BEST way to Focus Stack in Photoshop
Vložit
- čas přidán 11. 05. 2019
- BEST way to Focus Stack in Photoshop - In this video I show you how to focus stack images in Photoshop the EASY WAY!
I use the focus stack method in my photography workflow more and more these days. I always get asked how I focus stack the images in post-production. Due to the fact, my next video contains more in-focus bluebells than you can shake a stick at I thought I'd save the questions and actually show you my post-production workflow.
There are a few ways to focus stack but in my opinion, this is the only way that guarantees perfect results every time.
Let me know if I can help with any post-production problems you're struggling with.
I hope you enjoy the video.
Feel free to leave a comment.
THANK YOU
Gary
MUSIC CREDIT:
Grape Fields - Claude Signet
► MUSIC DOWNLOADED HERE tinyurl.com/y6czktdf
use this link for a 30-day FREE TRIAL
► MORE ABOUT ME: tinyurl.com/mpgkjqf
► PERSONAL WEBSITE: tinyurl.com/k7vgzv4
► FACEBOOK: tinyurl.com/hctawre
► CZcams CHANNEL: tinyurl.com/nuelnpm
► INSTAGRAM: tinyurl.com/yc7mdhue
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Gear:
Vlogging Gear
Camera Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II - amzn.to/2vT2s0a
Joby GorillaPod Original Tripod - amzn.to/2wYp40g
Joby Gorillapod Ball Head for SLR Camera - amzn.to/2wXUjc1
Camera Gear
Canon 1DX MKII - amzn.to/2tHdhjH
Canon 5D MK IV - amzn.to/2uJimx6
Canon EF 70-200 mm f/2.8 L IS II USM Lens - amzn.to/2f3yaEv
Canon 100 - 400mm lens - amzn.to/2tqihy1
Canon 24-105mm "L" Lens MK I - amzn.to/2wYCbyT
Canon 24-105mm "L" Lens MK II - amzn.to/2xYeS7A
Lee Filters Big Stopper (10 stop) ND Filter - amzn.to/2wYDz4l
Lee Filters Soft ND Graduated Filter 0.9 - NDamzn.to/2w6n5Kf
Canon Camera Remote Control Cable TC-80N3 - amzn.to/2f3HsAH
WEEKLY VLOGGING... Since I've committed to weekly vlogging, you get the best and the worst. Besides, it's probably good to know that we don't always have successful days!
I make at least one video a week, and I've got some amazing locations penned. Please make it worth my while and support the channel.
LIKE and SUBSCRIBE if you feel my content deserves it
Comments are always welcome btw
Feel free to "LIKE" and "SHARE" and/or hit that "SUBSCRIBE" button
Credits:
Presented By: Gary Gough
Music Credits:
Grape Fields - Claude Signet - Jak na to + styl
Clear, concise and clever . Enough about me, let’s talk about the video ....... Clear, concise and clever... and perfectly paced
lol Cheers 👍👍
Bloody brilliant. Cheers Gary.
Thanks Gary, very informative and clearly explained.
Cheers
Thank you for going straight to doing the task. Unlike many other tutorial that they talk a long time before actually telling you how it's done.
Brilliant. The best, most concise demonstration of this technique that I’ve watched. Well done Gary!
Oh thank you John 👍
Cheers Gary, this is the best PS PhotoStack tutorial on CZcams, now sussed it with thanks to you. Tip man! Lee
Thank you Gary, have been looking for this all over, glad I found and joined your group and on You Tube.
Not a single second wasted and nothing confusing either. Brilliant! Subbed.
very nice video! Now im going to test this!
Thank you so much!!! You've explained this process flawlessly and I was able to incorporate it into my work. I appreciate this very much! Omar
Gary, in food photography, I do a fair amount of focus stacking. I often run into problems when I use Auto Blend in Photoshop. Sometimes it is due to focus breathing of the lens. Your method seems to be another option. I will give it a try. Thanks for the tutorial.
Brilliant tutorial
Very, very useful, Thank you very much for sharing.
Thanks Gary, on a catch up of back catalogue, learnt sooooo much so far.
Thanks Gary! Always nice to see your tutorials!
Cheers
Nice video Gary! Short, sweet, and to the point.
Excellent as usual Gary,, thanks, Bob,
Thank you Bob. I promise I'll sort the sound issues out
Great video!
thanks Gary for the tutorial
Thank you Gilbert 👍👍
Hello Gary. Catching up on some of your old vids. Great video. Thank you. Bob
wonderful explanation! Thank you so much. You solved lots of my problems. I use both LR and PS. Some things I prefere to do in LR, others in PS. mayby this is silly, but that is how I do it. You are the first one to explain focus stack the way I could understand.
Thank you again Karin, very kind of you to say xx
I've viewed tens of these types of Photoshop layer blending and this was by far the best, most instructive tutorial. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! thank you 👍👍
Great tutorial Gary
Cheers Darren 👍
Thanks Gary! Subscribed. Very nice demonstration of something I’ve been intimidated by....
Nice one Gary. Great tutorial.Thanks for sharing!!
Cheers Tim 👍👍
Seen quite a few vloggers tell people to get PS to do it automatically too! Awful. This makes more sense and frankly, using layers has always been hard for me to get my head around. This was really well explained. Top job, Gary.
Thank you Phil, very kind 👍👍
This is very helpful . Thank you!
You're welcome 👍👍
I was having issues figuring this out as a noob to photoshop. other tutorials here on youtube didnt help much but your was very concise and practical. thanks!
Thank you for this tutorial on focus stacking I found it most helpful and I like the way you used layer masks instead of relying on the automated way in Photoshop. Much appreciated 🙂
Legend... thanks 🙏 your tutorials are the best, keep them coming 😊
Thank you
Great tuition Gary, easy to follow with the required result, will use it this week, this is saved for future use, thanks
Cheers Trevor. Any questions just throw it at me, happy to help 👍
A really easy tutorial to follw. Thank you Gary.
Thank you Suzanne, very kind 👍
This is Awesome...... This just worked like a charm!!
Great to hear! Thank you
Thanks Gary, off to North Wales next week. This and many of your other vids really help. Keep up the good work 👍
Cheers Ed
Just come across your superb tutorial many thanks for doing this Gary subscribed.
Welcome aboard! Cheers Simon 👍👍
well explained Thank you Gary
Very welcome
Thank you very much for explaining that, Gary .. now I really know how to do it! This tutorial is really helping me a lot. Greetings from Austria!
Thank you Thomas
Thanks Gary, love it simple!
Cheers Keith
Hi Gary. Interesting to see the workflow via ACR and into PS. I import my images from LR and do a lot of focus stacking (mostly with macro work but also with landscapes) but have never seen this method used. I'll definitely use it for my seascapes from now on, especially as it looks easy enough that even a numpty like me could use ! Huge thanks for sharing this cracking video Gary.
lol It just works Tim, I think that's the beauty. "Numpty" lol I've not heard that in years. Made me chuckle 😁😁😁
Cracking video Gary and well explained. It's gets a 👍 from me.
Cheers Martyn 👍
Another intuitive video. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome, cheers
excellent video thanks Gary, Just started using photoshop
You're welcome Stephen 👍
Well done Gary, concise easy to follow guide. Top marks.
Cheers Alan 👍👍
Thanks! Great and easy tutorial which has helped me out a lot.
Thank you
So well explained even I can understand I it 😉 Thanks for another good video.
Cheers Mark 👍
Thank you so much Sir..I have been suffering but know thanks to you :)
Perfect. Really well done!!!! 👍thanks
Thank you
Thanks for instruction, Gary. I am an older guy and learning stacking in PhotoShop has been a challenge. But, I like your style. With regards, Tim D.
Cheers
Lovely concise description, well done I fully expect to be able to complete this task now,cheers Del
Cheers again 👍👍
Nice, thank you.
Very nice...thanks!
Thank you Roy 👍
Very good tips! 😊😊
Thank you Eva
Gary,
I felt so uh, ...accepted, yeah, that's it... to learn that, like me, you are a user of ACR. It has again illustrated that great minds walk similar paths. Outstanding illustration of the proper way to focus stack!
Thank-You,
Mike
Great minds indeed Mike :) Cheers
Right! The only one method to focus merge with seascapes... Great tutorial, as usual !
Clear and straightforward, thanks!
Cheers 👍
Enjoyed the video Gary. Learned a lot here.
Cheers Jim 👍
I thought this was going to be complicated, but you made focus-stacking into a pleasure.
This was an excellent tutorial and perfectly answered the problems
I was having with my previous attempts at this. My seascapes always had funky areas in the water after using the Auto Blend method that most tutorials drop and leave as the end all be all.
The only thing I needed to search out in addition to this was how to Select and Content Aware Fill the transparent areas sometimes left around the edges after using Auto Align. If anyone else is struggling with this, the Load Selection feature using the Layer Transparency Channel (and inverting the selection) achieved this for me without a hitch.
Thanks for a great tutorial. I am enjoying your channel.
Cheers Drew
Very well explained. Thank you
Cheers Denis 👍
Excellent! Thank you.
Cheers
Loved the tutorial I had been trying to do it without inverting the mask
Nice one Gary, I will deffo be changing my PP technique for my focus stacking which I have begun to explore, Thanks :-)
Great stuff. Cheers
Fokin gud totorial mate
thank you so much
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I followed other tutorials that never worked for water or moving trees and yours is so good for that! I also liked it that you explain in detail and do not waste time! Wonderful tutorial! How come I did not know you before? Subscribed and following you on Instagram! HA!
Thank you xx
Nice tutorial, thank you =D
3:34 > (stack images)
> top panel: edit, auto-blend layers> auto-blend layers window: [V] stack images> hit "OK"
5:18 > (undo, auto align images first)
> note: keep the bottom image layer, which contains the complete sharpest focus information (no blur and layer mask)
7:34 > (layer mask on 2nd image layer, draw 2nd focus=a bit blur area)
8:28 > (layer mask on top image layer, draw 3rd focus=a lot blur area)
Cheers
Didn’t know that technique, I’ll try it next time. Thanks 👍
Cheers 👍
Really like your simple approach to these Gary - bookmarked :)
Cheers Chris
thank you! Great tutorial! =D
Cheers
Explained brilliantly Gary. I logged on to your blog as I wasn't sure how to get a satisfactory result and by pure coincidence the exact same subject from a totally different angle. Note to self: Check tide times properly and avoid getting wet feet next time. 🤣
When dragging a layer to another image hold shift when releasing the mouse button. This way it centers the dragged layer right in place.
Or select the layer and with the move tool (V) just copy and paste in the other document by using your command or strg + c & p keys. Works also for groups/folders.
Yep, already knew it. I normally copy and paste with the C & V keys as you say, it's much quicker. I just thought it was easier to show people how to drag and drop. Either way, you still have to auto align. Cheers btw sharing is caring
Hi Gary great tutorial ,only interesting in 3;58 what you clik and have new layer .thank you
You make it look so easy.😊
It is Terry :)
Nice and simple
Cheers 👍
Thank you!
You're welcome 👍
Keep it up!
Hey Gary as I also only use PS thank you for this. ........Barry
Thank you
Merci pour ce tutoriel très clair.
Vous êtes les bienvenus. Merci d'avoir regardé 👍👍
I use the black brush and work top down. Six of one, half dozen of the other. Same end result. It's stunningly easy. Works for macro shots, too.
:) Great minds though John :)
Very nice picture :)
Well that was easy, Cheers Gary
Cheers
Gary, thank you so much for this tutorial. The pictures you have chosen is perfect for the tutorial, I find it hard to use your technique if you have a picture with one single surface, like a piece of wood for example.What would be your technique if you find such photo?
Fantastic, thanks for sharing. Making something I've been scared of trying seem really straightforward. Can't wait to try it now. Although I think I need a new PC, no way my current one does that in anything under a few hours!!! Lol.
Time to upgrade Chris :)
Indeed. Having been looking at options. Any recommendations? I'm assuming lots of RAM is the key priority.
Thanks one thing I need to learn
Cheers Martin
Very helpful vid! Thank you. Point of clarification - Black conceals, white reveals. Therefore, black is opaque, not transparent as stated in the vid. By painting the mask white, it becomes transparent (reveals the layer). This is meant constructively :) Thanks again.
Yes, it has taken me forever to figure out all these terms as they are thrown around without care and it is very confusing to someone trying to figure this layer stuff out. As you stated white reveals the layer that is selected and black conceals the layer that is selected.
Thanks Gary,
I wanted to know how this was done - Cheers
You're welcome, cheers
I use a very similar technique in Affinity Photo for manual exposure merging. I dont use graduated filters so for sunsets it comes in really handy and works a treat. For complex horizons it's a bit trickier but I would normally output the sky selection as a mask, copy and paste the image with the new sky on top then nest the mask as a child layer in the pasted image layer. That works well also, albeit with some tonal matching required afterwards
Sounds very complicated. If it works though :)
I know I shall have to watch this again and again until it sinks in, but tidy.
Cheers Andy
Great tutorial Garry - thanks. I'll give it a try next time I do a landscape stack. However, most of my stacking is done with macro images - often more than 20 per shot - and so I'm a tad unsure about how easy and beneficial it will be using this technique compared to going straight from align to merge.
It would be too much of a faff doing it this way with that many images. In this instance, I'd certainly go for the blend option or opt for a better piece of software
Excellent video. I have had troubles with Auto Blend Layers - this makes much more sense. I have one question: At the very end of the video you said "Then I can zoom in just so that I can get my three layers lined up properly". I wasn't sure what you meant by that.
Thanks for a very helpful video. It may be a few years old now but it was a great re-fresh for my understanding of the topic. One question - at the end I think you chose to 'merge visible' rather than flatten. Why was this please? Cheers
Cracking video, Gary - explained in a way that even a technophobe like me can understand! Hope Skye proved as good for you as it did for us - from one half of the married couple with the Battenberg!! :o)
Cheers Ian. Yes it was a fantastic trip thank you 👍👍
Thanks for the great tutorial! is it possible to keep the metadata from the files on export? Since I'm combing 3 images. I'm also doing a pano stitch using PTgui and it needs the meta data info.
Great video Gary, I use Helicon Focus which is a dedicated software for Focus Stacking and does a much better job than Photoshop and handles the corrections you were illustrating much easier.
I'll look it up. I've never heard of it. Thanks for sharing
Hi Gary, can you explain how do you focus the bottom, middle and top?
Do you use the AF button and move manually?
I hope you understood my question.
Please and thank you!
By the way , I love your videos (vlogs)
Ciao from Italy.
BRILLIANT!! The best tutorial I have seen. I have just got the Canon R5 and it apparently has a function that allows me to automatically take up to 100 images for focus stacking purposes. How many would you suggest Gary for say a typical Seascape image like this? In other words if I took say 10 or 20 can I see the areas of sharpness easily on each image using this method? Thank you again
I use no more than 3. I only focus-stack if the subject is really close the camera. I don't know how well that feature works. Try it an see I guess :)
thanks very helpful and you don't have to invert the layer mask if you paint the black areas surely
Correct Alison. You can paint out or paint in. There is just more to paint out than there is in 😊 Either way, it's the same result 👍👍
Great tip GG. Thanks So you wouldnt recommend buying focus stacking software? this seems to work good for landscapes but what about a macro shot of a flower or item? same result? I will have to try this out. Keep up the great work
I've never used focus stacking software so I couldn't comment. For high end work them I'm sure buying software designed specifically for that task must surely benefit you
Fantastic tutorial Gary. What monitor do you use for your pc?
Cheers Tony. I use a Dell 27" matt monitor. It's an excellent monitor but it's a few years old now :)