Nice shot.
I've been using a tripod for macro for several years.
It has it's restrictions but I would have to give up macro without one.

RAW

If all you are doing is using the Phottix as a shutter release there is no reason to change what you normally do.

I forgot to say, this was printed as a single piece and all of the gears rotate when you rotate one of them.

This was done sometime in the 1990s I think (My memory is not great).
~2 inches tall.
25 shots at 1mm per slice.

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I shot on white and then used Photoshop to select and paint the BG white.
PS generally does a good job of selecting the subject, especially a simple one like this.
Once the subject is selected you can invert the selection so only the BG is selected and do whatever you want/need to do.
I know some folks think using PS is 'cheating'.

A small piece of polished moss agate that I've had since I was a teen (I'm 79).
15 shot stack at 1/4mm per step.

(Download)

I'm old enough to remember these cars.
In fact, I learned to drive in 1955 Chevy.

Just to be clear, there is no such think as a digital photo that has not been post processed.
It is either done by the camera or by the photographer in software like Lightroom or Photoshop.
All digital photos start out as RAW files regardless of the camera setting, RAW or JPEG.
If set to JPEG, the camera post processes the RAW file to get the JPEG,.
If set to RAW the camera creates a JPEG to so the image can be displayed in the viewfinder or LCD screen.
For those of you who think "Photoshopped" is a bad word I refer you to Ansel Adams most famous photo, 'Moonrise-hernandez-new-mexico'.
Look at an early version of the print verses the one we see now days.
Early: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2020/a-grand-vision-the-david-h-arrington-collection-of-ansel-adams-masterworks/moonrise-hernandez-new-mexico
Now: https://www.moma.org/collection/works/53904