my picks: Macro shot(s) with focus stacking

Took some 17 RAW images with the Canon T3i on a tripod, in manual mode, manual focus, with image stabilization off. Just ever so slightly turned the focus ring after every shot. Then took 14 of those (didn't use the first and last two) straight from the camera without any manipulation whatsoever and followed McCordall's method of focus stacking. I then flattened the image, removed various blemishes and tiny dirt particles on the flower using the spot healing brush and clone tool, sharpened using the high pass filter method, and finally boosted the contrast a bit by creating a duplicate layer with soft light blend mode at 50% opacity.

Ambient light was used but because the flower kept vibrating in the breeze I had to move the potted plant indoors by a huge window. Exposure was of course the same for each frame, but because the sun was partly slipping in and out the clouds, some shots were a fraction of a stop brighter/darker than others. The final composite image still seems to have come out ok.

The Zeikos lens is nowhere close to good. In fact I'd immediately give it away if ever I get hold of an extension tube or real macro lens. High pass filter sharpening helped a heap in obtaining a better image quality.