Foreword The composite images in this book are the result of five years of original imaging experiments in close-up nature photography. In recent decades, nature images have undergone extraordinary developments. Similarly, scientific images obtained through the use of high technology, such as scanning electron microscopes and 3-D imagery, contribute greatly to the current popular appeal of nature photography. This book presents the result of repurposing readily available focus-stacking software. The images are by no means photographs and they are not true 3-D images. They are illustrations composed of many close shots, the results of a process that we call, for lack of a better term, "Hyper Focus." When rendered, mainly through digital painting, these images provide the viewer a new perception of biodiversity that shines light on the most humble and prolific of nature's creations. All were taken in natural, even very low, light, without the optical distortion that would result from the use of wide-angle lenses. I hope this book will find a place in the growing global respect for nature! Excerpted from Hyper Nature by Philippe Martin All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.