How to Focus Stack in Photoshop // Tutorial 

This is by far the best, most comprehensive, and simplest tutorial of the countless focus stacking videos out there. Bless you.

This was a HUGE help Nick. I love your teaching style. Thank you for all you do.

Nick, You are gifted teacher who can present information in a clear and concise way for people to learn easily. I miss your tutorials and hope all is well. John

Hi Nick: I just discovered your teaching videos on photo stacking. Thanks for making it clear and understandable for us Photoshop newbies. I have listened to hundreds of RU-vid videos and your's is one of the best.

Your videos have been invaluable for my reintroduction into landscape photography and editing. Picked up a wacom (where's it been all my life!?) and started applying more advanced luminosity masks adjustments and dodging/burning techniques. Now I'm taking focus stacking to the field. My confidence post-shoot has been roaring lately and the time in the digital darkroom is so enjoyable. Keep up the great work!

Fantastic video! I’ve always found this confusing and could never really get it right. Your step by step directions and tip to make copies prior to running the process in Photoshop was a huge help. Thank you for teaching us how it’s done!

First time i tried to focus stack was today...got lost watching other videos and yours nailed it! I appreciate the help! Great photos by the way!

I was going through your Essential Photoshop practice files where we go through focus stacking and then this video showed up. Both are very well done. Thanks!

I always learn something new ... thank you. Today, I learned about using the folders in Photoshop. I love using Nikon’s touch screen shutter release for landscape photo stacking and their “focus shift shooting” mode for automated shooting when doing macro photography. The toolkit is always improving!

Been focus stacking using Photoshop for years so assumed I had it nailed. Then you threw in the tip about duplicating the layers as a back-up. Boom! I never thought of that. Thank you Nick. A valuable lesson.

As a young, emerging photographer I always wanted to learn how to focus stack my images, but was always overwhelmed with the thought of it being to complex.. today I eventually ventured into it and found your video. What a gem! Clear, concise, helpful … thank you so much! That one small thing has made such a change to my image making already ! 🙌 I’ve subbed 📸 thank again!!

Thank you, Nick. You've made the photo stacking process so easy. I really appreciate it.

Thank you! A great tutorial and one of the best and most comprehensive I have seen on the subject.

You answered a key question for me in regards to why a certain number of images go into any given focus stack. Many thanks for taking the time to put this info together. Top shelf as always 🤘

I just wanted to say a quick thank you. This video helped me so much and I've finally managed to compose my first focus stacked image. I am so stoked right now! Thanks again!

thanks so much Nick for publishing this on Focus Stacking! It is such an needed remedy for so many contrasting frames, albeit all frames!

This is super helpful, Nick. Thanks so much for doing this. Seen a few other videos on it but yours is the simplest yet most detailed. Thank you.

Nick its great to see you back in the education saddle. Enjoyed this tutorial its simple, attainable, repeatable, and effective. Your winter camp vlog was timely as I had just returned home from my winter camp. Purpose was to camp, ski, and take photos. Winter had a different objective as the temperature dropped into the -30C area and the winds picked up into the 50-70 kph range. Had a blast keeping the fire going in my tent, but didn't take many photos. Your camping Vlog and now focus stacking renewed my ideas to head back to Abraham Lake and make more images. Thanks Nick. Howard Koch

Great video, very informative and appreciate hearing about the Great Courses. Thank you for doing these videos, they are so helpful and I learn so much.

Thank you Nick, I ran into Ben out at Death Valley last weekend with him doing one of his shots with his 8X10 and seeing and being a fan of his and yours, I decided for this trip to set up more of my shots for processing with Focus stacking, this video came at teh perfect time and plan to later today start the process of focus stackin in order to get my shot from Dante and Badwater so much better. Thank you and Ben is one hell of a nice guy and true master on his Large Format. Thanks again

Great tutorial Nick. Thanks.. keep 'em comin'

Thank you Nick! I think this knowledge will make the biggest difference in my photos.

Such a great video, and such a powerful process for creating amazing images! Thank you!

Short, concise and incredibly useful. Thanks Nick!

Thanks for an absolutely brilliant guide to Focus Stacking. Wonderful stuff.

Excellent tutorial Nick, very impressed with all your videos. Many thanks.

Thanks for the followable tutorial. I'm just learning PS, but have wondered how to perfect sharpness in my images. Thanks so much!

Bro, english is not my first language and you speak so easy to understand. I loved this tutorial, you ROCK!

Thanks Nick! This is unlike I've ever seen before and such a simple way to focus stack. I can't wait till the day that all of this will just happen right in camera. im sure its coming sooner then later.

That's a bloody awesome video, presented with great articulation. Many thanks!

Love this video. What a great tutorial. Thanks Nick!

Excellent job Nick, thanks a lot.

Thank you so much for sharing Nick. Perfect simple explanation! Focus stacking here I come.

I was literally just focus stacking some photos of the snow in Texas from this past week. Perfect timing for me! Thanks for another great video.

Just wanted to say thanks for this. I've been putting PS off for a long time, and recently got into doing more landscape stuff. I learned about you and your channel after I got the F4 Roadtrip package (originally started watching Tom, then Gavin), and this was one of the suggested videos for me from your channel. Focus stacking was one of those things on the short list of things I wanted to learn, and your video was great. I now see everyone that's doing landscape has a focus stacking tutorial video lol, but you helped me, so I just wanted to say thank you.

Great content man, you broke it down really simple and once I get off work tonight I shall try it out.

Fantastic video!! I have watched a few new trying to learn how to do this and yours was by far the easiest to follow. I've subscribed and Im off to watch more from you. Thank you!

Absolutely stellar explanation. Comprehensive although easy to the ear.

This tutorial is superb, now I'm focus stacking like a pro. Thanks Nick.

Wow! Amazing video and instruction. My first try was very good! TY

Thank you for sharing, showing, and explaining this simple and easy process!!

I love focus stacking nick. Loved this video as it will just help others. Thanks for sharing.

Great video. Never considered photo stacking before, looking forward to trying it out.

Got to say Nick you explain things so well - really easy to follow - defo saved this vlog to my favs for future reference...

Outstanding pace and detail! Thank you. Now, I need a good complete course on Photoshop.

Great information and so well-explained. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Nick. You make it easy!

Nick - many thanks - great tutorial

Excellent tutorial. Thank you. I was trying to photo stack my images in Lightroom rather than Photoshop and couldn't work out why they weren't merging. However, success in Photoshop after following your tutorial. PS : I am a fan if the Great Courses.

You really made it easy to understand, well done and thank you for the tuturial Nick!

The best stacking info online-thanks Nick

As a past Darktable user, and new user to the most recent Adobe suite, thank you for the very informative video. I have been a subscriber for some time now but have never heard of your golf course superintendent background. My father was one of the Treasurers of the National Golf Course Superintendent's Association a long time ago, and in the business for more than 4 decades. He got me started in photography at a very early age, and to see the commonalities is really cool. Thank you for your insight and wisdom...you have made me a better photographer by your efforts!

Thank you.. focus stacking replicates the way we see nature!

As usual Nick your videos are easy to follow with great tips. Good job.

Thank you so much!! I’ve been frightened to even try you made this look so easy I’m willing to try now!

What a fine video that breaks down each stone i this complicated task.

Thank you for sharing this Nick. It will really help me going forward.

Great tutorial! Finally got it!

Thank you for your help Nick ..excellent..x

Wow, I'm glad this video came up in my suggested videos (although I've been subscribed for a while). Focus stacking is so easy - I never did it because I did not know how to but after this why wouldn't I do it. Thanks Nick!

PERFECT video for anyone just wanting to bust this out and make it happen. The juice sprays right at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="253">4:13</a> if anyone just want to dive right in. Thanks Nick!

Got this notification right as I was looking up how to focus stack. Thanks Nick!

Brilliantly articulated. Many thanks

Great snappy tutorial again Nick..👍🏻 Great delivery! And to top it, I’m a history (early British) nerd too..Result!

Great video Nick! You make it sound so easy.

An excellent tip for focusing on landscape pictures. I use Lightroom for 95% of my editing and hardly use Photoshop because of the layer feature which I find to be too tedious. I occasionally use Photoshop Elements for fine-tuning cloning and such. This method makes it relatively easy to do this and get great results in Photoshop without the steep learning curve. Very useful tip.

Great video again Nick. East to understand and well explained. Top man.

Well explained, well presented. Great video. Just have to go take a few photos .

Sweet segue and relatable explanation of your sponsorship. Those e-books are great for road trips!

I was introduced to focus stacking through macro photography, using Zerene Stacker, a necessity when stacking dozens to hundreds of subs (or it’s counterpart Helicon). However I’ve only lately started applying focus stacking to landscapes when necessary, and your tutorial stands out from those I’ve viewed for all the reasons cited by those who have commented. I should have started here, and I know better:-).

Very informative video, Nick! You are easy to follow and it makes sense!

Amazing lesson!! thank you - by far one of the best Photoshop videos

I'm so excited to try this, thanks for sharing! I guess my question then becomes when to focus stack and when not to, sounds like it may be more of a artistic decision. I find I've often been a bit intimidated on getting more into photoshop but working on that being a high priority this year to really improve my images. I hate it too when taking pretty high f-stop images getting those nasty dust spots, so this sounds like a better option when I can.

Thanks again for these videos and some short cuts.

Excelent tutorial. I shall certainly watch more.

Best video that I have seen about focus stacking! This is must-see post.

Thanks Nick.............this really HELPED

You're awesome! this video helps me so much! thank you for sharing!

Fantastic. I had no idea about auto-blend. Game-changer!

Wow! I followed along with you to make my first focus stack. Knocked my socks off! Thanks!

You make this very easy to digest... thank you for another awesome video!

Hey man. Thanks again for the advice on my photo that I shared on your fb page. I totally knew where I had went wrong but I needed to here it from someone who’s work I admire and respect artistically.

Very useful and easy to follow video Nick, thanks!

Thank you this was so helpful! Now I'm not so scared to try it!

Thanks Nick - the fog has lifted for this Grandma! I will now give this a go as previously I was in a state of muddle but after watching this I think I can do it!

Thank you for this video! This is exactly what I needed to learn.

Great Video. Very Informative. Thanks!!

Thank you for another wonderful video!

Thanks Nick, I now know what I was doing wrong when stacking and stitching. Very well explained.

THANK YOU! Nice Simple to the point + EXCELLENT AUDIO!

I love your videos! You Are good teatcher and Master photographer! Keep it going!!! Your videos Are professionally made.

Thank you very much for this video! 👏🏼

Thank you for making it easy!!!

Great video I never realized focus stacking was so easy.

Thank you sir, you convinced me to use stacking for landscapes.

Great video!! Thank you!

History Nerd=Awesomeness. Loved the folder for copy idea. I'll road test your instructions. Loved the Alabama Hills image. Journeyed the 44 miles there recently and dang there were so many people out there! Such a buzz kill. We did find solitude on Tuttle Creek Road, thankfully. Lack of people is one of the best parts of the East Side.

Thank you very much for the video.. With this information I will definitely try it.

This worked perfectly. Thanks for de-mystifying this!

can't wait to try it great video