This is actually a reply to a friend that asked about how we achieve the clarity in our photographs and our basic workflow. I thought it would be useful to post it here.

I think the clarity we achieve is down to a combination of anal rententive attention to shooting technique, RAW processing and focus stacking (when appropriate).

I couldn't resist getting some screen-grabs of my actual working files so I can show you what I'm talking about.

As an example, the Dampiera you mentioned is a focus stack of 7 exposures. I used to use PhotoAcute but now I use Helicon Focus 'cause it has improved a great deal. I did tinker with the super resolution in 'Acute but I prefer to upsample at the end with Genuine Fractals.

First we view all our RAWs at 100% and mercilessly cull any that aren't as sharp as we can get. Garbage in, garbage out. We are very fussy.

Below is an undeveloped RAW file from the middle of the stack. 100% crop:

One of the most vital steps in our work is the actual RAW capture. We did a lot of research into understanding how digital sensors behave, and how to capture the most information they can. In short, nothing clipped, and histogram to the right without blowing highlights. If things are going to clip no matter what, that's when we shift into HDR shooting. We use a heavy tripod and

mirror lockup too. Always. No exceptions. Never handheld.

Then I process the RAW file. Again, making sure not to clip any information, correcting colour balance and optimizing all the detail hiding in there. RAW processors I use are Capture One Pro (by Phase One), Iridient Digital's Raw Developer, and sometimes (not often though) Adobe's Lightroom. Below is the single processed RAW file (now a tiff file):

Then I stack the tiffs in Helicon Focus Pro or PhotoAcute (whichever program is best to date—I switch whenever something improves in either program).

I open the stacked file in Photoshop (I've turned off the adjustments so you can see what it's like at this stage):

And here's the finished file with the adjustments turned on:

You can see, there's not much adjustment in Photoshop. I think the heavy work gets done when you develop the RAW. The sharpening I use is Nik Software's Sharpener Pro. I adjust the contrast until it looks right. My eye improves all the time. I'm revisiting pictures I developed earlier in the year. But I wouldn't be able to bring out that detail had the RAW file not been taken in the best possible way (ie. heavy tripod, mirror lockup, histogram not clipping, no wind!). These files have really good tonal and colour separation, which is something you don't often see, and the focus stacking really gives it super clarity, hence it doesn't look like what we are used to.

Then of course, you can find that something moved in the middle of the shoot and you have to go out another day and photograph again...

Then the banksia you admired is just a single shot.

So the clarity is a combination of all these things. Sorry it's not a neat, simple answer.

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