Real photography for real people. You just exposed the secret. One does not need high end, expensive equipment to produce perfect photos. Some of my best photos have come out of an old Sony Cybershot. Great video!
We want to see more of these. I like the fact that you describe how you take the photos. I'd like to see more details and also on shooting other subjects, notably flowers. Thanks for this one.
I am astounded that you get such good focus stacked results from hand holding the camera and moving your body instead of using a focus rail. Excellent work. Well done.
Amazing video. I’m an amateur that’s combed youtube for macro tips for some time, and this is probably near the top of my favorites now. Keep them coming!
A very good video on macro photography. I bought the Laowa 100mm f2.8 x2 and it is a great lens. You take great macro photos. Don't you use a tripod ? I look forward to your next videos. Greetings from Cracow, Poland.
Nice photos there!! Pretty interesting macro photography setup to be handholding and stacking manually without a focus ring. You are the first macro photographer i've seen manually focus stacking with the laowa 25mm, which I have myself, and is not easy to use out in the field!
You did an amazing job with this first video. You managed to get high performance shots in a not so easy environment while keeping it simple and pleasant to watch and listen. I am on board for the next one. Don't change a thing. Great technique and very nice pictures by the way !
Alexis, fantastic video, which I can't believe is your first. I'm just beginning in macro and my main challenge is stabilising the camera. I'd love if you could give some tips because you make it look so easy! Many thanks for a very inspirational video ❤
Sweet video … this is the 2nd of your video I found today on my UA-cam Home Page … keep them coming … I mainly shoot wildlife/mostly birds - though my wife & I went to Pantanal Brazil in September where it was Jaguars & Giant River Otters! …Which is only to say, I love wildlife/have thought about learning Macro - and what you are sharing is an inspiration ! Suggestion … in your videos, increase the amount of time on each finished photo you share. Thanks.
Your videos are a kind of artwork themselves! You not only handle the technic very well, I like your film making and presentation. And you know the creatures names! Not just only taking pictures whatever it is. You respect nature and be aware of the treasures around us. The feathered spider pics are outstanding! Looking forward to your next adventure! Just left an abo: ) Best wishes from Germany
This is very interesting, taking such high magnification macros handheld is impressive because it is difficult. Would very much like to see both the pre- (the setup of the custom modes and flash) and post- processes, stacking and editing in your upcoming videos. I really like that you have focus on (pun intended) leaving the scene without harming the habitat. Greetings from your subscriber number 88.
This is your first video?! Nailed it dude. Well done, especially with the subtle use of background music (so many youtubers get that wrong). Great photo's too. As a newcomer to macro I felt you glanced over the "test photo" bit. Thats the bit I would like to know more about, coming from "normal photography" it's all a bit foreign especially flash settings (never really used flash before).
Great video! I'll look forward to a video on technique. I'm impressed how well the SB900 keeps up with the long sequence of shots. (probably b/c it's set manually @ 1/32 or 1/64 s?) Also where did you learn your biology to know and name the species you find? Also loved the out-take at the end😅!
Hey, great video! this is really helpful. Your images are absolutely exquisite, keep up the amazing work :) I look forward to your image stacking video. A few suggestions for future videos: image storage and processing, and photo editing would be great!
Hi, I have been following your videos and must admit that you are doing a superb job. One question, since flashes need some recycle time and I can see that your flash is not firing in many shots in between, so you must be getting darker images in those shots. How do you manage them in post processing? Do you simply discard those dark images and only work with well-exposed ones? In that case would you not miss some of the sharp focus points which were dark because of flash not firing? Hope I could explain my question, looking forward to your answer. Thanks.
It only looks like the flash misses shot due to rolling shutter on my video camera, which makes it look like the flash doesn't fire sometimes. It actually does fire consistently with every shot, the only times it misses a couple shots is if it is low on battery or if I have to shoot at high flash powers, in which case I just delete the photos where it didn't fire.
Love the video. Was curious about the setup. I went to the venuslenes website but I can not find that lens (Laowa 25mm F/2.8 2.5-5x ultra macro) in a Fugifilm mount. What kind of adapter are you using or did they once produce but discontinue a Fugifilm mount? Thank you.
Great video mate well done!!! Very cool! Question: - What POST software do you use for stacking the photos afterwards? - Do you use the cameras built in focus bracketing mode where you just stand still and it adjusts the focus? Or do you always burst fire and sway your body to change the focus?
I use Zerene Stacker to stack the photos in post. Focus bracketing is only possible with autofocus lenses, and both my macro lenses are manual focus only so I always stack manually
I'm impressed how steady your handheld stacks are! I'm curious, what fps does that flash get? The Godox V350 can get 7fps on my fuji, sometimes 10 at low power.
❤ I use z6 ii and Godox v860 iii but I can’t take more than 10 photos with flash (1/64). Would you mind telling me more on how to take a series of 70 photos on one go? Thank you!
Really fantastic technique! That nursery spider is incredible. I have tried focus stacking, but the post processing never comes out quite right, or maybe I don't take enough shots (3-10, not 40+ :) )
Thanks so much! That many shots aren't absolutely necessary for stacking, I only use so many because at the high magnifications I get with the laowa 25mm the depth of field is even thinner than with a regular macro lens. Closer to 1:1 or even 2:1 it's very possible to get lots of depth with just 5 or 10 frames
Great video! Subscribed. Why did you choose the Fuji X-H2? Is it just the bigger sensor (compared to m43) or something else? I've been looking at the Olympus OM-1, Fuji XT-5, and the Panasonic G9ii... all of them look great but now I am curious of the XH2 or XH2S.
Thanks! The main upgrade for me compared to my previous camera, the Lumix G91, was the higher res 40mp sensor, but another advantage is having faster burst rates and a CFexpress type b card slot (which is one major difference from the XT-5), which allows me to get way more frames for stacking before running into the buffer. If focus bracketing is a priority the OM-1 is definitely your best bet, and the OM 90mm macro is one of the best macro lenses around. I've been stacking manually for a few years so bracketing wasn't a big deal, and for my style of macro I really felt limited by the 20mp max resolution on m43.
Most people would say that you are aiming for an extremely small audience, but your tips are spot on. As a Landscape Photographer who has grown to love macro, I find all the stacking a bit overkill and tedious. I wish you well and have subscribed, but generally have no need for 40mp or an advanced laptop.
Hello, I love your videos and I'm already subscribed to your channel. I have a Canon 600RT flash and I can't take that many photos quickly with the flash. Can you help me, please?
Great video, Alexis. Really like the style and quality (both, video and audio quality). Only the background music seems a but too loud at some scenes but that’s only a minor issue and probably doesn’t bother most of the people. Keep going! I'm looking forward to the next video. Maybe do some videos about certain motifs, for example springtails, fungi or special spiders?
Lovely! Nice background music too. The stacks look incredible -- my only comment: having tried this myself I think you make it look way too easy! I don't have the ability to control the distance so well in a deep stack. It would be nice to see a video that goes mor into your technique for this.
Thank you Louis! I definitely want to include more info on the subjects in future videos or maybe some mini-documentary style videos, maybe I can do one on Thomisidae just for you ;-)
Great video man can't wait for the next one!😁Now I really want to get that laowa 25mm back and try manual focus stacking again.. It looks so easy when you are doing it..🤣 Cheers! macroblaster2000😉
I do have a question though.✋While shooting the burst for focus stacking, are you doing one single super slow front to back movement, or several front-back-front-back moves?
Thanks so much! When burst stacking I do one continuous slow movement, it taxes some experimenting to get the speed right but I find the results to be much more consistent and easier to work with.
In camera focus stacking means the camera changes focus between shots automatically and merges them together in-camera, meaning you can skip the step of processing the stack in post. The results of stacking usually aren't as good as using dedicated software but it can save a lot of time. Not all cameras have built in focus stacking/bracketing though and you need an autofocus lens to be able to use those features.
Many thanks, I was getting exited but realised you need autofocus so would mean a more expensive lens, looks like I will have to save up, all the best, Mick
Привет из России! Потрясающие фотографии! Пожалуйста сделай подробное видео, как ты настраиваешь камеру и вспышку, а потом соединяешь пачку фотографий! Снимаешь в raw?
Real photography for real people. You just exposed the secret. One does not need high end, expensive equipment to produce perfect photos. Some of my best photos have come out of an old Sony Cybershot. Great video!
I've never seen such macro photographs before, even from the pros.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!
Awesome video. Would love to see more detail of the stacking process during the photo shoot
We want to see more of these. I like the fact that you describe how you take the photos. I'd like to see more details and also on shooting other subjects, notably flowers. Thanks for this one.
Amazing👏👏Having watched many many videos on Macro photography, I find yours the first REAL one on Winter. Thanks.
I am astounded that you get such good focus stacked results from hand holding the camera and moving your body instead of using a focus rail. Excellent work. Well done.
Amazing video. I’m an amateur that’s combed youtube for macro tips for some time, and this is probably near the top of my favorites now. Keep them coming!
Blows my mind, that you stack in live view. Awesome video Alexis! Cheers, Dennis
Great first video 🔥! Can't wait for more!
Sehr, sehr tolles Video!! Und sensationelle Bilder!!!
Great content mate, very instructive. I will receive my Laowa 65mm tomorrow. Cant wait to get started!
A very good video on macro photography. I bought the Laowa 100mm f2.8 x2 and it is a great lens. You take great macro photos. Don't you use a tripod ? I look forward to your next videos. Greetings from Cracow, Poland.
Thank you! I rarely use a tripod for macro, I prefer the flexibility of shooting handheld and using a flash motion blur isn't a worry.
Nice photos there!! Pretty interesting macro photography setup to be handholding and stacking manually without a focus ring. You are the first macro photographer i've seen manually focus stacking with the laowa 25mm, which I have myself, and is not easy to use out in the field!
Thanks! Yeah that lens is definitely challenging to stack with, but the results are so worth it
This is very impressive for a first video! Keep pushing videos of this quality and you'll go far for sure!
Thanks Ryan, I'm glad you like it!
Amazing first video, really well put together. Looking forward to future videos from you!
You did an amazing job with this first video. You managed to get high performance shots in a not so easy environment while keeping it simple and pleasant to watch and listen. I am on board for the next one. Don't change a thing. Great technique and very nice pictures by the way !
This is absolutely amazing!!! You are so talented Alexis 🥰🥰 can’t wait to see more of your videos!
Great video, thanks a lot! Please tell me, how often are shots taken? Does the flash have time to recharge? What flash settings do you use?
Amazing first video, congratulations! I'll follow for more.
Your images and knowledge are all first rate young man, a pleasure to view... Thank you for sharing.
I truly enjoy your informative episodes. Job well done..!
Fantastic work! Would love to see a detailed tutorial of your focus stacking technique.
Alexis, fantastic video, which I can't believe is your first. I'm just beginning in macro and my main challenge is stabilising the camera. I'd love if you could give some tips because you make it look so easy! Many thanks for a very inspirational video ❤
Sweet video … this is the 2nd of your video I found today on my UA-cam Home Page … keep them coming … I mainly shoot wildlife/mostly birds - though my wife & I went to Pantanal Brazil in September where it was Jaguars & Giant River Otters! …Which is only to say, I love wildlife/have thought about learning Macro - and what you are sharing is an inspiration ! Suggestion … in your videos, increase the amount of time on each finished photo you share. Thanks.
i love these vids, so informative, calm, peacefull...
Amazing pictures. Thank you for showing. Have always good light.
Your videos are a kind of artwork themselves! You not only handle the technic very well, I like your film making and presentation. And you know the creatures names! Not just only taking pictures whatever it is. You respect nature and be aware of the treasures around us. The feathered spider pics are outstanding! Looking forward to your next adventure! Just left an abo: ) Best wishes from Germany
Love it! Would love to see one on slime molds!
Great video. You made it look so easy. Will definitely try your method!!!
Hi Alexis, thank you for your tips. Actually I am working withmy Sony cams plus a Neewer NW880S and it's working very well!
First! This is very very well made Alexis, I'll be looking forward to more of your videos!!!
thanks Justin!
Great and thanks for sharing your knowledge
Great 1st video. I look forward to hearing more about the stacking technique.
thank you from southwestern France
Very great first video! I like the tempo and also the audio. But most of all... the pictures!!!
Great work as usual. May I ask your Flash power setting getting along with the custom 200ISO - 1/4f - 1/200 ?
Thank you for sharing. Great video and shots.
Great video!!! I always struggle at the ''Moving back slowly'' part!
This will be my first summer with that lens, I'm excited to see what I can get.
Cool photos!
Good luck, it's a really fun lens!
Another world. Excellent images ,Alexis.
Awesome vid! Looking forward to the series.
Great video, looking forward to watching more.
Keep up the good work bud.
Congratulations on the channel and great photos. I hope for more similar content. :)
This is very interesting, taking such high magnification macros handheld is impressive because it is difficult. Would very much like to see both the pre- (the setup of the custom modes and flash) and post- processes, stacking and editing in your upcoming videos. I really like that you have focus on (pun intended) leaving the scene without harming the habitat. Greetings from your subscriber number 88.
Thank you! I'm definitely planning to do some videos on post processing, and good idea to do some on settings/custom modes as well.
awesssoooome - great fotos and insights
Hi Alexis excelent work let me know please how you de Fuji X-H2 with the Laowa 25mm, any adapter?
Great video. What lens adaptor do you get with the lens? What settings do you need to use in the X-H2 camera?
Great work, and an amazing first video. Its impressive you can pull off 128image stacks handheld!
MEGA !!!! - Greets from Germany/Bavaria
This is your first video?! Nailed it dude. Well done, especially with the subtle use of background music (so many youtubers get that wrong). Great photo's too. As a newcomer to macro I felt you glanced over the "test photo" bit. Thats the bit I would like to know more about, coming from "normal photography" it's all a bit foreign especially flash settings (never really used flash before).
Thanks! Good to know, I will plan to do a more beginner-oriented video focused on settings and camera setup in the future :)
Good head-on mite photo, tough...
Great videos- looking forward for more
Amasing movement...., how come you could get the stability while moving your camera with manual focusing lense...
Great video! I'll look forward to a video on technique. I'm impressed how well the SB900 keeps up with the long sequence of shots. (probably b/c it's set manually @ 1/32 or 1/64 s?)
Also where did you learn your biology to know and name the species you find?
Also loved the out-take at the end😅!
great photos man, very nice work
Very nice video! Never tried going out in winter, unless its a snowflake 😅 Very nice shots and very helpful! 😁
It's definitely worth a try, there's still lots around if you look hard enough!
@@naturefold I tried it and there's actually quite something to be found 🤩 Thank you 😁🙌
Excellent! Very well done
Hey, great video! this is really helpful. Your images are absolutely exquisite, keep up the amazing work :)
I look forward to your image stacking video. A few suggestions for future videos: image storage and processing, and photo editing would be great!
Thanks so much! I'll definitely do some videos on post processing and editing in the future
pleasure! fantastic, cant wait 😀@@naturefold
Very relaxing video. Well done 👏
Awesome work
Hi, I have been following your videos and must admit that you are doing a superb job. One question, since flashes need some recycle time and I can see that your flash is not firing in many shots in between, so you must be getting darker images in those shots. How do you manage them in post processing? Do you simply discard those dark images and only work with well-exposed ones? In that case would you not miss some of the sharp focus points which were dark because of flash not firing? Hope I could explain my question, looking forward to your answer. Thanks.
It only looks like the flash misses shot due to rolling shutter on my video camera, which makes it look like the flash doesn't fire sometimes. It actually does fire consistently with every shot, the only times it misses a couple shots is if it is low on battery or if I have to shoot at high flash powers, in which case I just delete the photos where it didn't fire.
@@naturefold thanks, helped a lot.
nice video, great pictures, what kind of diffuser is that, do you have a link to it please?
Love the video. Was curious about the setup. I went to the venuslenes website but I can not find that lens (Laowa 25mm F/2.8 2.5-5x ultra macro) in a Fugifilm mount. What kind of adapter are you using or did they once produce but discontinue a Fugifilm mount? Thank you.
Great video mate well done!!! Very cool!
Question:
- What POST software do you use for stacking the photos afterwards?
- Do you use the cameras built in focus bracketing mode where you just stand still and it adjusts the focus? Or do you always burst fire and sway your body to change the focus?
I use Zerene Stacker to stack the photos in post. Focus bracketing is only possible with autofocus lenses, and both my macro lenses are manual focus only so I always stack manually
Muy buenas macro fotos
Bravo-Bravooo...
I'm impressed how steady your handheld stacks are! I'm curious, what fps does that flash get? The Godox V350 can get 7fps on my fuji, sometimes 10 at low power.
You are doing amazing!! Pretty jealous actually 😂😂👏🏻
❤ I use z6 ii and Godox v860 iii but I can’t take more than 10 photos with flash (1/64). Would you mind telling me more on how to take a series of 70 photos on one go? Thank you!
Really fantastic technique! That nursery spider is incredible. I have tried focus stacking, but the post processing never comes out quite right, or maybe I don't take enough shots (3-10, not 40+ :) )
Thanks so much! That many shots aren't absolutely necessary for stacking, I only use so many because at the high magnifications I get with the laowa 25mm the depth of field is even thinner than with a regular macro lens. Closer to 1:1 or even 2:1 it's very possible to get lots of depth with just 5 or 10 frames
Wonderful video and so glad you did not ask for support.
Great video! Subscribed. Why did you choose the Fuji X-H2? Is it just the bigger sensor (compared to m43) or something else? I've been looking at the Olympus OM-1, Fuji XT-5, and the Panasonic G9ii... all of them look great but now I am curious of the XH2 or XH2S.
Thanks! The main upgrade for me compared to my previous camera, the Lumix G91, was the higher res 40mp sensor, but another advantage is having faster burst rates and a CFexpress type b card slot (which is one major difference from the XT-5), which allows me to get way more frames for stacking before running into the buffer.
If focus bracketing is a priority the OM-1 is definitely your best bet, and the OM 90mm macro is one of the best macro lenses around. I've been stacking manually for a few years so bracketing wasn't a big deal, and for my style of macro I really felt limited by the 20mp max resolution on m43.
Really cool video, love it!
Great video and content!👍
Ahhhh found the video with the diffuser, where can I get it ?
Really well done!
Für dein 1. Video EXTREM gute Qualität ❤
I take great macro🎉
awesome video for such a small channel! Why did you pick the lens you own? Would you prefer another instead?
How do you focus stack with a manual focusing lens to avoid focus breathing ? Very impressive
Amazing video!
Omg, this flash is so fast 😯
Very nice vidéo, little short for me, but it’s winter🤷🏽♂️
Very good. Well done. Good presentation. Subscribed.Where are you located?
very nice video young lad!
Most people would say that you are aiming for an extremely small audience, but your tips are spot on. As a Landscape Photographer who has grown to love macro, I find all the stacking a bit overkill and tedious. I wish you well and have subscribed, but generally have no need for 40mp or an advanced laptop.
Hello, I love your videos and I'm already subscribed to your channel. I have a Canon 600RT flash and I can't take that many photos quickly with the flash. Can you help me, please?
Great work ❤
Really nice ❤
Great video
Great video, Alexis. Really like the style and quality (both, video and audio quality).
Only the background music seems a but too loud at some scenes but that’s only a minor issue and probably doesn’t bother most of the people.
Keep going! I'm looking forward to the next video.
Maybe do some videos about certain motifs, for example springtails, fungi or special spiders?
Lovely! Nice background music too. The stacks look incredible -- my only comment: having tried this myself I think you make it look way too easy! I don't have the ability to control the distance so well in a deep stack. It would be nice to see a video that goes mor into your technique for this.
Thank you Louis! I definitely want to include more info on the subjects in future videos or maybe some mini-documentary style videos, maybe I can do one on Thomisidae just for you ;-)
@@quietkey5 thanks! I'm planning to do a much more in depth video/series on focus stacking in the future, I'll let you know
When saying taking focus stack, do you mean moving the camera or moving the focus ring of the lens ?
how did you do the focus on your camera
Liked and subscribed !!
Great video man can't wait for the next one!😁Now I really want to get that laowa 25mm back and try manual focus stacking again.. It looks so easy when you are doing it..🤣 Cheers! macroblaster2000😉
I do have a question though.✋While shooting the burst for focus stacking, are you doing one single super slow front to back movement, or several front-back-front-back moves?
Thanks so much! When burst stacking I do one continuous slow movement, it taxes some experimenting to get the speed right but I find the results to be much more consistent and easier to work with.
Nicely done, I saw an Olympus camera on UA-cam and the photographer said it did in camera focus stacking, does that mean it does the work for you ?
In camera focus stacking means the camera changes focus between shots automatically and merges them together in-camera, meaning you can skip the step of processing the stack in post. The results of stacking usually aren't as good as using dedicated software but it can save a lot of time. Not all cameras have built in focus stacking/bracketing though and you need an autofocus lens to be able to use those features.
Many thanks, I was getting exited but realised you need autofocus so would mean a more expensive lens, looks like I will have to save up, all the best, Mick
@@naturefold And, with the Canon R series, you can't use flash with auto bracketing and focusing.
Nice video! keep it up!
Привет из России! Потрясающие фотографии! Пожалуйста сделай подробное видео, как ты настраиваешь камеру и вспышку, а потом соединяешь пачку фотографий! Снимаешь в raw?
HI. When you are doing a high burst focus stack and moving the camera forwards how much distance are you traveling from first to last photo?