Experimental

This is a bit of a failed experiment.

One of the difficulties in trying to create focus stacked macro images of subjects such as dragonflies is that they just don't sit still for long enough. This Common Darter's body is only about 3 or 4cm long, but by the time you add in the number of exposures required to taken in the wings front to back the little devil is guaranteed to twitched, or wriggled, or moved slightly, or even gone for a quick aerial trip in search of lunch, before the process is completed.  Here, I've had to discard the exposures of the wing elements nearest the lens as the wretch moved slightly at that point. 

As this shot demonstrates, you also have to consider what to do with the background and foreground.  Ultimately that is of course why so many stacked macro images are taken indoors and are of lifeless or stunned subjects.

Still, it was an interesting experiment on a day when I didn't want to travel too far from the sofa :-). Many thanks for your well wishes from yesterday, I'm very much on the mend and hoping to be back to normal in the next day or so.