Menage a trois

Besisika said:
To me, it is a macro as soon as it goes closer than the MFD of your lens especially with a magnification greater than 1.
Anyway, nice work. I cannot complain about your stacking technique. I am still learning. I don't dare 375 yet.

I believe macro is defined as when the image is captured at 1:1 or more. And to get closer than the MFD can only be done with extention tubes?
 
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Gear used>tripod mounted, rather dated 1Ds3 with a 180 macro attached at close to MFD>tethered to monitor using Canon Utility Software for live view shooting.

Lighting was four 100 watt LED lights bouncing light off the walls and ceiling, two of these http://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Bright-40511-Xtraflex2-Book/dp/1933622717/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0M6PBQ20QW21KM36ZFJS attached to camera mount, with black cloth as backdrop.
Is oblivious that I can't do anything expensive or fancy.

The tethered LV shoot was computer controlled using the arrows to move focus point in/out, one after another until the entire focus gamut is achieved. In this case it required 4-5 camera movements to capture an entire flower with each movement requiring 50-80 stacks at f/8. All stacking and merging done in PS CC. ;)
 
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BLFPhoto

Canon EOS user since '91...
chauncey said:
Is oblivious that I can't do anything expensive or fancy.

Fancy isn't the point. The light is flat and directionless here. All you need to do is to create directionality to the light. This image is a really good documentary representation of the plants, but we don't really get their character.

Bring the lights in from off axis, and from a single side. Use 2-3 on one side. Use one of the four for "fill" from the opposite side. If you used 2 on one side, one for fill, then you could even use one for a back light to gain separation from the black background.

Seriously, given the lights and the size of the subject, it's a matter of moving your lights just a few inches here and you would raise the game tremendously.

Photography is all about seeing the light and making it work for you, whether you're photographing flowers, bugs, people, or mountains.
 
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