Macro photography is an incredible way to capture the finest details of nature, but achieving sharp, high-quality images comes with its own set of challenges. This past week, I’ve been practicing focus stacking using Helicon Focus to overcome the limitations of shallow depth of field, particularly with my Nikon 105mm macro lens.

With this lens, I quickly realized that even at smaller apertures, the depth of field is incredibly narrow, making it difficult to get an entire subject in focus. To solve this, I’ve been experimenting with focus stacking, and while I’ve had some success, I’ve also learned a lot about the challenges involved.

Why Focus Stacking is Essential for Macro Photography

In macro photography, when shooting at high magnifications, even stopping down to f/16 or f/22 often isn’t enough to keep an entire subject in focus. This is because:

A wider aperture (like f/2.8) results in a razor-thin focal plane, making it impossible to keep both the foreground and background sharp.
Stopping down to smaller apertures (f/16–f/22) introduces diffraction, which softens image quality rather than enhancing sharpness.

This is where focus stacking comes in—by taking multiple images at different focus points and blending them together in Helicon Focus, I can create one ultra-sharp image that captures fine details from front to back.

Lessons Learned from My First Focus Stacking Attempts

1. Wind is the Enemy

One of the first challenges I ran into while focus stacking outdoors was movement from wind. If a leaf, flower, or mushroom moves even slightly between shots, the final stacked image ends up with blurry artifacts where the frames don’t align perfectly.

Solution: When working outdoors, I’ve been choosing still subjects like fungi, rocks, and insects resting on solid surfaces to minimize movement. For delicate flowers, I’m learning to wait for calmer conditions or use small wind blocks.

2. Setting the Close Focus Point is Crucial

One of my most frustrating but educational moments came when I photographed a beautiful cluster of mushrooms. The texture, color, and lighting were perfect, but my focus stack didn’t start close enough to the foreground, which left a blurry halo around the rim of the mushroom.

Solution: Now, before starting a focus stack, I carefully check my first and last focus points to ensure I’m covering the entire subject. It’s also helpful to review shots on-camera before moving on.

3. Using a Light Box for Indoor Practice is a Game-Changer

To refine my focus stacking skills, I’ve been practicing in a controlled environment using a light box in my apartment. This eliminates wind and allows me to dial in my technique before spring brings a new wave of outdoor macro photography opportunities.

Why it helps:

Consistent lighting prevents unwanted shadows between focus-stacked frames.
No movement from wind, allowing for cleaner, more precise stacks.
Easier experimentation with Helicon Focus settings, so I can fine-tune my post-processing workflow.

Best Practices for Effective Focus Stacking

After a week of trial and error, here are a few essential techniques I’m focusing on to improve my macro photography stacking process:

1. Use a Tripod for Stability

Handheld focus stacking is possible, but it’s much harder to align images properly. A tripod with a macro focusing rail ensures smooth, incremental adjustments.

2. Shoot in Manual Mode

To keep consistency across stacked images, I lock my exposure settings in manual mode—otherwise, changing brightness between shots can cause blending issues in Helicon Focus.

3. Use Focus Peaking or Live View for Precision

Rather than relying on autofocus, manual focusing with focus peaking or live view zoom helps me precisely adjust focus in small increments.

4. Take More Frames Than You Think You Need

It’s always better to have too many focus points than not enough. Skipping key focus areas leads to soft edges and missed details.

5. Review Before Moving On

Now that I’ve learned my lesson with the mushrooms, I zoom in on my images before leaving the scene to ensure I’ve captured the entire subject in focus.

Optimizing Helicon Focus for the Best Results

As I’ve been experimenting with Helicon Focus, I’ve found a few settings and techniques that help maximize image quality.

1. Choosing the Right Stacking Method

Helicon Focus offers three different rendering methods—each has its strengths depending on the subject and complexity of the image.

Method A (Weighted Average): Works well for clean backgrounds and simple focus stacks but struggles with fine details.
Method B (Depth Map): Great for high-contrast images but can sometimes create unnatural transitions between focus planes.
Method C (Pyramid): I’ve had the best results using Pyramid mode for complex macro images, as it handles depth transitions smoothly and maintains sharp details.

2. Refining the Stack with Retouching Tools

Even when the stacking process works well, some areas can still end up slightly misaligned or soft. Helicon Focus has a retouching tool that lets you paint in sharp details from individual frames.

Tip: If I notice a soft area in the final stack, I go back to my source images and selectively paint in details from the frame where that area was in focus.

3. Avoiding Stacking Artifacts

Sometimes, Helicon Focus creates odd halos, ghosting, or blending errors. These usually happen when: The subject moves slightly between shots.

The aperture is too wide, creating excessive bokeh transitions between frames.
The lighting changes across images, making some areas appear darker or brighter.
Solution: I’ve been getting better results by:
Using a slightly smaller aperture (f/5.6 – f/8) to reduce extreme focus transitions.
Shooting in consistent lighting—whether it’s soft natural light or controlled artificial light.
Checking for movement between frames before stacking.

4. Post-Processing for a Natural Look

Once I’ve created my final stacked image, I bring it into Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop for finishing touches. My workflow includes:

Fine-tuning colors and contrast to maintain a natural, realistic look.
Cleaning up any minor blending errors using the clone stamp or healing brush.
Sharpening the final image selectively to emphasize details without over-processing.

Next Steps: Preparing for Spring Macro Photography

With spring approaching, I want to refine my focus stacking skills so I’m fully prepared to capture wildflowers, insects, and other macro subjects at their peak. My next steps include:

Practicing focus bracketing with my Nikon Z6II to automate the stacking process.
Testing different aperture settings to balance depth of field and sharpness.
Mastering Helicon Focus settings to minimize halos or blending errors.
Experimenting with natural light versus artificial lighting for different effects.

Focus stacking has already transformed my approach to macro photography, and I can’t wait to put these skills to use in the field.

Are you using focus stacking for your macro photography? What challenges have you faced, and what solutions have worked for you? Let’s discuss!

Mastering Focus Stacking: My First Week with Helicon Focus for Macro Photography