. The little streak bottom right is because I turned the side to side screw instead of the fore and aft one.

_V0G8096    I think this is Fir Clubmoss. The bit at the bottom of it is BlueTack.

2014-02-23-11.21.29 ZS PMax   This is the tip of it. 3:1 and just 7 shots. It could have done with more.

_V0G8095    Hay-Scented Fern. Drytopteris aemula.

2014-02-23-11.17.01 ZS PMax   2:1 and 6 shots. I didn’t notice the end had fallen off it. It is too wet to get another bit.

2014-02-23-11.18.58 ZS PMax   5:1 and 6 shots. This is as large as I can go. Even at f13 the image is barely visible even with the focus light on.

_V0G8094    I thought this was an old bit of Hypogymnia physodes. I have serious doubts. It grows next door to it on twigs, mainly Silver Birch. If nobody knows I’ll start trawling the internet. I’ve had a look and it is a different lichen. I think it is Usnea cornuta.

2014-02-23-11.26.18 ZS PMax    2:1 and 62 shots. I know it looks a mess but I was very impressed that Zerene Stacker managed to do anything with it. In retrospect I should have popped a strobe in a soft box behind it. I couldn’t face a re-shoot.

2014-02-23-12.07.38 ZS PMax    Here it is at 5:1 and just 5 shots. I cut a little bit off for this.

That’s all for today, please feel free to correct IDs. I’m a bit of a Muppet when it comes to plants.

Have a good week.

37 comments:

  1. Great stuff Adrian. ZS really does work well considering how complicated some subjects are. On the one with the sideways streak (and a touch of halo on the left) - If there are some shots without it then the Retouching facility might eliminating it. I had a look at the two videos which explain how it works and had a little dabble myself today.

    It's been blowing a gale here also so it was definitely a time for indoor photography.

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  2. John, they are far from perfect but they are acceptable. I was going to touch up in Photoshop but decided to leave them.
    I'll look at the videos. I did read a tutorial or a bit of it. Perhaps I should have read it all.
    It is brightening up here but still very windy.

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  3. Replies
    1. Bob, it passes an hour or so on and it is good fun.

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  4. What ~ no reindeer poo? Very very impressive Adrian ~ there is no way the human eye could see that detail. I am half blind mind you. Just love macro work!

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    1. Carol after focusing all these I'm not feeling good.
      Reindeer day tomorrow. I hope.

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  5. Some great results there Adrian, I'm sure that I wouldn't have the patience to attempt this sort of task!
    Don't know any of the ID's but I decided at the beginning of the year that Lichen, Plant Galls and Moss were something that I needed to learn more about and so far I've been totally confused by all of them, the more I read the more I'm confused!
    btw, Isn't advertising cigarettes now against the law?...[;o)

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  6. Trevor, It does give me a headache. There aren't too many lichens. The best place I've found is

    British Lichens

    It did occur to me after I'd posted that I should have used something else for scale. It's Dithery Daves fault. They were supposed to be in a plain pack ages ago. Till his mates threatened to take away all his non-executive directorships when he finds himself out of work.
    I guess serving burgers didn't appeal not that I think he has the skills to do so.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the link Adrian, although it's one that I've already found...[;o)

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    2. Trevor, did you see this one that Lucy sent?

      LASTDRAGON

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    3. Thanks Adrian/Lucy, I've got that one too...[;o)

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  7. One of the oddest posts ever. But I've peered carefully into every picture. The last is specially fascinating. This is my favourite lichen site http://www.lichens.lastdragon.org/index.html

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    1. Lucy, I prefer different to odd but I really can't argue the point.
      Thanks for the link. It looks good. I've book marked it and will have a proper look later. Scotland is good for lichen as the air is clean. Well it is when I'm not blowing smoke around.

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  8. That's a great way of getting around a certain advertising ban :o) I can't id one of the plants you've posted though the second to last one looks like a macro forest.

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    1. Douglas it was you who suggested taking pictures of lichen. It is amazing that Zerene could mask that chaotic bundle.
      I've de-littered your Green woodpecker it should be in your inbox.

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  9. Although I'm sorry that the elements have forced you indoors, I'm glad to see the results. I am a fan of macro photography - although, as with most things, I know just enough to sound ignorant, I'm sure - and, as is the case with all your work, your care and attention to detail is clear. Don't take this the wrong way, but here's to a few more dreary days that force the experiments upon you - although I hope that the weather gives you at least a bit of a break!

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    Replies
    1. Nathaniel, I just fire away. I have been focus stacking on and off for years. Itoo like macro.

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  10. Adrian, it seems the red part of the cigarette pack has a checked texture that grows much more pronounced from left to right. It should be completely smooth, shouldn't it?

    I like #2 and the last one best. The backgrounds in both look perfect.

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    Replies
    1. David that is how our cigarette packs are. They are embossed with that texture.

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  11. You are an artist Adrian This is great class.

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    1. Bas, I enjoy macro but have a long way to go till I'm an artist.

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  12. Replies
    1. Laura, if I do this in summer there would be a little spider or insect roaming around. The insects are incredible.

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  13. Sorry about the weather but you are keeping lots of people happy so it can't be all bad.

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    1. Pauline they are good fun to do and sufficiently time consuming to keep me away from the pub.

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  14. I'm impressed with how this works!!! I like how you show what the stuff looks like with regular equipment and then how us what the especial stuff can do. No use for microscopes here.

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    1. Red, without a microscope I'm right on the limit at 5x magnification. Micro photography is a totally different ball game. I'll keep doing the odd one as and when I find something interesting.

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  15. Good morning Adrian,
    Definitely a raining day post that one, and some interesting types of shots. The lichen is Usnea subfloridana. I bet you will sleep better knowing that now eh? Hope you have a good week.

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    1. Gary this is the third stacking programme I've used. I haven't really scratched the surface with it yet.
      Many thanks for the ID.

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  16. This blog is now sponsored by Marlboro. It is a condition of our contract with you that all future blogposts should either refer to Marlboro or show an image of a Marlboro pack. "Come to where the flavour is. Come to Marlboro Country." (ie The Cairngorms or Blackwell, Derbyshire)
    BTW - Amazing close-up images.

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    1. YP, I wish, I never gave it a thought when I was looking for something to show scale.
      I am only using 30% of what the software is capable of. Then there is lighting. I must practise more.

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  17. I have no idea what you are talking about, Adrian, but the photographs are very interesting, eye-opening, and thought-provoking..

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    1. Bob, I am always fascinated by the beauty that appears when the mundane is enlarged. I usually shoot macro in summer and it's rare that I don't find a little creepy crawly in the subject.

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  18. Replies
    1. Graham, I wasn't. This job would test the patience of the Pope. I am only using about 20% of what the software is capable of.

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  19. You've got a lot of detail here, I like it.

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    1. Maria, It is amazing what even modest magnification produces.

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