How can i improve depth of field in high-magnification flower shots?

[AndrewM]

I’ve been trying to get better at controlling the depth of field in my close-up flower shots, but I’m struggling to get the exact slice of the petal I want in focus. My aperture is wide open, but the focus still feels a bit off, like the plane of sharpness is too shallow or in the wrong spot. I’m wondering if there’s something specific about working at such a high magnification that I’m missing.

[Oliver_D]

I know the feeling. When you are that close and the lens is wide open, the plane of focus is razor thin. I started using live view at 200% to actually confirm the exact plane, then nudge focus by tiny amounts and recheck. If you can, go manual focus and lock it, then fine tune in small steps. Sometimes a tiny sixteenth of a turn makes all the difference.

[LarryFL]

I experimented with focus stacking for flowers. Took about 6 to 8 shots stepping the focus through the petal, then stacked in post. It eats time, but the result looks clean and the chosen slice stays crisp. Keeping the tripod solid and a consistent distance helps a lot.

[Thomas_H]

Is the problem the plane of sharpness or is the petal moving in the breeze? I ask because I kept chasing the focus while the flower swayed and it made things worse.

[Stephen61]

Sometimes I drift off topic a bit and think about light or background. A bit of side light helps reveal texture, and occasionally stepping back to adjust magnification instead of closing the aperture gives you a less dramatic blur.