Focus stacking is a technique that combines several photos, each focused at a different distance, into one image that is sharp from front to back. It is common in macro, product and landscape photography, where a single frame cannot hold enough depth of field. You shoot the series on a tripod, then blend it in software such as Photoshop or Helicon Focus.

What Is Focus Stacking and How to Do It in Photoshop or Helicon

Shooting the Frames

  1. Put the camera on a sturdy tripod and turn off image stabilization if the lens manual suggests it.
  2. Use manual exposure and manual white balance so every frame matches.
  3. Choose a mid aperture, often f/5.6 to f/8, because very small apertures can soften detail.
  4. Switch to manual focus and focus on the nearest part of the subject.
  5. Take a frame, shift focus slightly farther, and repeat until you pass the farthest point.
  6. Overlap each focus zone, since gaps leave soft bands in the result.

The number of frames depends on the subject. A flower might need ten, a close insect many more, and a landscape often needs only three to five. Some cameras have a built-in focus bracketing mode that does the stepping for you.

Blending in Photoshop

  1. Import the frames into Photoshop as layers, using the script or load-files option.
  2. Select all layers.
  3. Run the auto-align layers command so small shifts are corrected.
  4. Run the auto-blend layers command and choose the stack images option.
  5. Check the result at full size and fix any halos by brushing on the layer masks.
  6. Flatten or save a layered copy for later edits.

Blending in Helicon Focus

  1. Open or drag the frames into the program.
  2. Pick a rendering method; the maker offers several, and they handle detail and overlap in different ways.
  3. Adjust radius and smoothing sliders to reduce halos.
  4. Use the retouching tool to pull detail from a particular frame if an area looks wrong.
  5. Export the final image.
Tool Best for
Photoshop Small stacks and editing in one place
Helicon Focus Large stacks and fine control of blending

Common Problems

Most stacking issues come from movement or poor overlap, so a short test series is worth taking before the real one. A look at the first blend will show whether you need smaller focus steps.

  • Halos around edges: lower the radius or retouch from a source frame.
  • Movement in the scene: stack indoors or on still days.
  • Missed zones: shoot more frames with tighter spacing.

FAQ

Can I stack handheld?

It is possible with enough overlap and good alignment, but a tripod gives far cleaner results.

Do I need special software?

No. Several programs and some cameras handle stacking, so choose one that fits your workflow.

The Short Version

Focus stacking blends frames focused at different distances into one sharp picture. Shoot on a tripod with locked exposure, overlap the focus steps, then align and blend in your chosen software.