combines realism with the broad strokes and colors of
impressionism. In other words, I believe each of us eventually finds
our own style. For me it has taken a long time, but I am getting
there. Now, back to stacking focus.
For me learning to stack focus has taken years. In the beginning I
was turned off by the classical microphotography stacks of some
insect’s compound eye. It is not that I did not appreciate it, but after
the tenth and 100th example, I was no longer moved. And that was
the most popular kind of focus stacking at the time I discovered the
technique. I had no interest in being cooped up in a studio when I
could be out walking at dawn on a summer morning. No way.
So I became an advocate of what I called short stacks, usually less
than ten and seldom more than fifteen layers to a stack. And I
made it work, although looking back it is a hard row to hoe. And I
did not like using focus rails and dragging that extra weight around
in the field, so I sought out macro lenses with long focus throws. In
short I made all the possible mistakes I could. I am a slow learner.
I did all I could to avoid paying the real bucks it takes to have a
solid tripod. And the same with a high-quality ball head, although
the experts I read all advised me otherwise. I am stubborn and hate
to spend money I don’t need to. In that case I needed to and it took
me a long time to find it out.
There is no substitute for a solid tripod. There is no substitute for a
good ball head. There is no real substitute for a focus rail for fine
work, etc. I made all the mistakes I could. The good news is that I
eventually learned. It just took me longer than most.
Influences
As for influences, they are several, none greater than nature
herself. I have been a serious student of nature since I was six
years old and a dedicated herpetologist through my teens. As for
photography, I seriously learned to photograph when I was 16
years old when my father (a fine amateur photographer) loaned me
his Kodak Retina 2a, a tripod, and a light meter and sent me on a
six-week bus tour of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico with kids my
own age. He carefully showed me how to use the equipment, never
expecting I would follow his instructions. But I did, and meticulously.