A Petrified Tree Stump

thingiverse

On the lawn of the Pettigrew House & Museum in Sioux Falls, South Dakota lies a colossal petrified tree stump. It measures around two to three feet in height, its massive trunk radiating outward from the base like giant arms. Though hollow within, getting clear shots of the inside proved elusive due to unforgiving angles. Purchased by Senator Pettigrew for his growing collection, which eventually became a museum open to the public, it sits majestically on the museum grounds. Utilizing Agisoft Photoscan Pro software, this intricate model was crafted from a collection of 52 carefully taken photos snapped with my trusted Nikon D200 camera. My go-to lens choice, an old manual focus favorite – also known as nifty fifty – helped create breathtakingly clear images devoid of any discernible artifacts that tend to occur when capturing scenery at higher focal points like f/22. For maximum effect without compromising on resolution and to sidestep unnecessary processing hurdles associated with chromatic aberration when operating below 22 aperture values, a precise control on depth was established by leveraging manual mode features accessible in my reliable Nikon device while taking the pictures. This ensured sharp foreground visuals amidst softly diffused background regions; nothing stands out from these deliberate captures made in RAW file format under the settings that brought all the intricate texture elements within my scene to life beautifully through expert utilization of aperture and careful choice in optimal lens configuration which led perfectly fine picture composition for both artistic purposes along aesthetic ones - I am yet a student. Using a set point with more restricted sensitivity than fully opened, like twenty fourth segment instead twenty second to allow maximum amount clarity as f eight gives less diffraction compared lesser aperture so this shot can maintain sufficient crispiness throughout its total view even including peripheral details such areas would likely otherwise lose clear focus at slightly deeper f numbers which sometimes result somewhat softer blurry visuals. I used an advanced RAW image editor to perfect every photograph in preparation for use in Agisoft Photoscan Pro. Carefully reviewed by myself upon returning home, I applied essential exposures & refined it when required adjusting certain parameters within application windows where images appear larger during editing.