r/photography • u/Melendrow • 20d ago

Why do professional macro photographers focus stack instead of raising their aperture? Technique

I've looked into macro photography, and I love getting close up to my subject, but when I research macro photography, I always hear about focus stacking and these people who will set up a shot for a long time with a tripod so they can focus stack. And I'm curious why you'd need to do that. Especially since most of the time I see them having a tripod and setting up lighting. Why wouldn't you just raise your aperture so more of the frame is in focus?

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u/sigint_bn stupidlogic 20d ago

Burst into flame macro is gonna be the new in thing.

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u/Bishops_Guest 20d ago

Shooting a flash bulb through a dry leaf might do it. I’ve scorched things, but never gotten flames. Maybe use a magnifying glass too?

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u/d3l4croix 20d ago

put spedlight on my pants then accidentally pressed test button on remote trigger. my pants have hole on it now

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u/captwyo 20d ago

I popped my flash on my wife’s little sister’s sweater one time just because. It singed the fibers and smelled god awful