Up close and personal with Echinocereus cacti

[cactuspic]

An interesting cactus genus is echinocereus, the hedgehog cactus. I took both of these images at between 4-5 times lifesize with a tripod mounted Canon 65 mp-e lens. Both images were focus stacked.

Spine formation of an Echindereus rigidissimus rubrispinus



Stigma of Echinocereus triglchidiatus


Irwin

[DaveW]

Good images Irwin. I have not managed to get that close yet or managed to stack images. It would have been very interesting to have dusted a little pollen on the close up of the stigma lobes for the picture.

DaveW

[Bruce Williams]

You've done a great job with both these shots Irwin. Interesting how the stigma lobes of E. triglochidiatus take on a spongy, reticulated appearance at this level of magnification.

Bruce

[cactuspic]

Hi Bruce,

As with your puffball, the textures nature reveals under macro photography consitently amazes me. Take care and whatever you do, WHATEVER you do, don't become addicted to cactus growing again.

Irwin

[cactuspic]

Good images Irwin. I have not managed to get that close yet or managed to stack images. It would have been very interesting to have dusted a little pollen on the close up of the stigma lobes for the picture.

DaveW

Hi Dave,

You'd enjoy image stacking. It can provide the depth of field you wish for but sometime cannot get even when fully stopped down. Also it is not diffraction limited. By the way, is my ID of the Pilosocereus in my thread correct?

Irwin

[beetleman]

Very nice pctures Irwin. The stigma picture is great. Stacking gives the pictures more 3D and macro gives a person a view which we would never see with our eyes....it`s a whole new world out there

[cactuspic]

Thanks Doug.

Stacking is particularly useful when dealing with higher magnification, greater than 2x, where the depth of field is so shallow and diffraction starts posing limitations to stopping down the lens. Surface textures really pop.

Irwin