Sea urchin skeleton

[Ace]

Hi everybody.
Thi is my very first exeperiment with focus stacking.
It is a sea urchin skeleton (spaerechinus granularis), shot with D800, PB4 bellows, Micro Nikkor 55 f2.8 and SB 800 strobe.
It's a stack of 40 images processed with Zerene. Then I processed the image with aperture.
Every comment is welcome.

Thank you

Andrea

[Erik Lund]

Bold and striking image Very nice I see no problems for stacking so well done IMHO

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Very nice specimen and the stacking appears to have worked its magic without any additional issues.

Well done.

You might pull down a little on the cyan as some small areas in the upper part of the frame apparently have blown highlights rendered in cyan. We have to resort to nitpicking when everything else is so good

[Ace]

Thank you very much for you comments.
Honestly I was amazed by the stacking software. It is the very first time I use it.
As regards the magenta issue, Bjorn is surely right....I'm very bad in postprocessing....tonight I will try to adjust it!

Thanks again

Andrea

[Jakov Minić]

You aced the colors, I love them, Andrea

[BW]

A very nice rendition of the rounded shape of the sea urchin. Personally I never done stacking, because I dont have the patience to fiddle with all that goes into it Kudos to those who does!

[Frank Fremerey]

I never seen this wonderful creature, so now I think it natually looks the way you showed it to us here ... yet I am aware that it is your artistic rendition, your special perspective and mixdown that shows me the creature in the way you see it ... photography is sure a kind of magic, isn't it?

PS: I like the way you used the flash. unitrusive, undisturbing.

[rosko]

That's good job !

For first experiment, it is quite successful. Even lighting is well done : I like the shady area, giving some relief like the edge of the moon...

How did you manage the different shots ?

# Turning the focus ring;

# Moving the bellows;

# Or using a focusing rail ?

[Anirban Halder]

Beautiful photo. I like the gradual transition of darkness to light. I agree with Frank; very subtle use of flash.

[Ace]

Thanks everybody for the comments.
Frank, this is just the skeleton of a quite common mediterranean sea urchin...and it is really violet/pink. Sometimes the most beautiful things in nature are just hidden "in the back yard"!
Rosko, I focused on the target (closer part of the subject), closed the diaphragm to f11 and the just moved the whole bellows with its own rail. I took around 40 shots. Of course I used mirror lock up and cable release.
BW, it was my first stacking, and it took me roughly 40 minutes from zero to the stacked photo....and I enjoyed every minute!!
By the way the RR is around 1,7:1

[HCS]

That's good job !

For first experiment, it is quite successful. Even lighting is well done : I like the shady area, giving some relief like the edge of the moon...

+1 on the good job!

On the lighting, perhaps playing with a reflector on the shadow side may "lighten up" that side. It's a matter of taste, but i find it a bit on the heavy side. I'm with Bjørn R., just nitpicking on an otherwise great picture.

[Erik Lund]

For me that's what makes it stand out

[HCS]

I get that Erik, hence ...

... It's a matter of taste ...

 

[Ron Scubadiver]

I don't know a thing about close up/macro photography, but I enjoy images that take on an abstract character as this one does.

[Jørgen Ramskov]

That's a wonderful shot, especially for a first try.

Ps. Welcome to the site.