focus stacking

How to Do a Handheld Focus Stack

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Bonus points if your camera has in-camera focus stacking. If it does, this makes the process infinitely easier! If not, follow these instructions.

You’d be surprised how well Photoshop or Helicon Focus can auto-align images that aren’t shot on a tripod. This is a technique I use a lot when I want to capture scenes quickly and not spend all the time setting up my tripod perfectly. If you have time and know you want to shoot one particular composition, it’s always better to use a tripod, but if it isn’t available, know how to pick the right settings to do it handheld too!

Focal Length Blending – What is it and how to do it?

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Focal length blending is a popular technique photographers use to overcome the limitations of wide-angle lenses. With ultra-wide scenes, you can often end up with subjects that appear far too small despite seeming massive when you’re out in the field.

To perform a focal length blend, you’ll want to take your typical ultra-wide shot first and then take another image where you zoom in slightly on your subject. Then, you’ll merge the two images in Photoshop.

Find a low-detail area in the scene for the most seamless blends. If you have too much detail in your scene, it can be challenging to find a spot to blend the two images together without being able to tell what you’ve done.